About Norda
Norda Mullen was born in the American south and spent her childhood in Tennessee and Mississippi. For four summers, while in her teens, she attended Interlochen National Music Camp for the Arts in Michigan, where she studied with Alexander Murray, former principal flutist of the London Symphony.
She then went on to Northwestern University to complete a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance, studying with Walfrid Kujala, former principal flute and piccolo player of the Chicago Symphony.
Norda spent the 1980’s and 1990’s in Chicago and Los Angeles, playing for TV and radio commercials, movie soundtracks, and with the critically acclaimed bands, Cause for Passion, and Bahu Rang, whose debut album, Just Try To Walk, (1994), was highly innovative and ahead of its time.
While in Los Angeles Norda joined the Resonance Flute Consort, an ensemble of some of the most talented flutists in Los Angeles, and she participated in many of their live performances. She enjoyed recording two CDs with the group, A Flute Tootin' Yule and Lights, Camera, Flutes.
In the mid-1990s Los Angeles agent Robert Norman, of the Creative Artists Agency, arranged for Norda to perform with Justin Hayward, the lead singer of the Moody Blues, on several of his solo tours.
In 2003, after flutist Ray Thomas retired from the Moody Blues, Norda was asked to fill Ray’s shoes, joining the Moody Blues Touring Band. “Joining the touring band was” Norda says, “a decision that took five seconds to make!” She has since been a fixture in the front row of the Moody Blues Touring Band, traveling the world with them and performing on every tour. She describes her performance with the band at the 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony as “a joy and a privilege.” She is featured on the Moody Blues Album, 'December', released in 2003, as well as 'Lovely to See You: Live from the Greek' released in 2006, and 'Days of Future Passed Live' released in 2018.
Norda enjoyed an equally successful studio career in Los Angeles. She played flute, piccolo, alto flute and bass flute on a long list of major film scores, including Monsters, INC, Toy Story (2 & 3), The Matrix Trilogy, Jurassic Park (2 & 3), Sea Biscuit, Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers and Cars. She also played on Randy Newman's 2008 album, Harps and Angels. She considers Randy Newman her “musical mentor.”
Norda’s self-titled solo CD, NORDA, was released in 2014 to global acclaim. In 2019 she released the EP Give It Up. Both are available on Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play.
Norda lives in Richmond-Upon-Thames, London, with her husband and their dogs, Billie, Lola, and the memory of their dear Roxy.