February 2010 The Awesome Marianne Gedigian Interview by Wendy Stern

hrough mutual friends and colleagues, Marianne Gedigian was described to me as awesome, energetic, dynamic, creative, and fearless. TAfter interviewing her, I would add to that list: artistic, articulate, and inspiring. Our exchange took place via email in early January 2010.

WENDY STERN: I suspect a few people might have been surprised at your decision to accept a faculty position in Texas after serv- ing as former acting principal flute of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops Orchestra, and Pittsburgh Symphony. Specifically, in a time when so many aspiring flutists are vying for so few positions in major orchestras, I would love to hear your views on music careers beyond that of the orchestra. Thinking about music as an art form versus music as a job, how have these had an impact on your artistic and career-based decisions? MARIANNE GEDIGIAN: Certainly music has been my career or job, but mostly it has been a way of life. I have always taken opportunities as they come, and done my best to make the most of them. Regretting yesterday or pining for something tomorrow doesn’t make today better for me. When students are struggling to figure out how they will have a career in such a competi- tive field, I urge them to find the ways that music will fulfill them individually. For each person, this will be a different path. While there are those students who have a vision of orchestral playing, there are others that would be equally satisfied to have a private studio, a chamber music group, be involved in the area flute club, and play with a regional wind ensemble or In Concert orchestra. Many students are not trained to question what will make them happy Marianne Gedigian, flute but to follow the path the school or Anne Epperson, Piano (Cont’d on page 4) Sunday, February 28, 2010, 5:30 pm Yamaha Piano Salon, 689 Fifth Avenue IN THIS ISSUE (entrance on 54th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues) The Awesome Marianne Gedigian Interview by Wendy Stern...... 1 Andante in C Major, K. 315 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) From the President: Rondo in D Major, K. 184 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart For Flute or Not for Flute? That is the Question Four Lyric Pieces for unaccompanied flute John Heiss (b. 1938) by Nancy Toff...... 2 Four Short Pieces Frank Bridge (1879-1941) Member Profile: Mary-Ann Tu...... 3 transcr. Gedigian Rachel Brown Materclass Report Fantaisie Georges Hüe (1858–1948) by Don Hulbert...... 6 Sonata César Franck (1822–1890) Anouncements arr. Rampal/Gedigian Flute Happenings...... 4 Flute Fair Update...... 7 Program subject to change Correction...... 7 2 — NYFC Newsletter

