Pinning flautist Joshua Batty down is no mean feat. When we finally steal a moment, it’s between the launch of his new project Perfect Imperfections at UKARIA with William Barton, Konstantin Shamray and Chroma Quartet, and appearances at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music.

Born in the UK, Batty’s career began early when his primary school teacher, Jane Meaden, encouraged him to take up the flute to help manage his chronic asthma. After studying at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, he went to the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Haute École de Musique de Genève, followed by principal flute appointments with RTÉ Concert Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, where he spent nearly six years.

Joshua Batty. Photo © Emilia Antcliff

Despite his successful international career, Perfect Imperfections grew from a gradual shift in how Batty understood success.

“For much of my career, success had been measured through competitions, auditions and the external markers that often define the classical music profession. Those experiences brought extraordinary opportunities, but over time I found myself reflecting on what truly sustains an artistic life. I became...