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BFA Student Angela Koh to Perform with Cynthia Meyers, 2/26

Congratulations to BFA flutist Angela Koh, who will be performing a duo flute concerto with BSO member Cynthia Meyers this Sunday, February 26th, at 6:30pm at St. Marks School in Southborough, MA.  Angela and Ms. Meyers will perform the Telemann Duo Concerto in e minor for 2 flutes and strings.  They will also perform Aubade by Gordon Jacob for 2 flutes and clarinet.

Angela is in 11th grade at St. Mark’s School and studies with Judy Grant at BFA.  The concert is free and open to the public!

Full Concert Program

 

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BFA Student Successes in 2012 Districts and All-States

The BFA has been well-represented this school year in the 2012 district and all-state music festivals in Massachusetts and beyond!  Congratulations to the nine students (listed below) on their successes this year:

Amy Lipman is principal flute in the Massachusetts All-State Band, and played in the Senior District festival for Eastern Massachusetts.  She is a freshman at Needham High School, studies privately with Judy Grant at the BFA, and is a student in the BFA Repertory Program, playing in the Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar.

 

 

 

Connie Jiang is principal piccolo in the Massachusetts All-State Orchestra, and also played flute in the Senior District festival for Central Massachusetts.  She attends Nashoba Regional High School, and studies privately with Judy Grant at the BFA.

 

 

Elizabeth Sperry is principal flute in the Massachusetts All-State Orchestra, with the highest flute score in the state.  Previously, she played in the Senior District Orchestra for Northeastern Massachusetts.  She is a sophomore at Chelmsford High School, studies privately with Judy Grant at the BFA, and is a Young Artist at the BFA, participating in the Studio Class and Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar.

 

 

Ina Suresh played in the Junior District festival for Eastern Massachusetts.  She is a 7th-grader at the Shady Hill School, studies privately with Judy Grant at the BFA, and is a member of the BFA Repertory Ensemble & Seminar.

 

 

 

Michelle Chung played in the Senior District festival for Eastern Massachusetts.  She attends the Middlesex School and studies privately with Amanda Hughes at the BFA.

 

Natalya Tausanovitch was selected for both the New Hampshire All-State Chamber Music Festival and the New Hampshire All-State Orchestra.  She is a senior at Windham High School in NH, studies privately with Aubrie Dionne outside of the BFA, and is a member of the BFA Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar.

 

 

 

Ned Martenis was accepted into the Massachusetts All-State Band, and was principal flute in the Senior District Orchestra for Eastern Massachusetts.  He is a sophomore at Newton North High School, studies privately outside of the BFA with Mana Washio, and plays in the BFA Repertory Ensemble & Seminar.

 

 

 

Sophia Zeng played in the Junior District festival for Northeastern Massachusetts.  She is a freshman at Lexington High School, studies privately with Amanda Hughes, and is a member of the BFA Repertory Ensemble & Seminar.

 

 

 

Yumi Lee played in the Senior District festival for Eastern Massachusetts.  She attends Newton South High School, studies privately with Judy Grant at the BFA, and is a student in the BFA Repertory Program, playing in the Repertory Ensemble & Seminar.

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Masterclasses with Cynthia Meyers

Cynthia Meyers works with Preparatory student Elizabeth McCormack
Cynthia Meyers and the Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar class

On Saturday, January 28 and Sunday, January 29, 2012, the BFA Ensemble & Seminar classes had a special treat for their last meeting of Term 1: masterclasses with Cynthia Meyers, solo piccolo at the Boston Symphony Orchestra!  Ms. Meyers worked with performers from the Adult, Conservatory, Preparatory, and Repertory Ensemble & Seminar classes over the course of the weekend, on both flute and piccolo.

It was a wonderful opportunity for the students to learn from Ms. Meyers’s insights, experience, and incredible musicianship on both instruments.  The BFA congratulates all of the performers on their work, and thanks Ms. Meyers for conducting such wonderful classes!