For Flute or Not for Flute? That is the Question by Nancy Toff t is an ongoing question: is it acceptable to transcribe for flute works written for other instruments? At one THE NEW YORK FLUTE CLUB INC. I point, it was a matter of principle: original-instruments fundamentalists considered transcription a crime against 2009–2010 nature, and performers fought back with an anguished plaint about the lack of repertoire. In the mid-20th century, there Board of Directors was some justification for that complaint: although in 1966 Nancy Toff, President David Wechsler, First Vice President Frans Vester had published his Flute Repertoire Catalogue with Ardith Bondi, Second Vice President the subtitle 10,000 Titles, many of those pieces remained in Jeanne Wilson, Recording Secretary From the manuscript or were out of print. All that changed after the John McMurtery, Membership Secretary President flute renaissance led by Jean-Pierre Rampal, as publishers Nneka Landrum, Treasurer worked industriously to supply increasing numbers of flutists with performing editions. Keith Bonner Robert Dick Susan Friedlander Lucille Goeres Today, complaints about lack of repertoire fall entirely Susan Lurie Fred Marcusa flat: not only have a multitude of works of past eras been rediscovered and published, Karla Moe Rie Schmidt but several generations of twentieth century composers have provided a wealth of Stefani Starin repertoire choices. Still, there is a notable gap: few of the great romantic composers produced solo masterworks. Brahms, for instance, who wrote so magnificently for Advisory Board the orchestral flute, gave us nothing in the way of solo or even chamber vehicles. Jeanne Baxtresser Gerardo Levy Beethoven gave us only salon music and the pedestrian Serenade in D; the authen- Harold Jones Marya Martin ticity of the Sonata in B is uncertain. Ditto Dvorak—we have the magnificent Robert Langevin Michael Parloff b Jayn Rosenfeld symphonies, but nary a sonata or chamber work. Tchaikovsky—again, nothing, though Falls House Press recently published what is alleged to be a flute concerto. Nothing from Mendelssohn or Schumann, little from Schubert. Even in France, where Past Presidents the flute had its first renaissance, the leading composers of the romantic era and even Georges Barrère...... 1920– 1944 some of the impressionists—Chopin, Gounod, Massenet, Saint-Saëns, Ravel—gave it John Wummer...... 1944– 1947 little or nothing. Milton Wittgenstein ...... 1947– 1952 Mildred Hunt Wummer...... 1952– 1955 Into the breach have stepped numerous soloists: Taffanel and then others Frederick Wilkins ...... 1955– 1957 transcribed many of Chopin’s piano works; Rampal transcribed Schumann’s Romances Harry H. Moskovitz...... 1957– 1960 for oboe. Dvorak’s Violin Sonatina, op. 100 and Romance, op. 11 exist in multiple Paige Brook...... 1960– 1963 arrangements for flute. Jeffrey Khaner has transcribed the Brahms clarinet sonatas. Mildred Hunt Wummer ...... 1963– 1964 Denis Bouriakov has taken on the Sibelius and Tchaikovsky violin concertos, the Maurice S. Rosen ...... 1964– 1967 Harry H. Moskovitz ...... 1967– 1970 latter heard at our October concert. When Boston Symphony principal flutist Jacques Paige Brook ...... 1970– 1973 Zoon appeared at the flute club in 1998, he played an entire program of transcriptions Eleanor Lawrence ...... 1973– 1976 (Beethoven, Fauré, Haydn, and Strauss), much to the dismay of some listeners. Harold Jones ...... 1976– 1979 Do these transcriptions work? In my view, each piece must be judged on its Eleanor Lawrence ...... 1979– 1982 Paige Brook ...... 1982– 1983 merits. To what extent is the piece dependent on timbre? Is its volume/sustaining John Solum ...... 1983– 1986 power up to the task? If the listener leaves the performance thinking too much about Eleanor Lawrence ...... 1986– 1989 the original scoring, if she is left to question whether the flute “sounds like a violin,” Sue Ann Kahn ...... 1989– 1992 then I’d argue that the transcription is not successful. But if she hears it as a piece Nancy Toff ...... 1992– 1995 of music on its own terms, then I’d say it does indeed “work.” Obviously, the flute Rie Schmidt ...... 1995– 1998 Patricia Spencer...... 1998– 2001 cannot really imitate a switch from pizzicato to arco; nor can it play double and triple Jan Vinci...... 2001– 2002 stops in the traditional manner. But it can take on lyrical and melodic passages with Jayn Rosenfeld...... 2002– 2005 aplomb, as well as the motivically constructed violin and oboe works of the baroque. David Wechsler...... 2005–2008 The more lyrical the work, the better its chances of succeeding on the flute; the more Newsletter percussive it is, the lower the odds. Katherine Saenger, Editor I once heard a flute choir transcription of the Griffes Poem—and I thought it 115 Underhill Road was an utter disaster, conveying nothing of the orchestral texture and color that is an Ossining, NY 10562 integral component of the piece. But some transcriptions work marvelously well; for 914-762-8582 example, Louis Fleury’s transcriptions of Ravel’s Pièce en forme de habanera (played [email protected] by Mathieu Dufour at last year’s flute fair) and several by Gaubert (see Fenwick Naomi Ichikawa, Designer Smith’s recording of Gaubert’s complete works, volume 3). In 2006, I heard Marianne 230 East 71st Street, Apt. 4D Gedigian play her transcription of the Khachaturian violin concerto—a work that had New York, NY 10021 never particularly spoken to me even in the original. My reaction: If anyone could 646-417-3789 [email protected] make me like the piece, Marianne could; in that case, the interpretation transcended the instrumentation. www.nyfluteclub.org This month’s concert by Marianne Gedigian includes her own arrangement of Frank Bridge’s Four Pieces for violin and piano and her adaptation of Rampal’s Copyright © 2010 by The New York Flute Club Inc., transcription of the Franck sonata. You be the judge; I think you’ll be impressed. unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. February 2010 — 3

