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News & Events

Flutist & Ensemble Profiles

Low to High Notes

Inside the Library Column (Reviews)

We Read (Book Reviews)

Archived Issues

Meet Our Commercial Members & Sponsors

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Highlights on Creative Mental Practice from The Mindful Musician, by Vanessa Cornett

This is a book for flute teachers and the advanced-intermediate through professional flutist, including the adult amateur musician. It would be especially relevant to advanced high school students through collegiate. It is an accessible read that is very broad and deeply rich in content; it’s chock full! A good part of the book is devoted to practical applications and exercises to bring the mindful musician principles to life and into our flute practice. The book has too much content to meaningfully provide highlights for the entire book. Therefore, here we focus on giving you highlights from one section within the chapter called - “Habits of Successful Performers” the subsection on “Creative Mental Practice.” Please read on for these highlights.

Link to Article: We Read The Minful Musician and Creative Mental Practice.pdf

Exercises for Before, During and After Playing the Flute From Yoga and the Feldenkrais Method®"

This rich set of simple exercises are provided to us by GPFS volunteer Donna Maebori, GCFP® (Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner), flutist and GPFS member.

Feldenkrais is a learning method using moving in design with the skeleton to find efficient, graceful movement and action. Donna reminds us that all the movements and actions are to be done really gently and smoothly. Most importantly, if anything doesn’t feel right for you, back off, or just skip it that particular activity. 

Link to Article: Teaching and Learning - Flute Ensemble Gathering Full Exercise Program Fall 2024.pdf

Reminder - Potential Studio Recital or Rehearsal Site in Portland

Lydian Music Studios  is a performance space in Portland that might be good for studio recitals or small personal recitals or ensemble rehearsals. They have very affordable rental prices - $20 - $48 dollars an hour. There are two smaller rehearsal areas for small ensembles and a 45 seat intimate recital space, picture above. For each, they provide a grand piano, mic, Bluetooth speakers, music stands, etc. 

Link: Info on Rooms

They also hold an open mic night should you or your students want a place to perform. 

Link:  open mic night 

Riffin on Jazz Podcast “Flaunting Flutes” with Flutist Kim Scott

Just a bit more focus on jazz flute to mix up our content this issue. This podcast session dovetails nicely with our April 2024 First Tuesdays Online with GPFS presentation by jazz flutist Frank Poloney. Click here for the presentation materials.

Did you know we have several GPFS members who are jazz flutists and generously share their favorite artists and jazz flute insights. Let’s keep it coming. It’s good for all of us to improvise some. And, even if we don’t see ourselves as playing jazz, we probably love to listen to great jazz flutists because we tend to love and have a curiosity for the flute in all styles of music.

Listen to Kim and Riffin on Jazz on Apple Podcasts: Riffin on Jazz Podcast

Piccs on the Peaks! Two C piccolo parts

From our flutist friend Carmen Marulanda at Lilifute Music, comes news of this short but sweet fun piece “with the harmonies and groove of a playful Milonga and Caribbean Porro.”

In writing Piccs on the Peaks, Carmen Marulanda "begins with a playful allegro section which is quite cheerful and catchy. The piece then transitions to a cumbia which utilizes the smoky low register of the flute to match the unique sound of the treble flute for a contrasting middle section. Trills and percussive articulations add to this communicative section which envisions a gathering of people. Piccs on the Peaks then returns to the opening motif to end with a happy, upbeat finish."

Listen here: Piccs on the peacks - live

Did you know there is a Portland Recorder Society?

If you are a player or are interested in the recorder you might want to visit their website to learn more! We flutists are often interested in early music as well as other time periods.

It was founded in 2007 as a chapter of the American Recorder Society, a national organization. Their mission is to promote recorder playing for enjoyment in the greater Portland Oregon area.

They also coordinate the early music retreat. This is for intermediate to advanced level recorder players.

And, to top all this greatness off, their website shares a nice range of resources for recorders.

photo credits: from the Portland Recorder Society website

From the Summer Issue - Yummy Historical Flutes Video

Interested in learning more about historical flutes in one fell swoop? Here Alexis Kossenko – French flutist extraordinaire, conductor and musicologist - shows Daniela Mars a chronological history of the flute. He demonstrates and comments on them as he moves through history. This video is a fabulous historical flute romp – simple yet robust, visual, and aural. This is one of the best videos I’ve seen on historical flutes. Thank you to Daniela and Alexis for sharing this with the flute community.

Link:  Historical Flutes with Alexis and Daniela  (39:00).

You can hear more of Alexis’ playing on his YouTube Channel where he plays period music on a flute of the time period. Sometimes these are performed in beautiful historic settings in France.

Link:  Alexis Performing Historical Flutes

Musician/Ensemble Profiles

(GPFS needs volunteer writers for this and other columns. Contact newsletter@gpfs.org.)

Spotlight on the Flutists of FluteWorks Seattle

Here we continue our commitment to feature the flutists in our membership and region in The Portland Piper. And, undoubtedly, the GPFS Commercial Sponsors and Members are an outstanding example of flutists, musicianship and contribution to the flute world! 

