Flute Quartet Wedding Music at Tapestry House

Flute Quartet Wedding Music at Tapestry House

Flute Quartet Wedding Music at Tapestry House

This past Saturday I played for an outdoor wedding at the Tapestry House in Laporte, CO. The first snow of the season had arrived that night, and the day remained cold and overcast.

Despite the cold temperatures, Tapestry House was a beautiful oasis. Snow still covered the boughs of the magnificent pines around the ceremony site, providing a lovely winter backdrop for a collage of blooming summer flowers and peak autumn foliage. Twinkle lights added an air of festivity.

Before the wedding began, our flute quartet (flute, violin, viola, cello) entertained the guests with classical prelude music as they waited in the heated reception area. Before the guests proceeded outside for the ceremony, we moved our instruments to the house right behind the ceremony site. With the help of amplification and a few open windows, the guests were able to clearly hear our music before and during the ceremony, and we were able to keep our fingers warm enough to play our instruments.

After the wedding ceremony, we moved back to the reception area where we played oldies and popular and rock music for the cocktail hour. The cocktail hour was in a covered patio which was kept nice and warm with the help of tented sides and long heat lamps on the ceiling.

Wedding Ceremony Music:

Prelude Music ~ Sheep May Safely Graze (Bach), Amazing Grace, Arioso (Bach), Polonaise (Bach), Air from Suite in D Major (Bach) Seating of the Parents ~ Largo from Xerses (Handel) Attendant's Processional ~ Canon in D (Pachelbel) Bridal Processional ~ Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Bach) Tree Planting Ceremony ~ Simple Gifts Recessional ~ Strawberry Swing (Coldplay), Entrance of the Queen of Sheba (Handel)

Cocktail Hour Music:
When I'm 64 (Beatles), So Happy Together (Turtles) Don't Stop Believing (Journey), Dream On (Aerosmith), In My Life (Beatles), Beauty and the Beast, Here Comes the Sun (Beatles), Tango from Scent of a Woman

Welcome to my New Website Design!

After a month of experiencing technical difficulties on my website and being hacked by a Russian company selling suspicious name brand accessories, I’m happy to announce that I’m up and running again, and with a fresh new look. I want to extend a huge thanks to my friends who helped me in this endeavor – you know who you are! So take a look around and enjoy!

The Price of Relevance

What is the value of live music? I think this article by Suzanne Mentzer published in the Huffington Post is right on track: To all who moan about the price of musicians: A guy calls the musician's guild to get a quote on a six-piece band for a wedding. The rep says, "Off the top of my head, about $2000." The guy says, "WHAT? FOR MUSIC?" The rep responds, "I'll tell you what. Call the plumbers union and ask for six plumbers to work from 6 'til midnight on a Saturday night. Whatever they charge you, we'll work for half."

I saw this on a social media site and it struck a chord, no pun intended. I could not help but think of the situation at hand for many classical musicians in the US.

Roughly talking turkey, there are about 115 orchestras in the US with budgets over 2.5 million, each employing nearly 100 musicians, each with another 5-10 staff members, on average. This does not include ballet orchestras, or orchestras with lower budgets. Opera America, a national service center, lists 150 member companies. The "union" American Guild of Musical Artists lists 6540 members in good standing, comprised of dancers, opera singers (soloists and choristers) and stage managers. Each opera, ballet and orchestral organization also employs stage crew, many of which are members of IATSI, the stagehands union. This is, at best, a blurry picture of the multitude of people who could be unemployed should the classical arts cave. This does not even include the associated businesses: restaurants, hotels, parking garages for the paying public, instrument and equipment manufacturers, instrument tweakers and tuners..

Every day I read of another orchestra going under or, at the very least, cutting salaries of the players by large amounts. What flotsam and jetsam this will create. These players spend lives - from a very young age - perfecting, practicing and competing to win the positions they have. They cannot imagine life not playing. Musicians have committed to rents, mortgages, college debt, and support families. Some share their talents with schools and communities. They commit to the arts organization and the community for the long haul, unlike in sports where one can be traded or a free agent.

Orchestra, opera, chamber music and solo recitals are pure, without sound enhancement. I like to think of these art forms as being organic- without additives, non-synthetic or processed. Like organic food, it is a bit more costly to produce. It is also not for profit, unlike commercial music.

