The Flute as a Voice of the Soul: Ainoa González Rabanal on Musical Expression After Her Golden Prestige Victory
- WOMCO
- Sep 14
- 5 min read
Spanish flutist Ainoa González Rabanal was awarded the Absolute First Prize in the Professional (No Age Limit) category at the 2025 Season 3 Golden Prestige International Music Competition. The competition took place from May 9 to August 9, with results announced on August 28. Her winning performance featured Otar Taktakishvili’s Sonata for Flute and Piano.
Could you share the background of your award-winning performance of "Otrar Taktakishvili Sonata for flute and piano"?
Ainoa González Rabanal:
"I recorded the Sonata by Otar Taktakishvili in August 2025 in ArtEZ Conservatorium, Zwolle, Netherlands. I chose this piece because for me it feels like a personal journey. The first movement is full of joy and energy, almost like discovering the world with fresh eyes. The second movement is very deep and heavy—it feels like being at the lowest point, facing inner struggles. In the third movement, you finally begin to see the light again, with hope and vitality returning. Playing the flute allows me to express these emotions in a way words never could. More than technical perfection, I always aim to reach the audience and make them feel something real.“
Could you walk us through your approach to preparing and interpreting your award-winning video performance?
Ainoa González Rabanal:
"When preparing for the competition, I focused on combining precision with spontaneity. I worked on sound projection, articulation clarity, and dynamic shaping, among others, but above all I wanted the performance to feel alive and deeply personal. I believe music is not about flawless execution—it’s about touching people’s hearts (and your own as well). Recording a video adds its own challenge: you have to create the same energy as in a live concert, even without an audience in front of you. My advice is to prioritize musical expression over perfection, choose a good acoustic space, and let your own voice as a musician shine through."
Could you talk to us about yourself, your journey in music, and your future goals?
Ainoa González Rabanal:
"I’m from San Román De la Vega, León, Spain. Actually I’m studying my Master’s degree in Classical Performance in ArtEZ Conservatorium, Zwolle, Netherlands. I began playing flute as a child and quickly discovered that it was the way I could express what I couldn’t say in words. Over the years, I’ve performed as a soloist, in chamber groups, and with orchestras, always seeking to move the audience and create an emotional connection. My future goal is to become a flutist in a professional orchestra, while developing creative projects that bring classical music closer to people. I believe that a great musician today must be versatile."
Would you like to share your experience participating in our competition and anyone you'd like to thank?
Ainoa González Rabanal:
"Participating in this competition has been a truly enriching experience. It allowed me to share my interpretation with an international audience and reaffirmed my belief that music must always communicate something deeper. I would especially like to thank my family, my friends and my teachers for their constant support and encouragement, always motivating me to keep growing as an artist."
Biography
Ainoa González Rabanal began her studies at the Municipal School of Music of Astorga.
She joined the subsidiary band at the age of 10 and the Banda Municipal de Música de Astorga at the age of 13, where she has been first flute until today. She has played in the Mediterranean festival in Calpe, participated in the AEM León, in the band festival in Ponferrada,played in Disney Land Paris, collaboration with Gisela OT, played in the Zuiza of Astorga, played for several ambassadors who visited the city (Astorga) , Argentina and Ireland among others, etc. She has also premiered two works by the composer David Rivas ‘De fábula’ and ‘Episcopus castrum’, in both of which she has been a soloist.
At the age of 15 she took the entrance exams to the professional conservatory of music Ángel Barja in Astorga, where she was also first flute in the band. She was to play with the conservatory orchestra as a soloist and went on to the final of the conservatory competition but was unable to perform due to the Covid-19.
She also inaugurated the Antoni Gaudí day playing in the Astorga seminary as a solo flute.
She has also been a member of the Orquesta de Flautas de León, directed by Salvador Espasa, where she was the soloist for three years and also collaborated in the teachers' orchestra.
She has also received masterclasses from Julien Beaudiment, Paolo Taballione, Salvador Martínez, Antonio Nuez, Antonio Arias, Marta Femenía, Juanjo Hernández, Fernando Gómez, Aleksandra Miletic, Jacques Zoon, Violeta Gil, Valerie Debaele, Nieves Allaño, Álvaro Octavio, Kersten McCall, etc. She has also attended three Pahud masterclasses as a listener. She has received piccolo masterclasses from Marta Santamaría and Paco Varoch.
She graduated from the Conservatori Superior del Liceu with Christian Farroni. She has been a member of the Liceu band and the symphony orchestra, conducted by Manel Valdivieso, Alex Sansó and Luis Orduña, among others, where she has also been first flute or piccolo. She has also taught flute at the Escola de Música Anglesola and has given and still gives private lessons in flute, musical language and piano. She is part of the agency Musical Mastia where she has been hired to play at some events.
She has also participated in a filming of the Marató as first flute in which she collaborated with the contestants of Euforia.
She is also a member of the Joven Orquesta Leonesa where she is first flute.
She has collaborated in a project of the Jove Orquestra Sinfònica de Barcelona, playing the piccolo in Tchaikovsky's 4th symphony.
She is currently studying 2nd year Master at the Conservatorium ArtEZ in Zwolle with João Ramos Marta, where she has been selected to play with the professors wind quintet, and on her own at the Open Day.
She has also played, on several occasions, solo flute with the Britten Voor Jong Muziektalent. Her career as a flute soloist has also taken off with her project “Soundscapes of the World”, which she has already performed in various venues in the Netherlands.
She has collaborated with the Nederlands Blazers Ensemble and with some local orchestras in the Netherlands playing “The homme armée” among other pieces.
She has collaborated with the instagram pages viologram and piano rooms too.
She won the Golden prize in the Fenix Award Competition in the flute category.
