Category: Flute

Flute, Performing, Utah Valley Symphony

Utah Valley Symphony Young Artists Concert

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Concerts are Thursday and Friday of this week!! Click here for tickets.

Join the Utah Valley Symphony for an enchanting evening of musical brilliance at the 2024 Young Artists Concert. Experience the remarkable talents of local youth as winners of the Young Artists Concerto Competition take the stage. Be captivated by their exceptional performances, as each soloist showcases their unique concerto alongside the symphony conducted by Dr. Blanka Bednarz.

The symphony will also perform Borodin’s “Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances” which has some beautiful lyrical melodies but mostly the flute parts are full of crazy fast notes. I’ve really had fun practicing and preparing for this concert. Most of this program is new music for me which has been refreshingly delightful.

Don’t miss this extraordinary showcase of youthful talent!

Flute, Performing

Winter Recital 2024

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We had our Studio Winter Recital over the weekend. Even though the weather was 50 degrees, which is considered warm for Utah in January, it was still called our Winter Recital. Each flute student prepared a piece to perform. This was the first time some of them have performed in a recital hall setting on a stage like this.

I was really proud of how well each of my flute students prepared for this recital. A variety of styles were represented with pieces ranging from classical composers by J. S. Bach, G. P. Telemann, W. A. Mozart and C. W. Gluck to 19th century composer Wilhelm Popp and other pieces by modern composers William Billingsley, Chirstopher Nolan, James Rae, and Paul Harris.

Having studio recitals is an incentive to really polish a piece of music and provides an opportunity to share with your family and friends (and fellow flute players) the progress you’ve been making.

I truly believe that if you are going to take the time to develop a talent, you should take the time to share that talent with others. Bravo to everyone last Saturday!

Flute, Performing, Utah Valley Symphony

Out of This Universe

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The Utah Valley Symphony presents an “Out of This Universe” concert Thursday and Friday, October 19th and 20th, 7:30 pm at the Covey Center in Provo.

Guest conductor Kory Katseanes directs an experience that brings the cosmos to life at this epic concert! Holst’s “The Planets” will transport you to celestial realms, followed by a thrilling Williams “Star Wars Suite” that’ll ignite your inner Jedi.

Prepare for a musical journey like no other! Plus, come early for the chance to take pictures with your favorite Star Wars character!

Orchestra members will be in costume, and we absolutely encourage you to join the intergalactic fun by dressing up too!

The Planets by Holst requires extra players to create an even bigger, majestic sound. The Planets is definitely on my Top 10 list of favorite pieces to play with the symphony!!! It has some amazing flute parts (there are 4 flute players – our own flute choir within the symphony) and the Star Wars Suite features some exciting flute parts and some beautiful flute solos as well.

Get your tickets early!! Please visit www.utahvalleysymphony.org for tickets and more information about season tickets.

Flute, Utah Valley Symphony

What Can I Learn?

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I’ve worked with quite a few conductors in my lifetime of music. Recently I asked myself if I would still play with the Utah Valley Symphony if our current conductor retired.

I’ve worked with our current conductor for over 20 years. Even though he hasn’t retired yet, we had the associate conductor do last season’s concerts and we are having some guest conductors this year. I like the photo above how it appears that the conductor is helping the music emerge from nowhere. It’s as if the conductor is pulling the music out of the darkness. That indeed is one of the things a conductor can do–help pull the music out of the musicians.

Conductors, like people, come in many varied personalities and styles. I’ve been fortunate to have many conductors that I loved working with and others that–well, were different.

Each conductor has their own style, philosophies, analogies, strengths and weaknesses, as we all do. One thing I have been reminded of recently is that you can learn something from everyone, whether we are talking about conductors or neighbors or family members or strangers.

I’m looking forward to this year to see what I can learn from our guest conductors. And since I love music so much and it’s still rewarding to play with the symphony, I anticipate staying for a while, regardless of the conductor.

No matter what our situation is, we can learn to adapt. We can learn to accept. We can learn how to work with others. We can look for the good and ask ourselves each day, “What can I learn from this?”