Jean-Pierre Rampal, Maxence Larrieu, FLUTE Tom Nyfenger, and Sam Baron. Member Profile HAPPENINGS High school: South Charleston High School Mary-Ann Tu in South Charleston, WV and East Bruns- FEBRUARY ’10 wick High School in East Brunswick, NJ. Feb NYFC member Friday 7:00 pm since 2008 Degree: BA in liberal arts (Douglass 20 The Carnegie Room Concerts College of Rutgers University, 1977), presents ZARA LAWLER, flute, and Margaret MM in flute performance and literature Kampmeier, piano, performing works by (Eastman, 1980). Georges Enesco, and Albert Roussel, and new interdisciplinary pieces with music by Edie Hill and Linda Holland. Most notable and/or personally satisfy- Employment: After a 20-year career • Nyack Library, 59 South Broadway, Nyack, ing accomplishment(s): First, her career NY. • Admission: $17 general, $12 seniors, $7 detour into corporate finance and bank- transitions from flute to finance, and then students. • Info, visit www.carnegieroom.org. ing, Mary-Ann now has a flute studio, (after a long break) back from finance presents masterclasses and designs/man- to the flute. Mary-Ann says, “After a few Feb Sunday 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm ages websites for her favorite flutists, and years of freelancing in New Orleans and 21 ”Reduce Tension through Awareness,” does financial consulting on the side. hanging out with my first husband (a a masterclass with Gary Schocker. saxophonist with Woody Herman and • Shetler Studios, 12th floor, 244 West 54th A recent recital/performance: In Decem- the Thundering Herd), I decided that I Street, NYC. • Admission: $80 performers, $50 ber, Mary-Ann presented masterclasses wanted a career with a more stable life- to audit. • Info, visit www.garyschocker.com or email [email protected]. in NYC for Gary Schocker and Keith style—I wanted to support the arts, not Underwood, played a “MACband & Me” be in the arts.” Courses in computers led Feb Monday 7:30 pm concert at an Upper West Side senior to a career at Citicorp until 2007, when 22 center, and played flute in Handel’s Mes- her VP of strategy and planning job The Les Amies trio with CAROL siah (yes, there are editions with flute WINCENC, flute; Nancy Allen, harp; and moved to Buffalo and she didn’t. More Cynthia Phelps, viola; will present the second parts!) on Christmas Eve in Chinatown. recently, utilizing (i) computer technol- concert of the Carol Wincenc Ruby Anniversary ogy to invent a solo performance venue Series, performing music by Bach, Bax, Ravel, Career highlight(s): As a child in Ipswich, (MACband & Me, a virtual/live music Devienne, and Debussy, as well as the world MA (her chemist/singer father and opera premieres of works by Thea Musgrave and group) and enhance her teaching (help- Andrea Clearfield. singer mother were the models for the ing high school students integrate audio Mandarin family in John Updike’s 1968 • The Morgan Library and Museum, 225 clips into their college applications) and Madison Avenue at 36th Street, NYC. • Couples): performing in Boston summer (ii) her corporate skills (marketing, man- Admission: $35 general, $25 for Morgan stock musicals and as an extra in Sarah agerial, organizational, and technical) to members. • Info, call 212-685-0008 