The Portland Piper Front Page - Spring, 2024 News & Knowledge Sharing from the Greater Portland Flute Society |
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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. |
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GPFS News & Events Page
(picture last year's winners) 2024 GPFS Young Artist Competition - Middle & High School Divisions Participants Please meet this young artist performing in the 2024 GPFS Annual Young Artist Competition on 4/13/24 at flute fair - 9"00 - 12:00. If you are attending flute fair please consider stopping into Gregory Forum to listen to their performances. Article, YAC Competition & Performers: Young Artist Participants 2024.pdf (picture of last year's performers) Upcoming Masterclass with Flute Fair Guest Artist Marianne Gedigian Please meet this year’s 40th Annual Flute Fair Guest Artist Master Class participants. We thank these artists and our guest artist Marianne Gedigian for their talent, time and commitment to the flute and music education. Please too plan on listening in on this masterclass – enjoy the performances and hear what Marianne has to say about learning and performing the pieces. Master class performer fees are paid by the Sara Lasky Master Class Fund. Article on Masterclass & Participants: Guest Artist Masterclass Participants 2024.pdf | ![]() Upcoming Concert by Guest Artist Marianne Gedigian, April 12th World renown Haynes Flute Artist Marianne Gedigian will perform as part of the 40th Annual Greater Portland Flute Society Flute Fair. Program below. Friday April 12, 2024, 7:00 at the Old Madeleine Church, Portland.
Learn more & tickets at: PROGRAM
Reflections on the GPFS 2024 Mid Valley Flute Academy Interested in hearing about this event for middle and high school youth went? It was great fun all around. Link to Article: Reflections on Flute Academy 2024.pdf Thank you to GPFS volunteers Emily Stanek, Sandy Duffy Norman and Gabriela Gimenes for planning this event! | ![]() FREE, ONLINE AND NO REGISTRATION - April First Tuesdays Online with GPFS Introducing "Red Flame" for Flute and Marimba. Guest Artists Composer Andrea Reinkemeyer, Flutist Alexis Evers, & Percussionist Florian Conzetti April 2, 2024 7:00 - 8:00 pm: Meet Oregon-Born Composer Dr. Andrea Reinkemeyer who will introduce her composition Red Flame for flute and marimba (2021). She will briefly introduce us to the piece and her compositional process. Following, flutist Alexis Evers and percussionist Florian Conzetti will share the features and challenges of the piece for the flutist and percussionist as well as their experience recording it. They will use a video recording of a performance last June. A live performance of this piece can be enjoyed at the upcoming GPFS Flute Fair on 4/13. Find Zoom Link & Info: Future First Tuesdays Online with GPFS May 7, 2024, 7:00- 8:00 pm, Online - - Dr. Jacqueline Cordova-Arrington, flutist and faculty at the University of Oregon, will workshop how to create a relaxed and rich tone freeing the flutist to better manage dynamics and tone colors. Free, no registration. Learn more: www.gpfs.org/First-Tuesdays. June 4, 2024, 7:00 – 8:00 pm, Online - “More Flute Literature to Know About! Intermediate Flute Literature from BIPOC Composers." Guest artist Dr. Nadine Luke will present on intermediate-level flute literature from BIPOC composers. She will point to a full, curated list as well as highlight some composers and pieces. Dr. Luke is a full-time faculty member in the Brigham Young University–Idaho Department of Music where she instructs the flute studio and courses in music history and chamber music. Free, no registration. | Flute Fair 2024 GPFS Performances & Workshops The call to GPFS members to perform or present a workshop was a huge success. We're sure you'll find a few sessions of interest. There are 4 member performances and 8 workshops to choose from. You can find a complete listing of this year's sessions through the links below, including bios on the artists. Please take a look soon and register in advance if you can. Join us for the 40th Annual GPFS Flute Fair on Saturday, April 13, 2024: URGENT! Volunteers still needed for 40th Annual Flute Fair As always, GPFS events only happen through the dedication of MANY volunteers. Please consider giving an hour of your time that day to help in small but important ways. Message: suebonfeld@gmail.com with your interest. Save the Date - Folias Duo in Concert in Portland 5/26/24 GPFS, CDZ Collegium Musica, and the Portland Guitar Society collaboratively present Folias Duo - Flutist Carmen Maret and guitarist Andrew Bergeron. The Old Madeleine Church, Portland, located at 3123 NE 24th Ave. These two artists are top talents, almost singular within contemporary flute and guitar ensembles. (NFA Quarterly) Stay Tuned: |
