To read the prior issue, Spring 2024, click here: Spring 2024 Portland Piper

The entire issue is below, simply scroll down.

Use the navigation links below to go to the "column" webpages which have the current issue's articles as well as an archive of some past articles for that column.

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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Registration Open for 2nd Annual Flute Ensemble Playing Get-Together

Date: 11/2/24, Multnomah Arts Center, 9:00 - 1:-00

Please join GPFS as we host our second flute ensemble event – a fun-filled opportunity to meet and play music with other flutists.

All ages and levels are welcome! We will have two groups, each led by an experienced teacher. You can view the repertoire at the registration site so you can select the group where you feel most comfortable. Group A: Advanced-beginner through Intermediate. Group B: Intermediate through Advanced.

Learn more and register at: 

Flute Ensemble Gathering

Repertoire by Women Composers for Intermediate Flutists & Their Teachers

Our June First Tuesdays Online with GPFS featured guest artist Dr. Nadine Luke who presented on intermediate flute literature by women composers. Her full presentation can be found on her Link.tree site: Inclusive Flutist. If you are a teacher or solid intermediate flutist or beyond, please consider taking a look at these pieces. Anyone who has this link can access the 18 page slide show, no sign-in required. This article includes an overview of her presentation and links to her materials.

Link to Article: Teaching and Learning Women Composers July 2024.pdf

Musician Wellness from Old Dominion

Every now and then we point to a resource on performance wellness. This one was found at a college website - Old Dominion University’s school of music website. It was good to see this focus as part of being a music major at the school and their simple, clear effort to make performance wellness part of the programs of study from the start - prevention and support for intervention. On this page they provide a simple set of written documents - 

It is heartening to know this is a growing part of university/college music study program.

Here is a couple page summary from this source that jumped out as worth sharing here. These are all familiar and simple facts for wellness, but important to be reminded of now and then.

Singing While Playing, On Contrabass Flute? No Way!? Yup, Hear it Here!

We last shared Daniela’s work when she released her album Orange Dawn. She has since released several singles and a new album. Enjoy this Crepuscular solo for contrabass flute and piano by flutist Daniela Mars. At parts, she plays and sings. There are some pitch bending moments and wind tones, but it is largely a piece that is tonal and slow, haunting. All combined, this is more extraordinary, unique contrabass flute playing from Daniela. This is from her new album Reverence for the Moment which you can find on this YouTube site: Crepuscular for Contrabass Flue and Piano. 

Her new CD is Reverence for the Moment available on ITunes and Spotify. She has also posted a full playlist of this album on YouTube: Reverence for the Moment Daniela Mars

Earlier this year she was featured by Flute View when she was interviewed about the process of making this recording, the contrabass, and the creative process for the music and recording overall.

Link to Flute View Interview: Daniela Mars with Flute View

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

From the Spring, 2024 Issue - The Western East for Bass Flute & Harp by Yossi Hamami

This is a fascinating listen for bass flute and such an interesting combination with the harp. Yossi is an Israeli composer and the influence of that part of the globe can be heard. All three "movements" are worth listening to, but the third is particularly enchanting.

If you play the bass and know a harpist this is a concert repertoire to consider!

Listen on YouTube:

The Western East Part 1

The Western East Part 2

The Western East Part 3

Musician/Ensemble Profiles

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

Flutist Profiles Column

For this summer issue, we encourage you to enjoy the many profiles of area flutists available to you on this column page - Member Profiles Column

We have a rich list of profiles of flutists in the area. Through these profiles, we are again reminded of what a robust flute  and GPFS community we have.

We profile flutists of all ages and levels – our whole flutist community. If you would be willing to have a profile or suggest someone to profile, please contact newsletter@gpfs.org.

I recently enjoyed reading back through some and landed on these selections:

• A 2019 profile by Emily Stanek of Dr. Jacqueline Cordova-Arrington. She has a very interesting and accomplished flute background! Link: Emily and Jacqueline
• A 2021 interview Adam Eccleston did with John Savage – a good listen of two greats having a good chat. Link: Adam and John

Meet Oregon Flutist LeeAnn McKenna

Meet Oregon Flutist LeeAnn McKenna and hear her perform on Saturday July 27th, 2 pm at Yachats Community Presbyterian Church with Thousand Waves, an ensemble that presents “a variety of styles of music from jazz to tangos, renaissance to modern, Japanese to Irish, and much more. The group consists of various combinations of flute, classical guitar (Peter Zisa), Japanese koto (Yukiko), and percussion.”

LeeAnn has worked with some of the greatest classical flute players of the 20th and 21st centuries including: Jean Pierre Rampal, Julius Baker (New York Philharmonic), Mindy Kaufmann (New York Philharmonic), Carol Wincenc, Lois Schaeffer (Boston Symphony Orchestra), Michael Hasel (Berlin Philharmonic), and Donald Peck (Chicago Symphony). She has performed throughout Europe and much of the east and west coasts on the United States, as well as two tours to Puerto Rico.

Learn more about LeeAnn: Flutist LeeAnn McKenna Website

Update from Our Librarian 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

 Lyrical Flute Miniatures, Allegro Publishing, by Karen North, 2024

In short, this attractive collection for the beginner and early intermediate flutist has forty short songs that are a joy for the young learner and teacher. This rich volume is a little world of learning opportunity consistently filled curiosity nudging and music-making inspiration. Click on the article below to learn more about this collection.