Like most musicians, classical musicians, bring joy to those who hear them. They touch an emotional nerve; connect with the larger whole of humanity and cultural history; honor those who came before by continuing a tradition of excellence. It is hard to put a price on relevance, continuity, and the historical perspective. Yes, in today's financial environment classical artists are being discarded.

With a very high-level international singing career I, too, have felt the smack of the economy. The norm for a successful singer is being booked three years out. I have little work this year and nothing after August. I have a hard time being hired. I have dropped my fee to about a third of what it was, which is fine since the business was so good to me. My high powered New York management tells me its the economy.

Like the instrumentalists in those orchestras I have lived as a singer for a long time and it is an ingrained part of who I am. Not a day went by for thirty years where I did not think about the condition of my voice and my body or have music burning into my brain cells. At times I feel like a part of me has been amputated. I do miss making music at a high level, the camaraderie and collaboration with colleagues, and most of all, my part in the continuation of this art form that goes back centuries. I have often felt it a privilege to sing music that has endured and try to do it justice.

As an ersatz writer I have a bully pulpit but I basically preach to the choir. I do not seem to reach the audience that needs persuading that classical music is viable, necessary and human. One way I can be an activist for the arts is to perform. I will continue to search for other ways, as well, for the day when I truly cannot sing anymore.

Last week, The NY Times shared the results of a study: "researchers at Northwestern University recorded the auditory brainstem responses of college students -- that is to say, their electrical brain waves -- in response to complex sounds. The group of students who reported musical training in childhood had more robust responses -- their brains were better able to pick out essential elements, like pitch, in the complex sounds when they were tested. And this was true even if the lessons had ended years ago."

I have been watching some silent films on TCM. The sound tracks are amazingly operatic in order to help sustain the emotion of the work without text. Listen to a sound track today. Even with the dialogue of the actors much of the music is classically styled and operatically emotional. Why is it so hard then to let this carry outside the movie theater?

My last beef the choice of people to be honored by Kennedy Center this year. All are honorable but not one is a classical musician. This sends a very strong subliminal message. It would have been very cool to have Led Zeppelin honored beside a figure from the classical music world.

As a culture we seem eat up whatever is fashionable, hot, new. Can't we do that and still keep a foot firmly in tradition, history, context, and more? One need not necessarily cancel out the other.

Memorizing Music

At the 2012 National Flute Association Convention in Las Vegas, NV I attended a very helpful class on memorizing music. The class was presented by Molly Alicia Barth, and the following tips are taken directly from Molly's notes:

Memorizing Music

by Molly Alicia Barth

While learning the piece:

1. Get to know the piano/orchestral score as well as the flute part. Visualize the music, both while you are playing and during extended rests.

2. Listen to many recordings early on in the process, but avoid reliance on them too much for your own interpretation/memory work.

3. Get to know the melodic and harmonic structure of the piece. Are you in the main key of the piece, or have you shifted to a new key? Are the main notes of a passage the tonic of the key? Look for appoggiaturas and other fun notes to dote upon.

4. Practice with focused ears – do not let mistakes go unheeded! If you allow mistakes to creep in, the mistakes will come out when you really don’t want to see them.

5. Record yourself. You will learn a lot – listen to the recording carefully with the score for note/rhythm accuracy, intonation, rhythm, and phrasing.

6. Memorize the work using at least two methods, such as visualizing the music as it is printed on the page and memorizing the intervals from one note to the next. It is important to give yourself a “fall-back” method if the first doesn’t work.

7. Own the work: practice all details of your interpretation from the start of the process: dynamics, phrasing, articulations etc. must all be internalized along with the notes.

8. Learn in multiple environments. Recall of a piece is aided when you are not accustomed, for instance, only to playing the piece in your living room. Play in a variety of settings - concert halls, churches, studios, classrooms, practice rooms. Ideally, when in the learning stages, find spaces that do not cause distractions.

9. Study a work in segments, and then integrate small segments together.

10. If possible, practice with intent to memorize from the first reading of a piece.

Specifics in the memorization process:

1. Tonality 2. Motives 3. Phrase structure 4. Small segments 5. Imitative sections: check notes, rhythms, articulations, dynamics for variance 6. Choreography/movement: create movement cues to aid performance 7. Ornamentation 8. Tempo relationships 9. Composite between flute part and other performers’ parts

Ideal time frame for the memorization process: 1. Complete the entire memorization process one month prior to your first performance. In order to accomplish this, I ideally start memorizing three months or more prior to the first memorized performance. 2. Have small goals: a few measures each day/a page per week, and once you accomplish the daily goal, remind yourself of the previous days’ work by running through from the start of the work until the end-point of your daily goal. 3. Once you think you know it, start playing the piece as often as possible for a trial audience.