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BFA Winter Concert, Saturday 1/28, 4:00pm

It’s concert time at the Boston Flute Academy!  Our Winter Concert will showcase the BFA Ensemble & Seminar classes from the fall semester, including both ensemble and solo performances.

  • Date: Saturday, January 28, 2012
  • Time: 4:00pm
  • Location: Maliotis Cultural Center in Brookline

The concert is FREE and open to the public.

The program features Preparatory, Repertory, Conservatory, and Adult ensemble performances, plus solo performances by BFA teaching assistants and students in the Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar class.

Concert Repertoire (order subject to change):

  • Taffanel, Andante Pastoral et Scherzettino — Elizabeth Sperry, Young Artist, Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar
  • Boismortier, Concerto in a minor, Mvt 1 — Combined Repertory and Preparatory Ensembles, conducted by Judy Grant
  • Hovhaness, “Spirit of Ink”, Mvt 5 — Combined Repertory and Preparatory Ensembles, conducted by Judy Grant
  • Prokofiev, Sonata D M, Mvt. 3 (Andante) — Amy Lipman, Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar
  • Hoover, Kokopeli — Natalya Tausanovitch, Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar
  • Muczynski, Three Preludes — Elizabeth Sperry, Young Artist, Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar
  • McMichael, Gaelic Offering — Mvt 1 “Rose Cottage” — Adult Ensemble & Seminar Quartet
  • Bozza, Jour D’ete a la Montagne  — Mvt 4 Ronde — Adult Ensemble & Seminar Quartet
  • Ibert, Concerto – Mvt 1 Allegro — Brendan Dooley, Young Artist, Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar
  • C. P. E. Bach, Sonata in A minor, Mvt. 2 (Allegro) — Ceylon Mitchell, Teacher Training Program
  • Sonny Burnette, “Seven Southern Sketches”Mvts 1, 3, 4, 5 — Adult Ensemble & Seminar Performing Ensemble, conducted by David Houston
  • Karg-Elert, Sonata Appassionata — Alicia Mielke, Adult Ensemble & Seminar
  • Kuhlau, Grande QuartetMvt 1 — Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar
  • Sancan, Sonatine — Nicholas Fitton, Young Artist, Teaching Assistant Repertory & Preparatory Ensembles
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Highlights from Masterclass with Elizabeth Rowe

Elizabeth Rowe with BFA student Alexandra Conza, one of the performers

On Sunday, January 8, 2012, the BFA was delighted to host a masterclass with BSO principal flutist Elizabeth Rowe!   It was a wonderful opportunity for the BFA community to hear Ms. Rowe teach and play up close, in a small, intimate setting.  The masterclass featured performances by the BFA Young Artists and Conservatory students from the Sunday Studio Class.  Ms. Rowe concluded the class performing Gluck’s Dance of the Blessed Spirits.  Her playing was stunning, and a special treat for everyone who attended!

The BFA congratulates all of the performers.  A special thanks to Ms. Rowe for conducting such an inspiring class!

Masterclass program:

  • Brendan Dooley (Young Artist): Concerto in D Major (Mvt. 1, Exposition), Mozart
  • Alexandra Conza (Conservatory Program): Bolero, Ravel
  • Elizabeth Sperry (Conservatory Program): Peter and the Wolf, Prokofiev
  • Jinji Zhang (Conservatory Program): Symphonic Metamorphosis, Hindemith
  • Jamie Park (Conservatory Program): “Domine Deus” from Mass in B Minor, J. S. Bach
  • Nicholas Fitton (Young Artist): Concerto in G Major (Mvt. 1 Exposition), Mozart
  • Elizabeth Rowe: Dance of the Blessed Spirits, Gluck
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Boston Symphony Orchestra Invites BFA Young Artist Quartet to Perform Outreach Concert

The BFA Young Artist Quartet members (Brendan Dooley, Emma Huelskamp, Elizabeth Sperry, and Jinji Zhang) were honored with an invitation to perform in a Boston Symphony Orchestra outreach concert at the Edison School in Brighton, MA, which took place on Friday, January 6, 2012.  The event was organized by BSO representative Emilio Gonzales (Manager of Curriculum Research and Development), and also featured BSO representative Cynthia Meyers (solo piccolo for the BSO).

