Raleigh Area Flute Association August Newsletter

Newsletter of the Raleigh Area Flute Association

Tune In

August 2009

RAFA Choirs Ready for Fall Season!
Sunday, September 13

While you may not get to wear a silly hat, you're bound to have fun in one of RAFA's flute choirs! We offer you a choice of three ensembles--from leisure to very challenging. Come check us out! We're bound to have one (or even two) to suit your time and schedule!
Two of the choirs require auditions, which are scheduled on September 13 by appointment only. All three choirs begin rehearsals September 13. We ask that all participants come prepared to pay registration fees on the first day.

The RAFA Silver Pipes, along with special guest, Sue Sager, dressed the part for their
performance of "Under the Big Top" during the 2009 Member's Recital.

Choirs Under New Direction!

After six semesters, Twila Kelly has reluctantly resigned from her leadership role with the Silver Winds and Silver Pipes. As any choir member can attest, she passionately loved working with musicians of every age and experience-level. However, health issues force her into an early retirement.

She is thrilled, however, to see that direction of the choirs passes to Sonja Noykos, a talented, young flutist who graduated from the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati in Flute Performance (2005). While there she studied under Dr. Bradley Garner, Randy Bowman, Jack Wellbaum (piccolo) and Heather Verbeck.

Since high school, Sonja has participated, won, or placed in many local and national competitions (maiden name Nesvig). In 2005 she and her husband Matt moved to Salt Lake City, where he attended the Violin-Making School of America. Sonja worked at a church directing music and Christian education. In March 2009 they moved to Raleigh because Matt got a job with Pasewicz String Instrument, Co. As a private flute teacher, former flute choir participant, and former choir director, she is very excited to direct the Silver Winds and the Silver Pipes!

Erinn Frechette, Concert & Piccolo Class!
Erinn

Sunday, September 27, 2009
Carswell Recital Hall at Meredith College
Free for RAFA members & Meredith students; $10 general admission

2:00 - 3:00 Concert: "Piccolo through the Ages"
3:15 - 5:00 Masterclass: A participatory class mainly focused on piccolo performance, with several participants performing piccolo excerpts and repertoire

Erinn Frechette has the honorable distinction of winning first prize in both the National Flute Association's Young Artist Competition and the NFA Piccolo Artist Competition. A featured performer and clinician at flute festivals across the country, Erinn has also appeared in chamber concerts with Ethos Chamber Orchestra, Providence Chamber Music, Noteworthy Music Recital Series and the Suzuki and Friends Chamber Music Series. With degrees from Northwestern University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Erinn currently serves as Piccolo/Third Flute of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Principal teachers include Walfrid Kujala, Bradley Garner and Jack Wellbaum. More information.

RAFA's 25th Annual Review & Contest!!!

RAFA's 25th annual Review & Contest will be held the afternoon of Sunday, November 1 at Highland United Methodist Church in Raleigh. The event is open to students (elementary through university) and adults (Review only). Last year a record number of 173 flutists participated in this event, with a total of $2500 being awarded to the selected winners! The popular event spurs flutists of all ages and levels to set practice and performance goals, reach new challenges, and receive valuable performance feedback!

Registration is due October 1. Registration form, rules and music list are all available on the RAFA website. Contest winners perform in a recital Friday evening, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. Direct questions to contest coordinator Lauren Robbins-Pollack at (919) 557-2272 or density21.5@earthlink.net.

Summer Highlights

What kept RAFA flutists busy this summer? Here's a sampling of our members' flute-related activities.

"The Asheville Flute Vacation, a week of playing the flute with eleven other adult amateurs, proved to be as wonderful for my fourth season there as it was my first time in 2006. And being in Florida for many events of the Sarasota Music Festival in June was stimulating and much fun."
~ Mary Croghan, RAFA board member and adult amateur flutist with Silver Pipes and Second Winds

"This summer, I continued teaching a few students - especially new students, and our woodwind quartet has been playing for weddings. Also, my woodwind quintet is rehearsing a Fran�ais sextet "Sixtour" that adds bass clarinet (Does anyone have a recording of this piece?). My husband Paul and I attended the NFA convention in NYC where our daughter-in-law Elizabeth Rowe played on the gala concerto program Saturday night."
~ Diana Cherry, performer and private flute instructor

Asheville flutist Kate Steinbeck produced Keowee Chamber Music's 9th annual festival in venues in Western North Carolina and the South Carolina Upstate. Festival highlights included the Sonata for flute, viola and harp by Claude Debussy and the Carolina premiere of Spirit Island (for flute, cello and piano) by Andrea Clearfield.

(at right) Jacqueline Bartlett (harp), Simon �rtz (viola) and Kate Steinbeck (flute)

Helen Spielman taught her workshop Performance Anxiety from Inside Out at Wildacres Flute Retreat near Little Switzerland, NC and in New York City. She presented a workshop at the NFA national convention entitled The Flutist's Best Friends: Persistence and Resilience.

Claire Johnson, rising 9th grader at Cedar Ridge High School, attended Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan where she played in the orchestra, and attended UNC-Greensboro Band Camp. She also attended the NFA national convention in New York City where she participated in the Guinness World Record Breaking Event with James Galway.

Donna Prather participated in a flute quartet led by Maureen Kelly and a flute trio with Mary Auen and Mara Gabriel.

In June, Mara Gabriel premiered "Stilling the Storm," a setting of Psalm 107 composed by St. Thomas More music director Roger Petrich for piano, voice and flute.

"This summer, my family scraped up enough money to send me to ASU's Cannon Music Camp. It was a four-week program, and quite frankly, the best month of my life. I got to participate in a symphonic band, the orchestra, and an exclusive chamber winds group, as well as lessons from Nancy Schneeloch-Bingham and a music theory class. Along with the extensive musical knowledge, I got to meet the most wonderful, talented, and motivated people I've ever met."
~ Taylor James, 10th grade student at Middle Creek High School in Apex

RAFA Communication Opportunities

Due to health issues, member Twila Kelly is retiring and handing off all of her RAFA communication responsibilities. We seek one or two volunteers interested in either/both the maintenance of the website as well as an individual with publication skills to produce RAFA traditional print communications such as the annual brochure, concert programs and the Flute Fair booklet. The volunteer(s) will need to own the appropriate software. If this sounds like your cuppa tea, contact either Rosene or Twila.