When you feel that you have a handle on the piece:

1. Look up – get out of “memory land”. Feel comfortable looking at your accompanist and/or audience.

2. Play for at least two peers and two superiors/mentors, at least two weeks prior to the first performance. Find people who will make you nervous, and who will offer constructive criticisms and well-deserved compliments. For example, I perform memorized works for my students and trusted co-workers, two weeks prior to the first public performance.

3. Learn to cope with distractions: improve the ability, through practice, to stay on track when something unexpected occurs (a loud noise, someone unexpectedly entering the room, etc.). The presence of an audience at the time of performance inherently means that distractions will be a part of the performance, so it is quite important not to overlook this detail.

4. Create a memorization chart. Write down or take special note of critical structural, interpretive and technical cues.

5. If your learning style permits, on the day before/day of a performance, both visualize the music in your head and also carefully look at the score or flute part.

Sources: The effects of altering environmental and instrumental context on the performance of memorized music. Jennifer Mishra and Willia M Backlin

Improving Facility in Music Memorization. Edgar Ross

Part and Whole Methods in the Memorization of Music. Cyril C. O’Brien

Preparing for Memorized Cello Performance: the role of performance cues. Roger Chaffin, Tania Lisboa, Topher Logan, Kristen T. Begosh

The 2012 National Flute Association Convention - Las Vegas, NV

This past week, I attended this year’s National Flute Association conference held in Las Vegas, NV. The weather was extremely hot with highs ranging from 106 – 110 degrees F, so I was happy to spend most of my time inside the massive (and air-conditioned) Caesar’s Palace.

This year I played with the Professional Flute Choir in a concert featuring the two winning songs from the Flute Choir Composition Competition, Alberto Guidobaldi’s “Tarantella for 12 Flutes”, and David Gunn’s “The Fifth Universal Principle of Alignment”. Peter Sheridan, bass flute extraordinaire, supported our flute choir with the rich low sounds of his various bass flutes. He also did an amazing job playing “Nuestro Pueblo”, a piece that highlights three different bass flutes and includes some wonderful improvisatory sections.

I also attended various concerts, masterclasses and instructional classes during the convention. Perhaps one of the most interesting classes was the one on circular breathing, a technique I have been interested in learning for a long time but never had the opportunity. With a great sense of humor, Robert Dick gave us step by step instructions on how to achieve circular breathing, along with several impressive and fun demonstrations of his own circular breathing.

Another class I really enjoyed was taught by Phyllis Avidan Louke, who delved into the details of teaching beginning flute students. It was refreshing to learn new ways to explain the very basics of flute playing, and I learned a number of cute ways to help children learn and remember new concepts and techniques.

This was also the first year I was able to attend the closing ceremonies, entitled “All the Things You Are”. The event featured a variety of musical styles ranging from Celtic to rock music, serious classical pieces to some lighthearted and humorous numbers - all featuring the flute. The final performance was ”Bumble Boogie”, a fun and very fast piece performed by four amazing soloists accompanied by our professional flute choir.

Flute and Guitar Duo Wedding Music at Mountain Thunder Lodge

Flute and Guitar Duo Wedding Music at Mountain Thunder Lodge

On Saturday, I escaped the summer heat of the Front Range and headed for the mountains of Colorado to play for a wedding ceremony and cocktail hour at Mountain Thunder Lodge in Breckenridge. The Lodge is a beautiful venue with a rustic mountain feel on the outside and a relaxed elegance inside.

I played the flute accompanied by guitarist Michael Engberg, and the simple elegance of our flute and guitar duo perfectly complimented the mountain setting. The wedding ceremony was outside on the patio which was decorated with bright local flowers provided by Petal and Bean.

The weather was perfect with sunshine and a cool breeze and to my delight, I didn't meet with a single bug while I played. After the ceremony, we moved inside for the cocktail hour where we entertained guests in the library before dinner.