or visit Caldwell’s Boris Godunov and Preminger’s add value to other musicans’ lives. www.themorgan.org. The Cardinal. During her Eastman years: Feb Thursday 1:25 pm playing as a sub with the Rochester Favorite practice routines: Mary-Ann is 25 Philharmonic and, on a visit to China with not a fan of practicing—she prefers rely- DAVID WECHSLER and the her father and flutist sister as a guest of the ing on her improvisatory skills to see her OMNI Ensemble will perform electronic Chinese government, performing at the improvisations and trios by Peter Schickele, through in new situations, both musical Jean Françaix, and David Keberle. Chengdu Conservatory and helping the and not. But she is loving Moyse’s How • Performing Arts at the College of Staten school’s main flute teacher “get” Syrinx I Stayed In Shape (“the first exercise Island, 2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten by playing it for him. More recently, as a book I can tolerate”) and will “buzz” à la Island. • Admission is free. • Info and comeback flutist: visiting Osaka and Kyoto Keith Underwood on the way to gigs (to ticket reservations, call 718 859-8649, email in 2006 with Keith Underwood, Anne [email protected], or visit www. supplement those at-home diminished omniensemble.org. Waxman, and Sanae Nakayama. scales, van Eyck variations, and ipod Brazilian tune warm-ups). Feb Friday 8:00 pm Current flute: A C-foot silver David Wil- 26 DAVID WECHSLER and the OMNI liams (bought in 2008 after a chance Other interests: Family (husband Keith Ensemble in the program of Feb. 25, above. meeting with Gary Schocker at the NY Gardner, an audio engineer at NBC, • Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, 58 Seventh Flute Center when she was there to buy and their electric-guitar-playing high- Avenue (at Lincoln Place), Park Slope, a flute for her son, who ended up with school-aged son Reed), ballet, piano (if Brooklyn. • Admission: $15 general, $10 a Pearl), two C-foot silver Hayneses she ever gets around to resuming les- students/seniors. • Info and ticket reservations, call 718 859-8649. (c.1923 and 1950), and a weatherproof sons), swimming, knitting, cardmaking, Guo New Voice (c. 2009). She is also en- and wine tasting. Feb Sunday 3:00 pm joying a Mason and Hamlin grand piano. 28 Advice for NYFC members: “Musical PAMELA SKLAR, flute and bass flute, with Christopher Dean Sullivan, bass; Bob Meyer, Influential flute teachers:Ben Carpen- training is valuable even if you don’t ter (junior high), June Warhoftig (high drums; Earl Brown, piano; performing a program make a career out of it: my time in mu- of jazz-influenced music, featuring Sklar’s jazz- school), Jim Scott (college), Bonita sic gave me essential life skills—perse- Native American trio, A Tune For America. Boyd (master’s), Keith Underwood and verance, creativity, flexibility, and, most • New Rochelle Public Library’s Little Theater, 1 Gary Schocker (post-corporate), and importantly, a strong sense of self. Her Library Plaza (walking distance from Metro North occasional lessons or masterclasses with motto: “Feel the fear and do it anyway.” station), New Rochelle, NY. • Admission is free, donations accepted. • Info, call 914-632-7878. 4 — NYFC Newsletter

