News & Events

Teaching & Learning Column

Flutist & Ensemble Profiles

Low to High Notes

Inside the Library Column (Reviews)

We Read (Book Reviews)

Archived Issues

Student Study Grants - Applications have closed for this round. Teachers and students, please mark your calendars that this grant opportunity opens every fall at the same time and closes 11/15. Learn more: Student Study Grants.

First Tuesdays - REGISTRATION OPEN for the January First Tuesdays with GPFS with Donna Maebori – flutist and Feldenkrais educator. Topic - part three of three in the Honing Our First Instrument, Ourselves series during which we will learn the Pelvic Clock exercise.

Learn more and register at the FT webpage: First Tuesdays.

Also, read this for additional details about the January event from Donna - <Additional Details>

Calming the Performance Anxiety Beast – Changing the Way We Think, Act and PlayWebinar - 

Registration will open in January. This half day will focus on performance anxiety and wellness. It will include a workshop providing information and strategies for managing anxiety, a panel presentation and participant discussion, and a refreshing workshop on the benefits of Alexander Technique and keeping those practices alive in our musical and regular life, including a review of constructive rest practice. In addition to presenting GPFS members, we will have Gabriella Minnes-Brandes as a guest presenter.

GPFS presenters are: Adrian Dee, Donna Maebori, and Judy Fischbach.

Musician Wellness Focus

Musician wellness tips, insights and resources from Lisa Marsh, with the PSU Coordinate Movement Program.

Read the article - <Wellness Insights from PSU Coordinate Movement Program>

Wisdom and Insights from Wissam

Performance and learning insights from Wissam Boustany - from his masterclass for the Chicago Flute Club’s Fluting with the Stars series.

Read the article - <Workshop Insights from Wissam>

Flute World Collective - Did you know Flute World has launched an initiative to keep flute players of all levels engaged, connected, and learning. They are "hosting workshops and events as well as building an extensive library of flute-related resources to build playing, teaching, and professional skills. Our goal is to bring together the different voices of the flute community and create a space where everyone can learn, grow, and be inspired from one another."

Learn more: https://www.fluteworld.com/the-fluteworld-collective/

Throwback Article! Music Review – Seal Mother for Alto Flute by Portland-based Composer Lisa Neher (2021, 5 minutes, D.C. al Platypus Publishing Company) - This beautiful also flute solo calls upon the performer to create sea sounds, whisps and long lines of yearning, keeling - “Seal Mother envisions a selkie in her seal form, swimming not too far offshore, watching her children from a distance. Lyrical melodic lines express her love and longing for her children, while undulating motives evoke currents of water and grief. The embellishments are inspired by Irish whistle ornamentation such as cuts and taps. The piece ends with a reinvention of the Scotts ballad The Great Selkie, a tragic folksong about a Selkie father and his son who are killed by humans while in seal form.”

<Read the Review>

Throw Back Article! Solo for Alto Flute - This low flute article features an introduction to Seattle-based composer and flutist Sarah Bassingthwaighte and a review of one of her pieces for alto flute - Amhran na hEascainne (Song of the Eel) for Solo Alto or C Flute, with Optional Drone - <Read>

Throw Back Article! Bass Flute Music - snowy egret, january messenger, a piece by Oregon composer Deena T. Grossman reviewed for this issue (see article below), works well on bass flute, alto or C flute. Flutist Amelia Lukas performed it on bass for a benefit concert premiering Wildfires and Waterways. Flutist Camila Oliveira recorded it for Deena's T. Grossman's most recent album release Becoming Durga.  <Read Article>

Download the piece here.

Deena, Amelia and Camila are all GPFS members!

Message from Librarian - 

<Read the December Message from Librarian>

Learn more about the library and how to borrow and contribute.

You may be interested in knowing about GPFS sharing its library resources with students and teachers. As GPFS moves forward, we want to continue with this type of activity. Contact the Librarian if you have an interest in contributing - library@gpfs.org. Written by Librarian Cheryl Thompson Merrill. <Read>

Further a small group of volunteers will be working together to revisit the library as well as the flute loan program, particularly to streamline and rejuvenate as needed.

GPFS Free Sheet Music Lending Library

A review of The Nutcracker Advanced Studies for Flute, Vol. 1 by Sandra Kipp Iles (2022). 

This is a clever, thoughtful, fun, refreshing, entertaining and challenging book of etudes for the more advanced flutist. Compiled by the experienced and passionate pedagogist and flutist Sandy Kipps Iles, it is no wonder it is so. 