During the concert, the Young Artist Quartet performed George McKay’s “Lyric Poem” as a quartet, plus each played solo works that demonstrated different aspects of flute technique.

Thank you to Emilio Gonzales and Cynthia Meyers for their superb organization of the event, and for their invitation to the quartet!  Also, thank you to Brendan, Emma, Elizabeth, and Jinji for volunteering their time and playing so beautifully!  It was a rewarding experience for everyone involved!

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Highlights from Conservatory Masterclass with Fenwick Smith

From left to right: Amy Lipman, Natalya Tausanovitch, Fenwick Smith, Elizabeth Sperry, and Alexandra Conza

On Saturday, December 4, 2011, retired BSO flutist and BFA faculty member Fenwick Smith coached a masterclass for the Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar class.  Student performances featured Amy Lipman playing Bloch’s Suite Modale (Mvts. 1 and 3), Natalya Tausanovitch playing Doppler’s Hungarian Pastorale Hongroise, Elizabeth Sperry playing Taffanel’s Andante Pastorale & Scherzettino, and Alexandra Conza playing J. S. Bach’s Sonata in G Minor.

Many thanks to Fenwick Smith and our BFA performers for a wonderful class!

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“From the Top” Press Release and Air Date!

From left to right: Elizabeth Sperry, Jinji Zhang, Brendan Dooley, and Emma Huelskamp

Back on October 2, BFA Young Artists Brendan Dooley, Emma Huelskamp, Elizabeth Sperry, and Jinji Zhang performed on the show taping for NPR’s “From the Top.”  Now, details have been released on when the show will be aired, locally and nationwide!  Click here for the official press release:

Massachusetts-Based Flute Quartet to Appear on NPR’s From the Top

The show will air nationwide during the week of November 28, 2011, so check your local listings here!  Boston-area residents, note that Classical New England (99.5FM) will air the show on Saturday, December 3, 2011 at 5:00pm.  Tune in to hear our Young Artist Ensemble’s beautiful performance of George McKay’s “Lyric Poem.”  Enjoy!

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Highlights from BFA "From the Top" Performance

The Young Artist Ensemble performance

On Sunday, October 2, 2011, the BFA Young Artist Ensemble played beautifully at NEC’s Jordan Hall for the taping of the NPR radio show “From the Top”!  The four members, Brendan Dooley, Emma Huelskamp, Elizabeth Sperry, and Jinji Zhang, performed “Lyric Poem,” by George McKay.  Congratulations to Brendan, Emma, Elizabeth, and Jinji on a wonderful performance, and thank you to the many BFA families, fellow students, and faculty who came to cheer them on in the audience!

Check back later for updates on when the show will air on NPR (probably late November or early December)!

From left to right: Elizabeth Sperry, Jinji Zhang, Brendan Dooley, and Emma Huelskamp
Brendan Dooley and Emma Huelskamp during the performance
Emma Huelskamp and Jinji Zhang, backstage
All of the performers having some fun outside (with Elizabeth Sperry, Jinji Zhang, and Emma Huelskamp far left and Brendan Dooley far right)
Another full group shot (see BFA students in the center)
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BFA Honorary Alum Emi Ferguson: featured soloist at NYC 9/11 memorial service

For the ten-year anniversary of 9/11/01, BFA honorary alum Emi Ferguson was selected to be one of four soloists performing in the New York City memorial service at Ground Zero.  (The other three were Yo Yo Ma, James Taylor, and Paul Simon.)  Emi’s touching, poignant performance of “Amazing Grace” reached millions of viewers worldwide.  Beautiful job, Emi–everyone at BFA is very proud of you!