(Cont’d from page 1) learning is messy and dynamic. A stu- FLUTE teacher sets forth for them. I know of no dent might walk through the door with one who is happy in music doing what an unexpected breakthrough or chal- HAPPENINGS someone else told him or her they ought lenge and I must be open to working to do. with them in the moment. Lessons are (Cont’d from page 3) like practice sessions, living organisms MARCH ’10 I never would have imagined I would that morph throughout. Wednesday 8:00 pm be teaching at a university at this stage Mar in my life, but it is greatly rewarding. WS: Speaking of practice sessions, do 3 MARGARET LANCASTER, flute, It seems this is exactly where I ought you have any specific requirements or will perform Wired Women!, a program in the to be. I manage to play chamber music favorite routines that you enjoy for your Women’s Work series featuring electro-acoustic and solo recitals with valued artists and own practice and/or recommend for works by Eve Beglarian, Elizabeth Hoffman, your students? Paula Matthusen, Milica Paranosic, Kaija Saariaho, colleagues, perform in the summers Kamala Sankaram, Margaret Schedel, and Molly with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra MG: Practicing has to be a multidimen- Thompson, including 5 world premieres. (where I joined the faculty last summer), sional task. I consider listening, concert • Ingalls Recital Hall at New Jersey City and teach the talented students at the going, and teaching all forms of prac- University, 2039 Kennedy Boulevard, Jersey City, Butler School of Music at the University tice. You can learn a lot yourself from NJ. • Admission is free. • Info, visit www.NJCU. being a teacher. I won’t answer your edu/mdt. of Texas at Austin. Mostly, though, my family time (with husband Charles Vil- question by saying first tone, then tech- nique. I won’t go at it that way, because Mar Friday 7:30 pm larrubia and six-year-old daughter, Ani) 5 is what fuels my energy and creativity. I want to look at the bigger picture. But LINDA WETHERILL, flutes, with Bill A full personal joy speaks in music, and having said that, I believe that practic- Zito, guitar, and Susan Jolles, harp, in a program ing comes in many forms that students of Persian fusian, Tibetan meditations, and without that my music would be empty. Venezuelan premieres. might not necessarily appreciate. I re- • Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, WS: In preparation for this interview, quire my students to do a large amount Garden City, NY. • Admission : $15 general. I visited the University of Texas Center of listening and I think they find that • Info and tickets, visit www.Adelphi.edu/PAC. for Music Learning website and viewed peculiar, but I find that when I don’t your educational videos. [More about Sunday 2:00 pm Mar this on p. 6 sidebar.—Ed.] In addition 7 Flutists SUZANNE GILCHREST and to admiring your many specific ideas JAN VINCI perform “Les Femmes de la Flûte,” a and general concepts, I was also struck program including the music of Jennifer Higdon, by the ease with which you communi- Katherine Hoover, and Yuko Uebayashi, with pianist Barbara Lee. cated these ideas on camera. Could you • Mahwah Public Library, 100 Ridge Road, talk a little about your thoughts on the Mahwah, NJ. • Admission is free. • Info, call importance of communication and stage 201-529-7323 or visit http://mahwah.bccls.org. presence? MG: Ah, stage presence. Ask ten people Mar Sunday 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm and you will receive twenty answers! I was participating in a stage presence 21 The Chappaqua Orchestra Chamber Music Series presents the Bas Duo with ELYSE forum a few years ago with a dear friend KNOBLOCH, flute, and Peter Press, guitar, in and colleague. When she gave advice a program of music by Beaser, Ourkouzounov, (that sounded just brilliant), I started and Piazzolla. to realize I was doing mostly the • Chappaqua Public Library, 195 South exact opposite. Her stage pres- Greeley Avenue, Chappaqua, NY. • Admission: $15 suggested donation. • Info, visit www. ence is superior and many people chappaquaorchestra.org/concerts.asp. have complimented me on mine. The only thing I know for sure is Mar Thursday 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm that being genuine and sincere on stage is what counts. One does not 25 Concerts at One presents the Bas Duo with ELYSE KNOBLOCH, flute, and Peter Press, have to look at an audience in the guitar, in a concert and live webcast. Music of eye to communicate with them. It is a Beaser, Ourkouzounov, and others. heart to heart matter. • Trinity Church at Wall Street, 74 Trinity Place, NYC. • Admission: $5 suggested donation. WS: How do you approach teaching? • Info, visit www.trinitywallstreet.org/music/ concerts/schedule. MG: I am often asked to share my teaching philosophy. While I imagine I will sit down and write something out one day, the truth is that I focus on teaching the individual. While I have an overview of a two- or four-year program, February 2010 — 5 require it, they often don’t do it. To