Meet Janet See, Baroque Flutist Interview by Mili Chang First Met Janet See in 2017, on a Trip to San Francisco with Juilliard’S Iperiod-Instrument Ensemble
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
January 2021 Meet Janet See, Baroque Flutist Interview by Mili Chang first met Janet See in 2017, on a trip to San Francisco with Juilliard’s I period-instrument ensemble. We were there to perform a joint concert with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale under the baton of Nicho- las McGegan, and we played music with connections to baroque France, Spain, Scotland, the Ottoman Empire, Persia, and China. I was impressed with Janet’s inspiring playing at the time, and was pleased to have the opportunity to learn more about her by doing this interview. MILI CHANG: How did you get started in music? JANET SEE: My mother loved classical music and was a fine musician herself, but without the opportunities to pursue music as a career. I grew up in Seattle, and every so often my mother would take me to a Symphony concert—second balcony, last row. Even from there, I would catch the glint of stage lights bouncing off the silver flutes, and I loved their sweet sound singing above the orchestra. When I asked if I could play the flute, my mother agreed and arranged for me to have lessons with Adele Sterry, the Symphony piccolo player. Adele was a wonderful teacher, and I practiced hard, eventually joining the Seattle Junior and then Youth Symphony under the strict and fearsome baton of Vilem Sokol. As a young teen, I clearly remember how overwhelming and glorious it was to sit in the dead center of a huge orchestra playing Respighi’s Pines of Rome, or Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony. Many of my friends also played in the orchestra, so I felt I’d probably found my path. I applied to Oberlin Conservatory and was fortunate to be accepted. MC: What made you want to specialize in historically informed performance [HIP]? JS: My introduction to what would be my ca- January14 Solo Series: reer path took the form Emily Beynon on of diving into my the flute works of study of the baroque Marius Flothuis. flute, an instru- ment that I quickly Event details, p. 3; took to heart. My related article, p. 4; professor at Oberlin, works list, p. 7. Robert Willoughby, Cont’d on page 6 IN THIS ISSUE In concert Meet Janet See, Baroque Flutist Janet See, baroque flute Interview by Mili Chang....................................1 Jillon Stoppels Dupree, harpsichord From the President: A year of hope Sunday, January 24, 2021, 5:30 pm by Nancy Toff..............................................2 Member Profile: Jacqueline Martelle...................3 Visit www.nyfluteclub.org/calendar prior to the event for connection details. Introducing Marius Flothuis (1914–2001) by Emily Beynon................................................4 Program Solo Series Preview: Methodical Sonata in A Major (1728) Georg Ph. Telemann (1681–1767) Works for flute by Marius Flothuis Compiled by Emily Beynon...........................7 Suite/Sonata in F Major for harpsichord G. F. Handel (1685–1759) Announcements Le Rossignol-en-Amour François Couperin (1668–1733) 2021 Competition Deadlines Young Musicians Contest......................................2 Sonata in G Major - after BWV 525 J. S. Bach (1685-1750) NYFC Competition.................................................2 Syrinx (L. 129, 1913) Claude Debussy (1862–1918) Flute Happenings.........................................................3 Robert Dick Masterclass Application Deadline..........3 Program subject to change Flute Fair Save the Date...............................................3 2 — NYFC Newsletter A year of hope by Nancy Toff very December WQXR sponsors a Classical Countdown, Ein which listener requests are played in reverse order of THE NEW YORK FLUTE CLUB INC. popularity, culminating, almost always, with the Beethoven 2020–2021 Ninth. (In fact this is not a free-form nomination process; listeners rank a pre-selected list, and as one WQXR listener, Board of Directors Michael Joseph, wrote on the station’s blog: “Always surprised Nancy Toff, President at the near absence of focused pieces (concertos, sonatas, Patricia Zuber, First Vice President suites) for individual instruments other than the piano and the Kaoru Hinata, Second Vice President violin: one for clarinet, one for cello, none for horn (despite Deirdre McArdle, Recording Secretary all of those replays of Mozart and Haydn during the year), Katherine Saenger, Membership Secretary From the none for trumpet, harp, flute, viola. I’d be so curious to know May Yu Whu, Treasurer President whether there are constituencies for each instrument that Amy Appleton Jenny Cline don’t quite pass the lowest threshold of popularity. If so, I Diane Couzens Fred Marcusa think those of us who favor the repertoire for a specific instrument should get Judith