Wedding Ceremony Music:
Selected Prelude Music ~ Simple Gifts, Be Thou My Vision, March (JS Bach), Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (JS Bach), Meneut (Rameau), Two German Dances (Beethoven) Attendant's Processional ~ Rondeau (Mouret) Bridal Processional ~ Canon in D (Pachelbel) Recessional ~ Trumpet Voluntary in D (Purcell)

Selected Cocktail Hour Music:
Fly Me to the Moon, Georgia on my Mind, Have I Told You Lately (that I love you), It's so Easy, Sunny, Under the Boardwalk, The Way You Look Tonight, A Whiter Shade of Pale

Flute and Guitar Duo Wedding Music at Mountain Thunder Lodge

Flute and Guitar Duo Wedding Music at Mountain Thunder Lodge

Flute and Guitar Duo Wedding Music at Mountain Thunder Lodge

Flute and Guitar Duo Wedding Music at Mountain Thunder Lodge

Flute and Guitar Duo Wedding Music at Mountain Thunder Lodge

Flute and Guitar Duo Wedding Music at Mountain Thunder Lodge

Flute and Guitar Duo Wedding Music at Mountain Thunder Lodge

From the Bride:
"Our wedding day was everything we hoped it would be. We chose a destination wedding in Breckenridge, Colorado because we wanted an intimate wedding with our family and closest friends in one of our favorite places. We loved the venue we chose, Mountain Thunder Lodge – it was perfect for our size wedding (45 total). The intimacy of our wedding was further enhanced by instrumental music played during our ceremony and cocktail hour. Overall, we loved every moment of our wedding day!"

My New Jay Haide Cello from Eggen’s Violin Shop

I recently bought a new cello from Eggen’s Violin Shop in Denver, and not only do I love my new cello, but I had a wonderful experience buying the cello. I previously played on a student level cello, and wanted to upgrade to a much better model. With the recommendation of my teacher, I tried out a number of cellos at Rock T. Eggen Violins in Denver. When I purchased my first cello in North Carolina, the instrument selection was very limited, but at Eggen’s I was happy to be able to try out a number of cellos within my price range. I was surprised that unlike with the flute, each instrument had a distinctly unique timbre that even an untrained ear could easily tell apart. Because of this, it was not difficult to choose the instrument I liked best – a Jay Haide L’Ancienne Ruggieri model. This model has a wide body, beautiful finish and a full and resonant sound that fills a room.

I want to thank Rock Eggen for a great buying experience. He was very accommodating, friendly, and patiently answered my many questions. After I brought home and tried out my cello of choice for a week, I brought it back and Rock spent over an hour making various adjustments and letting me try several brands of strings. The end result was just what I wanted – a sweet upper register and a full and smooth lower register. My new cello is a huge upgrade from my previous cello and I’m looking forward to this upcoming orchestra season.

And in case you were wondering, I didn’t tell Rock Eggen I’m writing this.

Flute Quartet Wedding Music at Black Canyon Inn

This past Monday I had a wonderful time playing the flute for a wedding at the beautiful Black Canyon Inn in Estes Park, Colorado.  The wedding was outdoors under a pavilion with a spectacular mountain view. The hot day cooled down with nearby rain, giving us a pleasant breeze and cooler temperatures. I played with the Ribbons and Strings Ensembles, and because the groom was partial to the sound of the flute, the couple chose to have a quartet with flute, violin, viola, and cello.

Wedding Ceremony Music:

Prelude ~ What a Wonderful World  (Armstrong), Arioso  (Bach), Spring (Vivaldi), Rondo (Mozart)

Processional for the Maid of Honor ~ Canon in D (Pachelbel)

Bridal Processional ~ Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Bach)

Signing the Marriage License ~ "Only Hope" from A Walk to Remember

Recessional ~ Psalm 19 (Marcello), Hornpipe (Handel), Allegro from Spring (Vivaldi), Divertimento in D Major, 1st mvmt. (Mozart), selections from Autumn (Vivaldi)

First Dance ~ "Unchained Melody" from Ghost

We played for the cocktail hour at the Twin Owls Steak House. We played a wide selection of classical, jazz, rock, and popular songs. A shortened sample is listed below.