me, Marianne Gedigian’s CD that is not an option, because listening Revolution was released in January 2010. teaches you a tremendous amount. You can have realizations, and no one can give that to you but yourself. Past that, I would say that you have to see how much time you have in the day, what your tasks are, and then kind of have a plan. You can’t just say that every day, I am going to spend forty-five minutes on this. Life doesn’t work that way. You don’t punch in on a time card for prac- tice. You have to stay active in the situ- ation. If you are not actively practicing, I don’t care if it is five minutes or five hours, you won’t get much out of it. On days that you are not feeling motivated, you should do things that are motivat- ing to you. That doesn’t mean that you don’t do any of the other work, but you know you don’t want to get to a place in your practicing where there are more that matter). I am particularly inspired by WS: I assume you first met John Heiss negatives than positives. It can be really the great violinists of the 20th century. when you were a student at the New Eng- hard to dig yourself out of that hole. The violin repertoire is gorgeous and land Conservatory. Where did you study The sky is the limit when you listen to to hear a work on violin challenges me before you entered college? recordings—[given] how much is acces- to expand what I believe is possible on MG: I grew up outside of Detroit, MI, sible to us to listen to. Listen to other the flute. I believe the instrument is the where I briefly began my flute stud- instruments, listen to singers, watch live vehicle to communicating the essence of ies with Darlene Drew. I studied with theater performances, or visit an art gal- the music. Donna Rofe-Olkowski for much of my lery. Tie all of the arts together. It is all elementary and early high school years. reflective of life anyhow. For the New York Flute Club, consum- She was a wonderful teacher who taught mate collaborative pianist Anne Ep- fundamentals and musicianship. We are person, who joined our faculty at UT still in touch and I value the opportuni- last year, will join me. We will perform ties I have to see her and play for her. the Hüe Fantaisie (recorded on Voice She is a special teacher and person! In If you are not actively of the Flute), Four Lyric Pieces for solo early high school Mrs. Olkowski sent me flute by John Heiss, the Mozart Andante to work with the great Clement Barone, practicing, I don’t care and Rondo, Four Short Pieces by Frank former solo piccolo with the Detroit Bridge (recorded on Revolution), and Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Barone was if it is five minutes or the Franck sonata. As I look at this list, like a god to me. His mantra was to I’m laughing, realizing that the Hüe, sing! His joy of music and genuine love five hours, you won’t Heiss, and the Mozart Andante are the for his students shaped me an incred- only original works for flute. The rest ible amount and I hope that I can reflect get much out of it. are all string pieces. The Bridge is ideal some of his teachings. for the younger student. The pieces are harmonically lush and accessible for a I studied with Doriot Anthony Dwyer in flutist of moderate skill. I’ve recently college at NEC. As former prinicipal flute WS: I so much enjoyed listening to your published them for flute and piano [for of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, her two CDs [Voice of the Flute and Revolu- details, visit www.azadmusico.com— knowledge of the orchestral repertoire tion], and was especially intrigued by Ed.]. They are gorgeous, simple melo- was amazing. She inspired me to take the transcriptions. How did they come dies that audiences love (and so do I). chances and find my way musically. My about? And are any of the pieces on the John Heiss’s work was the first piece for most recent teacher was Leone Buyse. CDs planned for your New York Flute solo flute by a living composer that I Leone’s vast orchestral, chamber, and Club recital? ever studied, and I was fortunate to have solo playing is a marvel for all of us. She MG: My good friend Rick Rowley [a the opportunity to learn it with him as a has guided me throughout the years mu- pianist] and I have recorded together coach. I’ve always loved his sincerity of sically and professionally. Her input is twice. The first endeavor, a million years writing and thought it would be great to invaluable to me and I cherish our close ago, was all dedicated flute repertoire. revisit these pieces. These, too, are great relationship. To have such a mentor in This time we thought it might be fun to pieces for young flutists to learn a new life is a gift, indeed. try something a little different. I am a harmonic language and still make beau- self-confessed “violinophile”! I cannot tiful sounds on the instrument. As John WS: It has been my pleasure to talk with get enough of the violin (and voice, for is a flutist, too, his command of writing you. I have been really inspired by our for our instrument is superb. (Cont’d on page 6) 6 — NYFC Newsletter