Teaching & Learning Column
Historic Jazz Flutists During the February First Tuesdays Online with GPFS, flutist Frank Poloney with the Jazz Flute Project presented – “Taking a Moment to Look Back/Historic Jazz Flutists Inspiring the Next Chapters/Generation.” Frank shared a selection of historical jazz flutists who laid the foundation for where we are today, some foundational jazz history, and some recommended listening for jazz flute. He generously provided a very well-done handout on the topic which includes links for his musical examples that take you to the full-length original recordings on YouTube. He also put together a suggested “further listening” list. Last but not least, he transposed a couple of the solos from his examples and made these transcriptions available to us! Link to Presentation and Music Downloads: | Inspiring Flute Solos, Arr. by Karen North, for the Intermediate Flutist Published in 2022 by Allegro Music Company and arranged by Karen North, this collection of thirty carefully curated and refreshingly original “inspiring solos” for the intermediate flutist are indeed inspiring to learn, teach and perform as well as perfectly suited to the early-intermediate to advanced-intermediate flutist. All are for unaccompanied flute and are a well-balanced treasure chest of teachable moments in term of styles, technique, musicality, articulation, meters, and early effects like pitch bends, flutter tonguing, stamping, and clapping. They represent a range of styles - polka, tango, and other dance tunes as well as pieces with a jazzy feel, classical, folk, programmatic/character pieces, nocturne, arias, comical sketches Link to Highlights & Review: Music Review - Inspiring Flute Solos Arr by Karen North Spring 2024.pdf | From the Fall 2023 Piper - Liliflute Publishing Company – Latin American Flute Self-Publisher Here is an unusual and wonderful publishing company focused on Latin American music that you might like to know about – Liliflute Music. They have a rich array of music for c-flute, alto and bass as well as beginner, intermediate and more advanced method books that utilize the Latin American style. Link to Article: Teaching and Learning Liliflute Publishing Winter 2023.pdf | From the Fall 2023 Piper - Music Review: Beyond Bach, Insights on New Flute Repertoire by Female Baroque Composers This is a video presentation to know about! It introduces us to new repertoire. This was part of the National Flute Associations 2022 Online Event Series, presented by Dr. Nadine Luke who will be doing GPFS’s June First Tuesdays Online with GPFS on a similar topic. Link to Article: Music Review Beyond Bach Female Composers NFA Resource Winter 2023.pdf |
Low to High Notes Column, Specialty Flutes (GPFS needs volunteer writers for this and other columns. Contact newsletter@gpfs.org.) |
Composer Zachery Meier releases Bokeh for Alto Flute & Piano (2023) Friend to GPFS, flutist Rose Bishop recommends this piece for alto flute. Bokeh: [BOH-Kay] : The aesthetic quality of the blur produced in out-of-focus parts of an image, caused by the “Circles of Confusion.” Composer Notes: "Bokeh is the warm, circular glow given off by out of focus lights, as seen in many beautiful rainy-day pictures of traffic, busy city streets, and park lanterns. The sentiment behind the piece is of sincere connection between the two performers, coming together to create music in conversation with each other. I wanted to evoke a sense of capriciousness in both parts to emulate a communal joy, while creating a warm sonic environment that both performers could find shelter within. Looking at images of “bokeh” brought sense of nostalgia for the cozy days that only stormy weather can bring; of gentle rain, a warm home, a cup of tea/coffee, and starring out the window without a sense of lost time or urgency." Performance by Rose Bishop and Abbi Brewer: Composer Website to Purchse Score: | 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 | REMEMBER, Oregon's Own Native American Flute Music Festival - Flutestock Festival scheduled for: July 26-28, 2024 FREE, Island Park in Springfield, OR. GPFS is thrilled to learn about this rich Oregon-based resource and share it with our membership. This is a community of diversity, friendship, learning and fun! If any of the following is true for you then Flutestock is an organization and event for you to know about. Are you interested in learning more about the Native American flute? Maybe you play one and want to improve or maybe you want to try starting up. Maybe you simply love the sound of the instrument and love listening to performances and learning about the Native American culture. You can learn more here! Link to Article: Flutestock Oregon's Native American Flute Festival Winter 2023.pdf |
