Paula Rae is a founding member of ELISION Ensemble and has featured in projects such as the installations Opening of the Mouth and DARK MATTER by Richard Barrett, all three operas written for ELISION by Liza Lim (The Oresteia, Moon Spirit Feasting [Yuè Lìng Jié] and The Navigator) as well as being involved in premieres of major chamber works by Franco Donatoni, Brian Ferneyhough, Bryn Harrison, Alessandro Melchiorre, Akira Nishimura and Liza Lim.
After graduating with distinction from the Victorian College of the Arts, Paula Rae undertook further studies with Aurele Nicolet, William Bennett and Alain Marion. She has worked with the Melbourne and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, MODSQUAD of Germany and Melbourne Windpower, and from 1988 to 2004 she held the position of Associate Principal Flute in the State Orchestra of Victoria (now Orchestra Victoria). 2004 saw her playing with the Sydney Symphony, and in 2005 she returned to Melbourne to play Principal Flute in Orchestra Victoria.
With ELISION, Rae has performed in Russia, Italy, Germany, Belgium, England, France, Norway and Korea and has recorded numerous compact discs for NMC, ETCETERA, Ricordi, BMG Ariola and ABC Classics. When not playing music, she likes to spend time with her husband and three young children.
Image © Atmosphere Photography 2008