Selected Cocktail Hour Music:

All You Need is Love (Beatles), Unforgettable (Nat King Cole), Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton), Blue Moon, Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol), Don't Stop Believing (Journey)

Flute and Cello Duo Wedding Music at The Pines at Genesee

Flute and Cello Duo Wedding Music at The Pines at Genesee

Wedding season is in full swing in Colorado, and this past Saturday, I had the pleasure of playing flute for a wedding at the Pines at Genesee in Golden, CO. I played the flute and was accompanied by Marcelo Sanches on the cello. One of my favorite parts about playing for weddings in Colorado is having the opportunity to explore beautiful locations and venues, not to mention enjoying the gorgeous weather. Saturday turned out to be a very hot day, but upon arriving at the Pines, the elevation combined with some helpful clouds cooled things down. With the added shelter of the beautiful towering pine trees, it turned out to be a perfect evening.

With brick pathways, arbors, and towering pine trees, the ceremony location was rustic with a simple understated elegance. The bride's choice of a flute and cello duet complemented the setting perfectly.

Marcelo and I played a selection of classical music for the cocktail hour. For the wedding ceremony, the bride asked for traditional and classical music. Other than the Bridal Chorus by Wagner, this busy bride left the specific song selections up to me:

Attendant’s Processional ~ Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (Bach)
Bridal Processional ~ The Bridal Chorus (Wagner)
Recessional ~ Hornpipe (Handel)

Boulder Symphony Orchestra Concert

Brahms

I play the cello with the Boulder Symphony Orchestra and am pleased to announce our upcoming performance: The Boulder Symphony Orchestra along with the Cherry Creek Chorale presents the Brahms Requiem conducted by Devin Hughes on May 18th and 19th. Soloists are soprano Teresa Castillo and baritone Thomas Fitzpatrick Kittle. The concert also features the world premiere performance of “Inter” by Austin Wintory. Tickets are $15. Join us for a wonderful evening of music on one of the following days:

Friday, May 18th at 7:00pm, First Presbyterian Church, Boulder Saturday, May 19th at 7:30, Bethany Lutheran Church, Denver

Professional Flute Choir Concerts, Las Vegas, NV

I have been chosen in competition to be a member of the 2012 Professional Flute Choir, and will be performing in concert with other flutists from across the nation at this year’s National Flute Association Convention in Las Vegas, NV. If you are attending the convention, or live in Las Vegas, this is a chance to hear a one of a kind concert of challenging music. We will play at the Pompeian Ballroom in Ceasars Palace on Saturday, August 11^th at 10:00am and for the closing ceremonies at the Augustus Ballroom in Ceasars Palace on Saturday, August 11^th at 4:00pm.

New Music Samples for Flute and Harp Duo

Recording Session at Swallow Hill in Denver, CO

Thanks to Brian Hunter at the Swallow Hill recording studio in Denver, I have replaced my ten year old homemade flute and harp recordings with new professional ones. On the recordings I am playing on my new solid rose gold and silver Powell flute that I bought last summer. I was accompanied by talented harpist, Mary Keener. Our duo is available to play for your Colorado wedding or event.

Colorado Flute Forum

I am one of the presenters for this month's Colorado Flute Forum meeting, where I will give a presentation on how to play Celtic flute music, specifically music of the Irish tradition. There will be two other presentations, one of which will be given by Greg LaLiberte on the Brazilian Choro. This meeting will be held in held at Chris Potter's house in Boulder, CO on Friday, April 13th from 10am to 12pm.

The Colorado Flute Choir Festival 2012

Don’t miss the upcoming Colorado Flute Choir Festival which will be held on Saturday, April 28th. The festival is presented by the Colorado Flute Association and open to all association members. Attendance is free and open to all flutists from middle school through adults. The festival will be held at Longs Peak United Methodist Church, 1421 Elmhurst Drive in Longmont, CO from 9am – 5pm. The festival will have workshops for piccolo, c flutes, alto flutes, and bass flutes. There will also be a low flutes reading session, mass flute choirs, a class on contemporary techniques for c flutes, and a festival recital. Clinicians include Christina Jennings, Kay W. Lloyd, Christine Potter, and Michelle Stanley.

Colorado Flute Fair 2012

Carol Wincenc

I attended the Colorado Flute Fair at the University of Colorado in Boulder this past weekend and it was a great day packed full of instructional classes, masterclasses, and concerts. The fair featured guest artist Carol Wincenc, professor of music at Julliard School of Music.

The day began with a warm-up class that focused on relaxation techniques for comfortable and injury free practice. Following that was a tone development class which focused on the importance of breath control. Then Carol Wincenc gave a surburb masterclass. She has a flair for the stage and spreads her enthusiasm to those she teaches. She also has a knack for pushing her students to reach their highest potential while allowing them to remain true to their personal musical style.

