German-Irish flutist Niamh McKenna (b. 1991) was appointed principal flute of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in 2019, a position which she had previously been holding with the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra since she moved to Finland in 2014. During the season 2013/14, she was an academist of the Concertgebouworkest. McKenna has studied with Angela Firkins (Lübeck), Felix Renggli (Basel), Kersten McCall (Amsterdam) and Petri Alanko (Sibelius Academy). She was successful in competitions such as the 2017 Crusell International Flute Competition (First Prize) as well as the Prague Spring International Music Competition 2019 (Third Prize). As a solo flutist she has played in the Concertgebouworkest, the Finnish as well as Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and others. McKenna frequently performs as a soloist with Finnish orchestras. As a chamber musician she can be heard in major festivals throughout Finland and abroad.