This issue’s feature puts the spotlight on the musicians of FluteWorks Seattle. We forget our commercial members businesses are made up of musicians, educators, performers and advocates for music education. In this sense, they are truly our celebrated partners in our GPFS mission and we are grateful. Please enjoy learning a little bit about them here and know that we’ll keep shining a light on other Commercial Sponsors and Members in future issues.

Link to Article: Flutist Profile - Spotlight on the Flutists of FluteWorks Seattle Fall 2024.pdf

Welcome Home Flutist LeeAnn McKenna

Please enjoy this profile of Oregon flutist LeeAnn McKenna who is based on the Oregon coast and has a studio in Beaverton. She previously lived, performed and taught in Oregon before moving to Cape Code. She also served on the GPFS board. Her background is outstanding and one we Oregon flutists can hope to enjoy and benefit from now that she is back “home.” Since returning, LeeAnn has also generously given her time to GPFS to help plan our new season of First Tuesday’s Online with GPFS 2024-25.

Link to Her Profile: Musician Profile - LeeAnn McKenna Fall 2024.pdf

LeeAnn’s YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@leeannmckenna

Website: www.LeeAnnMcKenna.com

Facebook: She can also be found at Facebook.com/LeeAnnMcKennaFlutist

Cassandra Miller is a 17-year-old flutist from Vancouver, Washington. Throughout her 8 years of playing the flute, she has been a member of various ensembles, including the Western International Band Clinic, Portland Youth Philharmonic, and principal flutist of the LCRMEA regional honor bands. She has also competed in several competitions, winning the regional LCRMEA solo contest, performing at the Washington State Solo and Ensemble contest, and winning the 2024 Oregon Sinfonietta Concerto Competition.

Cassandra is a senior at Union High School and hopes to pursue music and travel in college. Cassandra always looks forward to sharing her music with others! Cassandra loves playing music whenever she can, whether in an ensemble or as a soloist and finds joy in performing for others. She enjoys hiking, shopping, and hanging out with friends in her spare time. Cassandra is a student of Sydney Carlson. She previously studied with Robert Wakeley.

New Librarian Judy Fischbach

Reminder Regarding Donations to the GPFS Lending Library

Thanks to your generous donations our library is currently at capacity. We do still maintain a wish list of music we could use to significantly improve the GPFS lending library’s modern music selections. If you wish to donate new or lightly used music from this wish list, this document will explain how to do this and a few of the pieces we are hoping to purchase or add to the library.

Do you have sheet music you would like to rehome?

If you have sheet music you are ready to part with and you want to give it to other members, we can help. We will put you in touch with members interested in free sheet music. Contact the librarian at library@gpfs.org.

Would you like to be included on the list of members interested in receiving free sheet music? Contact the librarian at library@gpfs.org.

Link: GPFS Lending Library Webpage

 Noteworthy - This column for The Portland Piper that was conceived and developed by GPFS member Sue Bonfeld. It is a short list of curated videos, interviews, podcasts and performances of interest to musicians of all levels, but outside the scope of GPFS’s curated Flute Resources webpage.

Note, this robust webpage is updated regularly and all suggestions are welcome – please just email us at newsletter@gpfs.org.  

From Astronomy to Neurology: 9 Extraordinary Examples of the Power of Music

In case you had any doubts…here’s more proof of the power of music: Nine examples of the links between music and science. (Nice News, January 2024, by Marika Price Spitulski, 8 minute read)

Link: Power of Music

The relationship is a two-way street: Scientists have used music to enhance their field, and musicians have used science to enhance their art. To highlight this intersection, we compiled the below music-meets-science examples, ranging from music being used to help people with dementia to astrophysicists using planets’ orbits to create musical rhythms.

Flute Stories – A Short History of Debussy’s Syrinx 

Listen to this short podcast by flutist Karen Kevra on the history of this famous work for solo flute. This is the first of Karen’s Flute Stories Mini-Series – more to enjoy! (Spotify, March 2022, 8 minute video)

We Watch - Flutist David Heath and the Movie a Man Called Uncle

This isn't a book recommendation, but one for a movie! If you'd like a spy thriller movie with a 60's feel, and, more importantly, one which has some captivating and distinctive bass flute playing placed throughout the soundtrack then this is a movie for you. I found the film distinctive and engaging, but the jazzy, special effects bass flute playing had me listening on the edge of my seat.

Link to Article: We Read and Watch - A Man Called Uncle Fall 2024.pdf

We Read: Alexia Gordon’s Musical Murders Books (and a movie!)

In omage to the recent past Halloween, enjoy this musically themed set of murder mysteries by Alexia Gordon who describes herself as “physician by day and crime novelist at night.” She also clearly loves music. Maybe these are a good option for the dark days of Winter ahead. The books in The Gethsemane Brown Mysteries are: Murder in G Major; Death in D Minor; Killing in C Sharp; Fatality in F; Execution in E. These “Haunted Harmony” stories have also been developed into a Hallmark movie series with the premiere of Murder in G in 2023.

Link to Article: We Read - Musical Murder Mysteries by Alexia Gordon Fall 2024.pdf