Link to Review: Music Review Lyrical Flute Miniatures Karen North July 2024.pdf

Joie de Vivre (Joy of Life) for flute and piano by Maureen Griepentrog (1997), Published by Treble C Music

This charming, short piece suits the advanced-beginner or early intermediate student, giving them the opportunity to play a full, “little” concert piece with the piano. This could be a piece that a committed younger flutist and pianist could perform together. Click on the article below to learn more about this little piece.

Link to Review: Music Review Joie de Vivre July 2024.pdf

LAST REMINDER - Concerto Competition Opened by Oregon Sinfonietta

OR Sinfonietta Concerto Competition - The Oregon Sinfonietta under the direction of Dr. Don Appert is announcing it’s 2024-2025 concerto competition pieces. 

This year the competition includes the Reineke Concerto for Flute in D, Op. 283, The Lalo Cello Concerto in D minor, and the Beethoven Piano Concerto no. 5 in E-Flat, Op. 73.  The winners in each of these categories will receive $1000 and a performance opportunity with the orchestra for the 2025 season.  Players must be 21 years of age or younger. Auditions will happen in October 2024 and must be memorized. 

Audition information can be found on our website:

https://www.oregonsinfonietta.org/.

Oregon Flutist Adam Eccleston Interviews with Amy Porter

Sit down with your favorite beverage and enjoy this 43 minute podcast with Amy Porter and Adam Eccleston. These two are always smile-inducing and informative as individuals, but get them together and you have more than double the joy and perspective!

S7 Ep. 5 A New Life in Radio - Meet Adam Eccleston, Flutist, Educator and Radio Host

“Adam Eccleston talks all about his "wild and interesting journey as a musician, educator, radio host and a slew of other wonderful things..." and we share a lot of laughs. I met Adam at ARIA Summer Academy 15 years ago ? at Mt. Holyoke College and he really had an impression on me. We've managed to keep in touch - I heard him on WQXR Radio in NYC and I just had to have him with me in the pod.”

Listen on Apple Podcasts: Adam with Amy

Link: Amy's PorterFlute Pod site

Photo Credit Andrew Wallner

ToneBase Flute – Hearing About It Everywhere!

Big news! NFA is currently offering its members a 30% discount on the new flute learning platform ToneBase. Many of you have likely seen ToneBase advertising through the range of social media platforms and maybe even on the NFA website. If you are a member, be sure to take a look at this resource.

I, the editor of this Portland Piper, have joined and can assure you it is a very content rich and user-friendly environment. Further, the way they help to keep you engaged is gently consistent. I enjoy the short and longer lessons, the community blog, and the resources made available from the experts. This is a kind of flute learning environment that is unprecedented. The online sign-up even guides you through a very specific and relevant self-assessment to help them know what to point you to in the learning environment

If you find you are curious and you are not already an NFA member, you may want to join to take advantage of the discount and their other member benefits such as discounts on instrument insurance via Anderson Group, the NFA Flutist Quarterly publication which is filled with engaging content, and more. !

Link to ToneBase: ToneBase for Flute 

Link: NFA Discount Info

Link: NFA Join/Membership Benefits

 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.  

Shabaka Hutchings – On Musical Growth

You’ve gotta keep it moving with music, and that’s what typifies all the heroes of the music that I really respect. They follow where their heart tells them to go in terms of the direction the music takes. (Shabaka H.)

Read this interview with Shabaka Hutchings about his move away from saxophone and clarinet to traditional, non-classical flutes including the pifano and the shakuhachi – all in the name of musical growth.

Link: Interview

Learn More About Shabaka: Bio for Shabaka

Brandon Patrick George, Flute and Jordon Donson, Guitar

In acknowledgment of Imani Winds recent visit to the Reser Center in Beaverton, here is a link to the FCNY Salon Series featuring flutist Brandon Patrick George with Jordon Donson on guitar:

Program:

• Sonata No. 1 in D Minor, Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (arr. George/Dodson)
• La Bella for Solo Flute, Marco Granados
• Toward the Sea - No. 2 Moby Dick, Tōru Takemitsu
• Siete Canciones Populares Españolas
• Asturiana
• Jota

Link to Video: Brandon at Flute Center

First Learn to Practice by Tom Heany

Here’s a different perspective on practicing, from the folk music world via artist, educator, guitarist Tom Heany. Click on the document below to read about this writer’s/flutist’s personal takeaways and highlights from Heany’s book. You’ll also find links to more of Heany’s resources on practicing.

Link to Review & Highlights: First Learn to Practice Overview

Learn more about Tom: About T Heany

From the Spring, 2024 Issue - Suggested Music Reads from Tania Leon

Highly regarded composer, conductor, educator and advisor to the arts, Tania Leon shares a list of her suggested music themed reads. The literature featured on this page: is global in nature; a range of biographies of composers, musicians and cultural influencers; reference books ranging from the topics of music appreciation to Black and Latina music history and culture; and, inclusive of books for adults and children. Be sure to scroll all the way through. 

Link to Website: Tania's Suggested Reading

We Read Archives

Be sure to check out the We Read column page where we archive past We Read articles. Here are the link and some examples.

Link: We Read Column Archives

Selections from the Archives:

• Earth's Wild Music
• Ways of Hearing
• Musician's Yoga
• Cremona Mystery Series
• Three Great Books in One Big Review