Mendenhall Jeff Mitchell together and pool our votes, or perhaps take annual turns voting in each other’s Linda Rappaport Jayn Rosenfeld concertos. Time to end the tyranny of the piano and the violin!” Rie Schmidt Nicole Schroeder Indeed, I can’t ever remember hearing a flute piece on that list. This is Malcolm Spector orchestral and choral warhorse territory, with the occasional piano sonata and aria. This year, there were 97 orchestral and choral pieces, and 3 keyboard Advisory Board solos (Bach, Chopin, and Debussy). The New York Flute Club long ago ended Jeanne Baxtresser Stefán Höskuldsson the tyranny of the piano and the violin, and the myth of the non-existent flute Sue Ann Kahn Robert Langevin repertory has long since been put to rest. Mr. Joseph, please come to a flute club Marya Martin Michael Parloff concert! Renée Siebert Assembling a list of the most popular flute pieces would be a mildly Past Presidents amusing parlor game—we’d get Bach, Telemann, Mozart, Chaminade, Fauré, Georges Barrère ................. 1920– 1944 Hüe, Debussy, Gaubert, Griffes, Hindemith, Poulenc, Jolivet, Berio, all the usual John Wummer ..................... 1944– 1947 suspects. But the greatest hits of the repertoire only hint at the riches available. Milton Wittgenstein ........... 1947– 1952 Looking at just the unaccompanied literature to plan this year’s concerts has been Mildred Hunt Wummer ..... 1952– 1955 a reminder of how much good music we have to choose from. Frederick Wilkins ............... 1955– 1957 This winter and spring, we’re going to have a mix of old favorites and some Harry H. Moskovitz ............. 1957– 1960 pieces that are new to many of us. Our solo series entry for January presents Paige Brook .......................... 1960– 1963 Emily Beynon, principal flutist of the Concertgebouw, playing works of Marius Mildred Hunt Wummer .... 1963– 1964 Flothuis. Most of us know his cadenzas for the Mozart concertos, but few of us Maurice S. Rosen .............. 1964– 1967 (including me) know his original flute works. It’s a Dutch treat! Harry H. Moskovitz ........... 1967– 1970 One of the things we’ve all missed most this year is the opportunity to play Paige Brook ......................... 1970– 1973 with others; we also have missed the chance to listen to live chamber music. This Eleanor Lawrence .............. 1973– 1976 month, we get our first chance in a long time. Janet See, an exemplary baroque Harold Jones ....................... 1976– 1979 flutist who lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington, will perform our January Eleanor Lawrence .............. 1979– 1982 recital with….a harpsichordist! Our virtual format is geography-neutral, and she Paige Brook ......................... 1982– 1983 now feels safe performing (sans audience) with her longtime colleague, Jillon John Solum ......................... 1983– 1986 Stoppels Dupree. Her program includes Bach, Handel, and Telemann, some Eleanor Lawrence .............. 1986– 1989 Couperin for Francophiles, and…..Syrinx, on baroque flute. Prepare to stretch Sue Ann Kahn .................... 1989– 1992 your ears. Nancy Toff ........................... 1992– 1995 As we begin this new year, one full of hope on so many fronts, please join us Rie Schmidt ......................... 1995– 1998 Patricia Spencer .................. 1998– 2001 in celebrating our favorite instrument. Perhaps in a few months our ensemble will Jan Vinci ................................ 2001– 2002 be able to reconvene and play an arrangement of the “Ode to Joy.” Let us hope! Jayn Rosenfeld .................... 2002– 2005 David Wechsler..................... 2005–2008 Nancy Toff..................... ....... 2008–2011 2021 Competition Deadlines John McMurtery................. 2011–2012 Young Musicians Contest Wendy Stern................... ..... 2012–2015 Caroline Sonett-Assor, Coordinator Patricia Zuber....................... 2015–2018 The Young Musicians Contest is open to four age groups Newsletter spanning ages 8 to 17. This year the contest will be virtual. Katherine Saenger, Editor Video entries for the Young Musicians Contest are due Sunday, 115 Underhill Road February 14, 2021. Ossining, NY 10562 914-762-8582 NYFC Competition [email protected] Kaoru Hinata, Coordinator www.nyfluteclub.org Flutists ages 18 to 27 are eligible to compete in the annual Copyright © 2021 by The New York Flute Club, Inc., NY Flute Club Competition, this year to be held virtually. unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Preliminary video entries due by February 5, 2021; final round Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram video entries due by March 5, 2021. (nyfluteclub). Hit the Like button on Facebook to stay up to date on Club events. Members For details, requirements, and tips on how to make your video, please visit are invited to post and comment. www.nyfluteclub.org/concerts-events-and-more/competitions.