This volume offers sixteen etudes. Each one has an introduction that explains what is occurring on the stage at the time of the music as well as her comments about the musicality and technical aspects of the etudes.

<Read the Full Review>

An introduction to a new CD from All Classical Portland - Amplify: Changing America’s Playlist, Vol. 1.

In this article you will find some of the promotional information for a new CD released by All Classical Portland, guided by their Recording Inclusivity Initiative. The CD has 21 tracks representing works by five composers. 

Learn more - <Read the Full Review>

The entire CD will likely be of interest to GPFS members, but we call out the Sonata for Flute and Piano by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, performed by Portland-based flutist and GPFS member Adam Eccleston. This is the first time this piece has been professionally recorded, posthumously.

Please watch for a review of this piece in the February issue of The Portland Piper.

This is an unknown sonata, and it deserves consideration for concert performances by more advanced flutists. It can also serve as study and recital repertoire for undergraduate and graduate study.

Non-GPFS Events - Use this GPFS webpage to find other opportunities to enjoy performances, workshops, recordings, etc. from around the region and world. This page is updated semi-routinely. Please let us know if you would like to have an event or recording or other resource posted, free - newsletter@gpfs.org. We could also use some help maintaining this page.

45th Parallel Universe Concert

Not to be missed for both the flutists and the program! 45th Parallel Universe has an event on Thurdsay, January 26th, 2023 from 7:00 - 8:00 pm that features six (mostly) local players. At the Old Madeleine Church.

Learn more and purchase tickets at -

"The flute is widely known for its beauty, but this program explores a darker side of its voice. In this performance, six flute players come together to explore themes of identity, genocide, sexual violence, and redemption.

Chicago Flute Club's Fluting with the Stars Series - via Zoom/Online

Join in to hear from flutist Julie Stewart-Lafin - A Musical Journey. Hear this Scottish-born flutist perform, teach, and share her journey in music.

• Sunday, January 15, 2023 (2:00 - 3:30 PM CST) (noon PST).
• Free for Chicago Club members and only $10 for non-members.

The session will feature a special performance by Ms. Stewart-Lafin, a masterclass/workshop on sound and expression, along with a special visit with Rainer Lafin. Learn about his early life as a performing flutist and evolution into highly acclaimed headjoint maker.

Learn more and register at: <Link to Resister for this Event>

Introducing Noteworthy - This is a new column for The Portland Piper that was conceived and developed by GPFS member Sue Bonfeld. The column 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.  

Check out this site’s “Tuned and Strong” videos which focus on wellness for flutists. Highlights include strength training, nutrition and injury prevention.

This new addition to the GPFS Flute Resources webpage, is a weekly podcast that includes music, interviews and discussion on all things flute.  This link focuses on being fully present             during practice and performance.  Savor each moment!

Flute Unscripted – Interview with Ebonee Thomas - <Link>

Ebonee Thomas discusses her practice fundamentals, how she stays motivated and what she learned from her teachers and mentors.  Maybe she’ll convince you to add a  journal to your practice routine!

A review of the book Another Year of Wonder, by Clemency Burton Hill (2022).

This book is just as interesting, insightful and satisfying as her first book. In fact, I would say the same things in this review as I did in my review of her first book for GPFS. So, take a look at that “throw-back” article below. You can also find it in the archives for the We Read column.

<Read the Full Review of Another Year of Wonder>

Throwback Article! - <Read the Review of Her First Book>

The Oregon Bach Festival Announces the Books for the Second Season of Their Book Club! A Literary Offering of Bach, Books and Banter - Starting in January of 2023! Be sure to sign-up for their announcements. They have announced a small but great selection of books that aligns with their upcoming programming.

You can simply share the reading and/or join in the discussion groups. Learn more: https://oregonbachfestival.org/bookclub/

Symphony Storytime, Season Three - The OR Symphony starts their third season of Symphony Storytime. This is a great resource to know about. OR Symphony players accompany the reading of a children's books. A recent favorite is a reading of I Am Enough by Creative Chair Gabriel Kahane, accompanied by Artistic Partner Nathalie Joachim on flute.

Listen - <video recording>

Oregon flutist and GPFS member Adam Eccleston also does a couple of the readings. Must listen. Great to share with the little people in your lives. Tell youth teachers about these too!

Learn more: https://www.orsymphony.org/discover/watch-listen/symphony-storytime/

Flashback Article! Book Review - A review of Musician's Yoga: A Guide to Practice, Performance and Inspiration by Mia Olson. A hands-on, practical guide to yoga for musicians, including smart exercises to work into one's practice routine. Highly recommend.

<Read Review>