Amanda Tao

flute

Amanda Tao grew up in Sydney, where she completed performance diplomas in both flute and piano and was accepted as a performer into William Bennett’s International Flute Summer School in England while still in highschool. She is currently a final year Music and Law student at the Australian National University, where she studied flute, piccolo and baroque flute under Dr Sally Walker. 

Her performance experience ranges from early music to collaborations with living composers. She has performed as Principal flute and piccoloist with the ANU Orchestra and as a guest with the Royal Military College Band, Duntroon. Her awards include the Leonard and Margaret Doman Undergraduate Scholarship for Flute and prize- winter in the 2023 Friends of the School of Music Chamber Music Competition and the 2023 NSW Flute Society Open Competition. 

Amanda also studied traditional Chinese flute music under Sibei Wang, Principal Flute of the Macau Symphony Orchestra, during an exchange semester at the University of Hong Kong as the recipient of a Friends of the ANU School of Music Grant.

Passionate about intercultural music performance, Amanda co-created the ‘Songroads Ensemble’ with the Jazmourian Ensemble and previous Kingsland Fellows, Emily Thornton and Jojo Yuen in 2025, creating an original work combining Western music, Persian elements and First Nations poetry to perform at ‘The Gathering’ – ANU’s celebration of First Nations composers.

Amanda is looking forward to performing with the Kingsland Fellows in 2026 and she plans to hold a further intercultural celebration with previous Fellows. 

Supported by: Bruce Neindorf, Ingrid Mitchell, Ross Kingsland AM & Sue Kingsland, Mark & Maureen Penglase.

Image: Arianne Schlumpp