(Cont’d from page 5) Rachel Brown conversations and I can’t wait to attend (center) with your recital on February 28th. Sandra Miller and Don Hulbert MG: I’m really excited to perform for at the Yamaha the NY Flute Club. Many of my favorite Piano Studio flutists have lived and live in New York. after her January It is my pleasure and honor to be invited 24 performance to be a member of your rich community of Telemann’s for the day! Twelve Fantasias. r Photo: Ardith Bondi Wendy Stern is a freelance flutist and teacher in the New York area. She earned a master’s degree from the Juilliard School, where she studied with Samuel Baron and Julius Baker, and has been a member of Flute Force since 1988.

More about the University of Texas Center for Music Learning Rachel Brown Masterclass Report LIPs videos by Don Hulbert

LIPs (Live Illustrations by Profes- achel Brown’s masterclass on January 23 was every bit as informative and sionals) videos are designed to afford interesting as her book [The Early Flute: A Practical Guide, Cambridge young musicians a close-up view of RUniversity Press (2003)], but the attendees had the added benefit of hear- artists’ embouchures in action. The UT ing her practical and technical advice for baroque flutists in person. Four players site has pages for flute (Marianne Ge- were scheduled to perform. Melissa Healy, a student of Sandra Miller, unfortu- digian), oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, nately became ill the day of the class and had to cancel; Emi Ferguson, currently trumpet, and saxophone. Each LIPs a student at Juilliard in the historical performance program, brought the third and video page includes a discussion with fourth movements of J.S. Bach’s Sonata in E Minor, BWV 1034; Joseph Trent, a the player about the essential funda- busy freelance flutist who studies also with Sandra Miller, performed two move- mentals of the instrument. ments of Jacques Hotteterre’s Suite in E Minor (No. 4, première livre); and Barbara The flute LIPs video clips (cml.music. Hopkins, an active chamber musician and freelance flutist who teaches at the utexas.edu/LIPS/LIPSflute.htm) include: University of Connecticut, offered the Fantasia No. 3 in B Minor by Georg Phillip • The Fundamentals Telemann. Kenneth Hamrick was the able harpsichord accompanist for the class. • Registers Front View Ms. Brown brings to her teaching a vast range of experience with both mod- • Registers Side View ern and baroque flutes. She credited New York’s own Robert Dick (who was in • Ascending Scale attendance) with inspiring her to push as hard as she could to truly perfect her • Descending Scale technique as a baroque flutist. His seamless legato when performing a chain of • Melody multiphonics made her resolve not to dismiss as impossible the quest for better in- • Melody Closeup tune trills and really solid intonation on chromatic tones that are naturally “veiled” • Releases on historic instruments. Joe Trent commented that she addressed all aspects of Wendy Stern recommends “The performance, from the technical demands of the instrument to performance nerves Fundamentals” as the best place to and how to cope with them. Emi Ferguson said, “Ms. Brown really took her time start for casual viewing. The 20-minute to work in depth with the participants and show how to create the appropriate video is filled with many thought- sound, technical skill, and atmosphere for all three different styles of music.” provoking ideas and images about the From my point of view, she challenged the players to go as far (or slightly mechanics of flute playing, covering further, even) as they could, and gave concrete practice suggestions to work on topics such as embouchure, breathing, intonation, trills, and (yes) performance anxiety. I’ve begun incorporating some tongue placement, and playing of the exercises (as best I remember them) that she suggested, and have already position. Wendy especially enjoyed the begun to notice a difference in my baroque flute playing. segment about the quest to defy gravity Her presentation the following day was a pure delight—a fascinating compre- while playing the flute. Check it out! hensive lecture on the Telemann Fantasias was followed by a performance of all 12 in sequence. The audience was rapt, and Ms. Brown won a standing ovation. NOTE: Quicktime player (available as a free download from www.apple.com/ Rachel Brown’s Telemann Fantasias CDs sold out at the concert. Additional copies quicktime/ for readers with Windows may be ordered from her website (www.rachelbrownflute.com), or from Flute operating systems) is needed for viewing. World (www.fluteworld.com) or www.cdbaby.com. February 2010 — 7

SAVE THE 2010 NEW YORK FLUTE FAIR: THE DATE BODY and SOUL Sunday, March 28, 2010

LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts Amsterdam Avenue & 65th Street with guest artist Jean Ferrandis Professor of Flute, École Normale de Musique, Paris

Jean Ferrandis, one of France’s most acclaimed flutists and teachers, will give a masterclass and recital. There will be a full day of concerts, workshops, flute choirs, and exhibits and the annual New York Flute Club Competition. For details, please visit our website, http://www.nyfluteclub.org/html/ flute_fair.html. Updates will be posted as they become available. Additional questions, please contact co-chairs John McMurtery ([email protected]) or Jeanne Wilson ([email protected]).

masterclass Those interested in participating in the masterclass with Jean Ferrandis should send with a one-page biography (including contact information) and recording (tape or CD) of two contrasting works. All ages are welcome to apply. Please send materials by March 1 to Jean Ferrandis Lisa Johnson, 210 West 101st Street, PH8, New York, NY 10025.

NYFC The New York Flute Club Competition (both preliminary and final auditions) will be held at the Flute Fair, on March 28, 2010. Application deadline is February 20, 2010. See the competition COMPETITION page of the NYFC website (www.nyfluteclub.org) for details on eligibility, contest requirements, 2010 contest fee ($25, includes Flute Fair admission), and registration form. For more information, please contact Competition Coordinator Patricia Zuber at [email protected].

Young A Young Musicians Contest will be held on Sunday, February 28, 2010 from 12:00 Musicians noon-6:00 pm. See the contest page of the NYFC website (www.nyfluteclub.org) for Contest details on entrance requirements, age categories, contest locations, fee ($25), and 2010 registration form. For more information, please contact Contest Coordinator Susan Friedlander at [email protected].