After lunch we heard a demonstration of Carol Wincenc’s edition of Andersen’s Op. 15. Anderson’s original etudes are combined with a duet part that Ms. Wincenc wrote for the teacher to play. The duet part highlights the chord structure of each etude, and is a valuable resource for flute teachers.

Following the demonstration was a Flute Association members recital and then a fabulous performance featuring Carol Wincenc. Carol chose an engaging variety of songs from different time periods, in different styles, and with a variety of instrumentation. Her playing is suburb and her technique flawless, and her performance was much enjoyed.

The Flute – Top 10 Questions a Flute Player is Asked….

1) Where does the sound come out from the flute? Most of the sound comes from the location where the air that the flutist blows strikes the flute. This is the part of the flute that is right in front of the lips and is called the “strike wall”.

2) Are flute players called flutists or flautists?

Both terms are equally correct. I personally prefer “flutist” because what is a “flaut” anyway?

3) Do you ever need a microphone for your flute when performing?

I rarely need a microphone because the flute is a very resonant instrument and its sound carries well both indoors and outdoors. I do need amplification if there is excessive ambient noise, or if I am playing in a band in which all the other members are amplified.

4) How do you hold the flute to play “air flute”?

Hold the flute out to your right with your left hand to the right of your face facing in and your right hand further to the right facing out. Both thumbs will curve naturally under the flute. For a more detailed description of holding a real flute go .

5) What are flutes made out of?

Flutes can be made of many different materials. Many student models are made of nickel or silver plated. Professional models are usually made of silver, gold, or platinum. Flutes have also been made from tin, copper, wood, plastic, carbon fiber, aluminum, palladium, bones, glass, and even carrots. My flute is silver on the inside and rose gold on the outside.

6) Can you play like Jethro Tull?

Ian Anderson is the flute player and leader of Jethro Tull. I’ve never actually spent time trying to copy him, but I do my own style of flute improvisation to various musical genres.

7) What is the difference between a flute and a recorder?

A flute is held horizontally and played by blowing across the tone hole, while a recorder is held vertically and played like a whistle. The flute has a more complex system of keys that cover the holes while a recorder simply has holes that the player has to cover with their fingers. Flutes are typically made of metal and recorders are usually made of plastic or wood. The flute is far more versatile, and most of the music written for recorders by major composers was written in the Baroque period (1680-1720).

8 ) Does playing the flute take a lot of air?

Playing the flute does take a lot of air, but it’s important to learn how to control the air than rather than just to blow hard. A flute player must learn to breathe correctly to take in the maximum amount of air and then use their muscles to support the air stream while releasing it in a very controlled manner. Good flute players also know how to correctly shape their embouchures (the way their lips are shaped) and adjust the space between their lips to focus the air so there is minimal waste. Using these techniques, a flute player can play long phrases without taking a breath.

9) Why are there holes in the keys of the flute?

Most intermediate to professional flutes have keys with holes in them. The benefit of having holes in your keys is that you can partially cover the holes and be able to play notes that are in between the normal notes of a scale. You can also use the holes to slide from one note to another note. This is particularly handy for modern music that uses extended techniques and for Irish music.

10) Why are some flutes so expensive?

Both materials and workmanship have big impacts on the price of a flute. The going price of precious metals and the amounts of those metals in a particular flute will have a strong impact on its current value. Other factors that affect the cost of a flute are the amount of handmade versus machine made parts in the flute and the quality of materials used to make the flute.

Unlike stringed instruments, flutes do not typically gain value with age. However, a well maintained flute, particularly one made of a precious medal, can retain its value. As improvements are made to the design of the flute, people tend to buy newer improved models in favor of the older styles.

Mementos from my Musical Journey

Newspaper article featuring Bob Dole's address to Wingate University Grads, Wingate, North Carolina

A few days ago I was digging through my "memory box" and came across various newspaper clippings and other similar items that reminded me of past musical experiences. I hope you enjoy looking at these mementos from my musical journey.

I was in middle school when I had the privilege of playing for the 1995

Wingate University

 Commencement, with Bob Dole as guest speaker. I played flute along with the Wingate Symphonic Band, of which I had been a member for a year.

