Sad news: flautist (principal in Liverpool Philharmonic from 1963-75, then teacher & author) Atarah Ben-Tovim has died aged 81/82 (born 1940).
Oct 21, 2022 | News | 8 comments

8 Comments
Submit a Comment Cancel reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Perhaps the best flautist in the world. I was honoured and privileged when she agreed to take me on all those years ago. We became friends over those years and such a good friend she was. I will miss her terribly and never forget her. The world, and especially the music world, will be a lesser place without her.
Took my now 40 year old sons to see Atara in Edinburgh in the 70s. She was wonderful and my sons never forgot how she introduced them to music other than “pop”
The world is a less colourful, musical place without her in it. She was one of a kind with a sound that all her own
and a brilliant teacher who constantly inspired her students to “say something.” The British Flute society is instituting the Atarah Ben-Tovim Legacy Prize in her memory to be awarded to a promising flautist at their annual flute competition. One can only hope that this encourages the next generation of flautists to continue in her tradition of saying something without pretence,. She was one of a kind. The music world has lost one of its greats.
The world of music has lost a great musician and a superb musical educator. She was such fun and that fun as founded in a deep love of music and children. As a local representative for the ABRSM she visited us in SW France every year fom1996 until covid and my pupils adored her. The little ones called her “The exam lady.” I think her name means “star.” She will certainly shine on in many lives. I have lost a much loved friend.
Atarah told me when I was 18 that I played the flute very nicely but she thought I should become a teacher. I trained to be a music teacher but was always really more interested in special needs. I am now 70. Still teaching. Still loving it. Atarah was so intuitive and positive and encouraging. I will forever be grateful for her interest and guidance.
Very sad news. Atarah dazzled as a flautist, but as others have said, she dazzled even more as a teacher . I took my children (now in their forties) every year to see and hear her at Warwick Arts Centre. The second hall never started quite on time, – Atarah spent the interval talking to parents and advising on instruments. Here strapline was “There is an instrument for every child”
I never had the good fortune to meet Atarah but I have held her and her husband in the highest regard ever since reading “The Right Instrument For Your Child”. This book has helped me to guide new students towards selecting the most suitable instrument.
I tried in vain to email her some years ago but sadly the website I used had been hacked and the emails I sent were never answered. I wanted to ask her permission to develop a Suitability Survey based on the Ben-Tovim & Boyd books. I have since developed the Survey but am reluctant to use it because I do not want to break copyright. Perhaps someone out there may be able to suggest my next move or perhaps a Survey has already been developed elsewhere.
Dear michael
I am a close friend of Atarah and Douglas Boyd. He would like to contact you if possible.