Musician/Ensemble Profiles (GPFS needs volunteer writers for this and other columns. Contact newsletter@gpfs.org.) |
Musician Profiles - Meet Flutists from the MYS Flute Ensemble We know you'll enjoy hearing about these young, passionate, talented flutists. Please too consider listening to them perform at Flute Fair, on the McLoughlin Hall Stage at 11:00 - 11:30. "The World of Dance." Exploring the world of dance from various cultures from the tango to calypso and classical. The students will lead you in an energetic program of diverse works that represents our communities and shows off their eclectic sides as the MYS Flute Ensemble. Director: Adam Eccleston. Flutists - Hailey Choi, Taylor Choi, Miriam Haralson, Cam Huang, Anna Lee, Lucia Moreno, Isabela Rosete, Rohan Focer, Somin Park, Scout Wiese Musician Profile - Mariam Haralson Spring 2024.pdf Scout Musician Profile - Scout Wiese Spring 2024.pdf Lucia Musician Profile - Lucia Moreno Spring 2024.pdf Rohan Musician Profile - Cassie Maloney Link to Her GPFS Profile: Musician Profile Cassie Maloney April 2023.pdf Hear Cassie's Present on Flute Fair Day, 9:00 - 9:45, Alexander Technique for Flutists. Join Cassie for an exploration of the Alexander Technique, a unique educational method. Find out how this work can help you reduce stress and increase impulse control while making music and living your daily life. This workshop will include a brief demonstration of an Alexander Technique lesson and a few lighthearted activities to kick off your morning! Link to Her Website: https://www.cassiemaloney.com/ | Musician Profile: Regina Helcher Yost Link to Her GPFS Profile: Musician Profile - Regina Helcher Yost Spring 2024.pdf Hear Regina on Flute Fair Day, 12:00 - 12:30: Practice Steps for Piccolo Performance in Group Master Class Style: Dr. Yost will start with her performance of “Hall of Ghosts” for solo piccolo by Amanda Harberg. This is a five-minute piece. A group master class will then follow with focus on the Piccolo excerpt from Tchaikovsky’s Symphony Number Four, a solo section found within the third movement. Regina will explain all the different steps she takes to practice the piece for performance. Please do bring your flute or piccolo if you can, for as Regina takes participants through this process, those who have their instrument can give each step a try. Link to Her Website: https://www.reginahelcheryost.com/ Musician Profile - Alexis Evers Link to Her GPFS Profile: Musician Profile Alexis Evers June 2023.pdf Hear Alexis on Flute Fair Day, 9:15 – 9:45: New Works for Flute and Marimba by Student and Faculty Composers, performed by Linfield College music faculty flutist Alexis Evers & percussionist Florian Conzetti. A showcase of compositions for flute and marimba by Linfield student composers, along with Red Flame by Dr. Andrea Reinkemeyer. Link to Her Website: | ![]() Musician Profile - Savannah Gentry Link to Her GPFS Profile: Musician Profile - Savannah Gentry Spring 2024.pdf Hear Savannah on Flute Fair day, 10:00 - 10:45: Performance and Electronics - Electroacoustic Music of the 20th Century. In this workshop, extended techniques will be demonstrated through performance and explained how they are executed. Extended techniques on the flute can aid understanding of traditional elements such as tone and technique and this workshop aims to bridge the gap. Link to Her Website: https://www.savannahgentryflute.com/ Musician Profile - Robert Wakeley Link to His GPFS Profile: Musician Profile Robert Wakeley April 2023.pdf Hear Robert and Alexis perform as a duo on Flute Fair Day, 10:15 - 10:45, "Flute Duos by Living Composers." This is a program of flute duets by living composers featuring Samuel Zyman's Intuition, commissioned in 2022 by the Flute New Music Symposium, along with works by other composers such as Shulamit Ran and Nicole Chamberlain. Link to His Website: https://www.robertwakeley.com/ Celebrating GPFS Student Study Grant Recipients! Learn more about Study Grants: |
Musician Profile - Elaine Martir Link to Her GPFS Profile: Musician Profile - Elaine Martir Spring 2024.pdf Hear Elaine on Flute Fair Day, 11:00 - 11:45, Fresh Perspectives: New works for Flute, Alto Flute, Media, and Fixed Electronics, presented by flutist Elaine Martir and composer Kevin Kopsco. This is a presentation of Kevin's two new works that showcase the perspectives of a personal healing journey through a neurodivergent lens. Elaine and Kevin will provide a performance guide on the pieces and the compositional/collaborative process, followed by audience questions and comments. Meet a Couple Oregon Native American Flutists! Flutestock featured these two outstanding, award winning Oregon flutists in their 2023 festival – Tommy Graven from Ashland, OR and Geri Littlejohn. Learn more about these fellow Oregon flutists through the links below. Geri also has an interesting journey making Native American style flutes which you can read about on her website. |