Spring Lecture Series Program from Wingate University featuring an address by Madeleine Albright in Wingate, North Carolina

Here is the program and ticket for another concert that I played with the Wingate Symphonic Band. This time Madeleine Albright gave the address.

Spring Lecture Series Ticket from Wingate University featuring an address by Madeleine Albright in Wingate, North Carolina

This is an article written about a concert given by the Charlotte Flute Choir in honor one of my former flute teachers, Irene Maddox. Her husband was the director of the flute choir until he passed away a few years later. I played in the Charlotte Flute Choir for six years, but only had the advantage of being Irene's student for a few months before she passed away.

Newspaper article featuring concert given by the Charlotte Flute Choir honoring the passing of Irene Maddox

Newspaper article featuring concert given by the Charlotte Flute Choir honoring the passing of Irene Maddox

This is the summer 2002 edition of the Flutist Quarterly featuring my flute teacher of six years, Mark Thomas. The Flutist Quarterly is the official magazine of the National Flute Association, which was founded by Mark Thomas. Mr. Thomas was kind enough to sign my copy of the magazine.

Summer 2002 Edition of the Flutist Quarterly featuring founder of the National Flute Association, Mark Thomas

Article from newspaper featuring 2004 campaign ball given by Sue Myrick

Left: This is an article about Sue Myrick's 2004 campaign ball, and if you look for the star, you will see our flute and harp duo, "Jubal" mentioned.

Below: This is a page from "Skirt!" magazine featuring my music business.

Article from Skirt! Magazine featuring Christen Neumann Stephens

Win Free Live Music for Valentine's Day

Gigmaster's is hosting a contest to win $200 towards a Valentine's Day performance from a Gigmaster's musician like myself. If you win and choose solo flute and/or solo piano from me, this means a nice long free performance! Enter before February 6th: Win a Serenade for Valentine's Day

Romantic Music

Romantic music for Valentine's Day and Wedding Ceremonies

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner and spring weddings drawing near, it’s time to start thinking about romantic music to complete the occasion. With the help of friends, I’ve compiled a list of romantic songs, and I hope you enjoy listening to them. What makes a song romantic? Romantic music mirrors four aspects of romance in life – intimacy, time, conversation, and passion. But just as we all experience intimacy in different ways, we all have our personal preferences in romantic music. Intimacy

Every romantic song has some level of intimacy. Intimate songs tend to be personal and not showy or performance oriented. They frequently have sweeping strings or soulful guitar or piano in the background. Also, most romantic songs fall between the pulse of 60 -100 beats per minute which also happens to be the average heartbeat of a human being. Coincidence? I think not. This gentle pulse is often done with soft percussion, or naturally emphasized in the music. Over this pulse is usually a warm and tender voice or instrumental lead.

Time

Romance flourishes when you give another person your full attention and time.  The following songs are all about the element of time and they do this by drawing out words and spacing phrases:

Can’t Help Falling in Love With You, Elvis

Come Away with Me, Norah Jones

Fascination, Nat King Cole

I Will Love You, Fisher

Unchained Melody, Righteous Brothers

Wonderful Tonight, Eric Clapton

Conversation

This is an easy one, because words of love and devotion can be translated directly into music as in the following examples:

Always On My Mind, Willie Nelson

Devoted to You, Everly Brothers

For You, John Denver

I Will Be Here , Steven Curtis Chapman

Longer Than, Dan Fogelberg

Time in a Bottle, Jim Croce

Truly Madly Deeply, Savage Garden

Your Song, Elton John

Passion

Passionate songs have energy, intensity, perhaps a faster pulse than the typical heart rate, and often the element of the unexpected. Some of the most passionate songs are classical, particularly from the aptly named “Romantic Period” of music. Following is a wide range of passionate songs:

Everything I do, Bryan Adams

Hello Young Lovers, Stevie Wonder

Libestod from Tristan Und Isolde (Richard Wagner), Birgit Nilsson

Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet, Henry Mancini and his orchestra

Meditation from Thais (Massenet), Yo-Yo Ma

‎Someone to Watch Over Me, Herb Alpert

For fun I looked for a song from above that, in my opinion best blends all four categories. The result was a tie between “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers and “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” by Elvis. "Unchained Melody" frequently uses the word “time” which enhances its slow development, then crescendos with passion towards the end. “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” brilliantly combines all the elements of intimacy, along with slow romantic words.

Solo Flute Speaks for Itself

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