Moving to Colorado

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Colorado.jpg

My music business is going to be changing in a big way very soon because my husband, Tom, and I are moving to the Denver, Colorado area. Tom is accepting a great job opportunity there and I am ready to begin this new adventure with him. It is with great sadness however, that I leave all my students, their families, and my and friends and colleagues in music. You will be missed more than you can know! If you are in the Colorado area and reading this, then know that I am thrilled to be coming to your beautiful state. I have vacationed there in the past and feel blessed to be able to call it my future home. I can't wait to explore the opportunities in music awaiting me there!

Mosteller Mansion – Hickory, NC

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This Saturday I enjoyed playing flute for a wedding at Mosteller Mansion with a wonderful harpist, Jennie Eggleston. It was my first time playing with Jennie and working with her was a pleasure. Jennie's blog about her performances inspired me to write about my own performances in the future as well.

Our Saturday drive to Mosteller Mansion became very stormy with impressive clouds and wind. Because of the rain, we played our prelude indoors as the wedding guests waited out the bad weather. Just in time for the wedding ceremony, the rain stopped and the bride and groom enjoyed a beautiful outdoor wedding like they had planned. The attendants stood on an elegant curving stairways encircling the bride and groom for a grand effect.

The bride chose a combination of hymns and classical music for the prelude, and traditional music for the ceremony:

Prelude ~ Praise to the Lord, Fairest Lord Jesus, On Wings of Song (Mendelssohn), Finlandia (Sibelius), Ode to Joy (Beethoven), Largo (Handel), Sweet Hour of Prayer, Entr’acte from Carmen (Bizet), The Way That He Loves (Mercer), Air from Water Music (Handel), Arioso (Bach) Seating of Grandparents and Mothers ~ Trumpet Voluntary (Purcell) Attendant’s Processional ~ Canon in D (Pachelbel) Bridal Processional ~ Ave Maria (Bach) Recessional ~ Simple Gifts (American Traditional) Postlude ~ Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach)

Congratulations to Grace McMullen!

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Congratulations to Grace McMullen for placing as a finalist at the graduating senior level in the Charlotte Piano Teacher's Forum Auditions! She will be performing one of her contest pieces at an awards recital in May. Grace has been taking piano from me since she began about nine years ago. Now she will be going to college this fall where she plans to continue her study in piano. I'm proud of you Grace! You will be greatly missed!

Vivace Strings Upcoming Appearances

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As the instructor of the USCHAP string ensemble, Vivace Strings, I would like to invite you to come and hear our upcoming performances. We have a great lineup for the spring season:
Downtown Monroe Spring Art Walk -  Friday, April 15, 2011 (6pm at First Baptist on Main & 7:30pm at the Loft, 211 N. Main St.) - free admission
Red Cross Rhapsody in Red Charity Ball - Saturday, May 7, 2011 6–7pm
Waxhaw Women’s Club Benefit for Loaves & Fishes - Friday, May 13, 2011
Waxhaw Spring Fest - Saturday, May 14, 2011 10am
New South Music Festival - Saturday, May 21, 2011 (Pre-concert and dinner music)

Solo Flute Speaks for Itself

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Flute

Flute

I recently had a conversation with someone about music, and when I told her I play flute for weddings and events, she asked if I play with other musicians. I told her I do, but she was surprised when I told her that I also perform frequently as a soloist. Contrary to what many people assume, the flute  sounds full and complete on its own, and is a beautiful and popular choice for wedding and event music. Solo flute can stand on its own, and here are the reasons why:

It’s Simple - When you listen to music, you probably focus on the melody, and might even hum along with the song, but you probably don’t pay much attention to the harmony beneath the melody. Solo flute gives you a pure and clean melody, and every nuance and expression in the music is highlighted  in its simplicity.

It’s Unique -  After playing solo flute for weddings, it is common for me to hear people say that they had never heard a flute soloist before and were impressed with its beauty and unique sound. Any time two instruments are played together they blend to create a different sound that is a little like each of the instruments played, but a bit different from both. When the flute is played apart from other instruments,  it provides a unique sound that few people have heard.

It’s Affordable – When hiring musicians, it’s important to consider your budget, and solo flute is very budget friendly. With each extra musician you hire, your rates can double, so if you are on a budget, a soloist is the perfect choice.

It’s Versatile - Short on space? A soloist on the flute doesn’t take up much space, and certainly takes up less space than most other musicians

Have an echo? Some venues, particularly churches, have impressive echoes. Locations like Beaver Creek Chapel and Evans Memorial Chapel in Denver are perfect examples. Larger groups may sound muddled if there is too much of an echo, but solo flute has a full and clear sound, that is quite remarkable in these types of buildings.

Outdoor wedding? Flute is an excellent choice for the outdoors because its sound carries better than that of a string instrument. Also, unlike a guitar or keyboard, the flute does not need to be plugged in.

Too many stairs? A flute player has excellent mobility. We are not limited by stairs, grassy lawns, or mountain locations.

Next time you are planning a wedding or event, consider the clear melodies, unique sound, affordability, and versatility of the solo flute.

Listen to Solo Flute Music Samples