Music Reviews |
![]() Inspiring Flute Solos, Arr. by Karen North, for the Intermediate Flutist Published in 2022 by Allegro Music Company and arranged by Karen North, this collection of thirty carefully curated and refreshingly original “inspiring solos” for the intermediate flutist are indeed inspiring to learn, teach and perform as well as perfectly suited to the early-intermediate to advanced-intermediate flutist. All are for unaccompanied flute and are a well-balanced treasure chest of teachable moments in term of styles, technique, musicality, articulation, meters, and early effects like pitch bends, flutter tonguing, stamping, and clapping. They represent a range of styles - polka, tango, and other dance tunes as well as pieces with a jazzy feel, classical, folk, programmatic/character pieces, nocturne, arias, comical sketches Link to Highlights & Review: Music Review - Inspiring Flute Solos Arr by Karen North Spring 2024.pdf | From the Feb. 2023 Piper, 99 Irish Dance Tunes for Flute, by Anne McGinty(1980) It’s that time of year – St. Patrick’s Day is only a distant memory. Do you still have the desire to play Irish music and lots of it. Pick up this charming, thoughtfully organized book of Irish dance tunes arranged by Anne McGinty, an American flutist and composer. Overall, this collection arranged specifically for flute is simply a fun St. Patrick’s day treat for the intermediate to advanced the flutist - especially for flutists with Celtic heritage in their blood! It also has fun and pedagogical value for the flute student/teacher. Read Full Review: Music Review 99 Irish Dance Tunes Anne McGinty Feburary 2023.pdf | From August, 2022 Piper, Noogleshifty, The All Knowing Salmon for flute and piano - Reviewed by Cheryl Thompson. This piece is available from our GPFS Lending Library. Huge fun to play. This playful Irish and jazz-influenced piece was transcribed from a recording of Barnes’ and Phelan’s studio session in Madrid, where they recorded original and re-imagined traditional melodies for a promo CD. Its enigmatic title was inspired by a T-shirt seen in a monastery gift shop referring to the Irish Myth of the “All-Knowing Salmon,” as well as a nod to the Scottish band “Shooglenifty.” Read Full Review: Music Review Noogleshifty August 2022.pdf |
News from GPFS Members and Flutist Friends Around the World Column
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 as is the calendar page: 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. Watch for upcoming YouTube from Flute Center with guest artist Adam Eccleston! Flute Center Presents featured Portland-based flutist - "Adam Eccleston Recital: Celebration of Harold Jones" live at FC on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. The masterclass will be recorded for later release on Youtube. It is not yet available. Subscribe to the Flute Center Channel: | 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: Imani Winds + BodyVox: Beautiful Everything Patricia Reser Center for the Arts
Tickets: Imani Winds |
REGISTRATION OPEN for the 2024 Flute Alliance Boot Camp, July 8-12 2024! Flute Alliance Flute Boot Camp registration is now available for it's premiere summer camp being held July 8-12, 2024. Large and small ensembles, games, and a gala recital! Amazing Coaches: Sydney Carlson, Martha Long, Adam Eccleston and Denise Westby encourage intermediate middle schoolers through advanced high school seniors to join us for year 17 of this fun flute-filled week of camp! Early registrants receive a discount. Registration is available at: www.flutealliance.com or contact Denise Westby at Yoga and Meditation with Flutist Cassie Maloney Want to take a meditation or yoga class but can't find one that fits your schedule? Cassie Maloney, flutist, Alexander Technique teacher, and GPFS member offers on-demand classes that you can take any time. Find various types and lengths of classes and courses at the link below. You can reach Cassie at maloneymovement@gmail.com with questions or to find which class would be a great fit for you. Use code STRESSLESS to take your first class for free! Link: https://www.cassiemaloney.com/offerings | Oasis Ensemble House Concert! Tuesday, April 2, 2024 – 7 PM at 795 Silver Lane, Eugene, OR. 97404. *RSVP Required: (503) 939-5068 or luckydawn@msn.com Tickets $20-15 sliding scale, Students $5 Artists
Program The concert includes two Trios for Flute, Cello and Piano by French composers, Gabriel Pierné (1920-21) and Louise Farrenc (1857) and two charming new Duos for Flute and Cello, never heard before! (meet one of the composers!!!) The concert time ~ 75 minutes. Reception following. www.oasisensemble.com