For more information on THE 2010 NEW YORK FLUTE FAIR, visit http://www.nyfluteclub.org/html/flute_fair.html, or contact: - Brochures & general information: Elizabeth Lewis, [email protected] - Ensemble Program Session: Annette Baron, [email protected] - Exhibits: John Romeri, [email protected] or (646) 382-0062 - Registration information: Susan Lurie, [email protected] - Young Ensembles: Stefani Starin, [email protected]

Guidelines for listings Flute Happenings Deadlines Flute Happenings (free): upcoming performances Issue Deadline Mail date by members. March 2010 02/11/2010 03/11/2010 Member Announcements (free): flute-related con- tests, auditions, and masterclasses organized and/or April 2010 03/11/2010 04/08/2010 sponsored by members. New Releases (free): brief descriptions of mem- May 2010 04/08/2010 05/06/2010 bers’ new recordings, sheet music, and books, listed periodically. Classifieds ($10 advance payment required; make Correction check out to the New York Flute Club and mail to the Newsletter Editor): member advertisements (up to 320 In the Albert Weatherly obituary last month, characters/spaces). Mara Goosman’s affiliation with the Butterfly Headjoint Co. (www.butterflyheadjoints. Submissions (email or hard copy) should be sent to the com) was incorrectly reported. She is the Newsletter Editor. Deadlines are listed in the box on the right. president and owner of the company. The New York Flute Club Park West Finance Station P.O. Box 20613 New York, NY 10025-1515

February 28, 2010 concert Sunday, 5:30 pm • Yamaha Piano Salon, 689 Fifth Avenue (at 54th Street) Marianne Gedigian, flute

th Greetings! February brings us a concert by flutist Marianne 90 Season Gedigian, now Butler Professor of Music at the University of 2009 - 2010 Concerts Texas, Austin. Wendy Stern’s interview touches on Marianne’s October 25, 2009 • Sunday, 5:30 pm thoughts on stage presence, teaching philosophy, and the flute denis bouriakov, stefán ragnar transcriptions she has recorded and published. But the part of höskuldsson, Metropolitan Opera flutists the interview I had the most fun with was retracing Wendy’s November 22, 2009 • Sunday, 5:30 pm mouse-clicks to the Butler School’s website, where we got Bonita boyd, professor of flute, Eastman to see educational video clips of Marianne’s embouchure in School of Music action. (Doublers take note: there are “LIPs” videos from fellow December 13, 2009 • Sunday, 5:30 pm From the faculty members for clarinet, oboe, and saxophone as well.) mindy kaufman, flute, NY Philharmonic Editor Those of us who missed Rachel Brown’s masterclass on January 24, 2010 • Sunday, 5:30 pm January 23 can read Don Hulbert’s report on p. 6. News to me: rachel brown, baroque flute Rachel’s sense of what could be done with the baroque flute was influenced by Robert February 28, 2010 • Sunday, 5:30 pm Dick’s facility with multiphonics on the modern flute (and Robert was there, so he got MARIANNE GEDIGIAN, Butler Professor of Music, University of Texas at Austin; former to hear the compliment in person). acting principal flute, Boston Symphony In her “From the President,” Nancy Toff discusses some of the issues that Orchestra should be considered when performing transcriptions of music written for other March 28, 2010 • Sunday, all day instruments. Her bottom line (in my translation): good transcriptions that work are NEW YORK FLUTE FAIR, with guest artist okay to use in moderation. JEAN FERRANDIS, Professor of Flute, École Normale de Musique, Paris This month’s profile subject is Mary-Ann Tu, a flutist with a very eclectic career LaGuardia High School, NYC path. Professional child singer, then conservatory flutist and banker, she is now a April 25, 2010 • Sunday, 5:30 pm freelance performer, publicist, and teacher with an interest in using computer software 2009 NYFC COMPETITION WINNERS for musical purposes. Mary-Ann could rest on her laurels as a champion of “been May 23, 2010 • Sunday, 5:30 pm there, done that,” except that she is too busy planning her next adventures and living ANNUAL MEETING & ENSEMBLE CONCERT up to her own advice for members: “Feel the fear and do it anyway!” All concerts and events (except as noted) at Yamaha Anyway, all for now. See you soon. Piano Salon, 689 Fifth Avenue (entrance between Fifth and Madison on 54th Street). All dates and pro- grams subject to change. Tickets $10, only at the door; Best regards, free to members. For more information, visit the NYFC Katherine Saenger ([email protected]) website at www.nyfluteclub.org or call 732-257-9082.