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Noteworthy |
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. | These two selections were shared with us by youth member Greer and her mom Eden! Playground for Music Education & Theory A free site that teaches a range of music theory from beginner to advanced for people of all ages. It can serve as a ready, introductory overview and a good “stepping off point” to learn more. Link to Site: Playground for Music Theory | The Wide World of Music: A Guide to 100 Musical Instruments - Interactive An unusual website for GPFS, but a fun webpage from the host’s “guides” section. Geared toward youth, the webpage gives the opportunity to click on any instrument to hear what it sounds like! Greer and Eden were surprised by how many new instruments they learned about from all around the world. While geared toward a youth audience, adults can enjoy it too. Link to Site: |
We Read Column
The Last Repair Shop This music-themed documentary is winner of the Documentary Short Category at the 2024 Academy Awards.! Watch it! Inspiring! A testimony to the power of music and being an advocate for music education. "In a nondescript warehouse in the heart of Los Angeles, a dwindling handful of devoted craftspeople maintain over 80,000 student musical instruments, the largest remaining workshop in America of its kind. Meet four unforgettable characters whose broken-and-repaired lives have been dedicated to bringing so much more than music to the schoolchildren of the recording capital of the world. Watch "The Last Repair Shop," directed by Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers.” When accepting the Oscar award, Bowers said, “Music education isn’t just about creating incredible musicians — it’s about creating incredible human beings.” Watch the whole 40 minute documentary on this YouTube Channel: | 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: On my reading list from this page is Tania León's Stride: A Polyrhythmic Life (2022) by Alejandro Madrid - "Nuanced and multifaceted, Tania León's Stride looks at the life, legacy, and milieu that created and sustained one of the most important figures in American classical music. Alejandro L. Madrid draws on oral history, archival work, and ethnography to offer the first in-depth biography of the artist." | Reminder - From the 40th GPFS Flute Fair Guest Artist Marianne Gedigian "Written by flutist and teacher Marianne Gedigian, Survival of the Flutist details the journey of a flutist on their path to professional and personal fulfillment. This stunning 80+ page hard cover picture book was masterfully hand lettered and illustrated by artist, flutist and teacher Patti Adams. Produced by Adam Workman, founder and president of Flutistry Boston." Flutist is exclusively available at: | ![]() From the Winter 2023 Piper - Composers, Their Lives and Works by DK Press If you enjoy music, history, and biographies then this very attractively illustrated, cleanly formatted and easy to read “coffee table” like book is a trifecta of knowledge spanning centuries. Link to Review: We Read Composers Their Lives and Works Winter 2023.pdf |
General Information to Know About |
A Baker's Dozen of Opportunities - A request for volunteers for the current and upcoming program year - please take a quick look and consider volunteering in a way that fits best for you! <Read> Writers Needed: Please consider contributing to the content of this publication by writing reviews, articles, sharing your awareness of flute resources and events, photography or anything else you can think of - newsletter@gpfs.org. | ![]()
Can you help GPFS reach our goal of $500 in donations this year? Donations to GPFS go either into the general account or are designated by you the donor to go to Student Study Grants, GPFS Youth Memberships or the Sara Lasky Memorial Masterclass fund. It's not too late for you to donate and every little bit counts! GPFS Donation webpage. Thank you! Track our progress below! Goal: $500.00
Collected: $500.00
100%
| C-Flute Loan Program for Members - The flute loan program is available to members in good standing for short term and long term rental of flutes. We have beginning, intermediate and advanced flutes available for rent. The cost is nominal at 25$ per three months, with the first three months free. Members interested in checking out a flute short term can contact Cheryl Thompson-Merrill at library@gpfs.org. Interested in donating a flute? If you have a flute in good working order that you would like to donate, contact Cheryl Thompson-Merrill at library@gpfs.org.Flutes - Flute Loans for Students |