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Recap of March Recital at BFA

The BFA Repertory Ensemble & Seminar

The BFA’s series of spring recitals for 2012 began on Sunday, March 25th, with the March Recital.  The concert featured members of the Adult Ensemble, the Repertory Ensemble & Seminar class, and solo performances by students who take private lessons at the BFA.  Faculty member Debbie Emery accompanied the soloists on piano.

See below for program details.  Congratulations to all of the performers, and thank you to all of the friends and families in the audience for your support!

Andante, by William Eisenhauer; and Gavotte, by J. S. Bach

Elizabeth McCormack, BFA Preparatory Program

Gavotte, by Gabriel Faure

Ina Suresh, BFA Repertory Program

Allegro, from Sonata in g minor, by J. S. Bach

Alexandra Conza, BFA Conservatory Program

Fantaisie, by Gabriel Faure

Emma Huelskamp, BFA Young Artist

Cantabile et Presto, by Georges Enesco

Mary Kathryn Abel, BFA College Division

Bryn-e-Celyn, from Children of the Wind, by Catherine McMichael

BFA Adult Ensemble & Seminar Performers: Geraldine Morillo Barazarte, Danielle Castelli, & Ceylon Mitchell, flutes; Louise Schneider, alto flute; Peter Kussell, bass flute.

Ave Maria, by Franz Biebl (arr. by BFA flutist Chrysostom Arthur); Strange Birds, from Spirit of Ink, by Alan Hovhaness; and Scherzo Brillante, by Arthur Severn

BFA Repertory Ensemble & Seminar: Sam Chestna, Yumi Lee, Ned Martenis, Ina Suresh, & Sophia Zeng, flutes; Kimani Taylor, bass flute; Nicholas Fitton and Ceylon Mitchell, Teaching Assistants; Judy Grant, Conductor.

Irlandaise, from Suite for Flute & Jazz Piano, by Claude Bolling

Yumi Lee, BFA Repertory Program

Nocturne et Allegro Scherzando, by Philippe Gaubert

Jamie Park, BFA Conservatory Program

Sonata for Flute & Piano, Mvts. 2 and 1, by Francis Poulenc

Geraldine Morillo Barazarte, BFA Teacher Training Program

Sonata for Flute & Piano, Mvts. 3 and 4, by Robert Muczynski

Nicholas Fitton, BFA Young Artist (Collegiate Division)

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Highlights from Leone Buyse Masterclass

Leone Buyse (right) and six of the BFA student performers

On Friday, March 23rd, the BFA hosted flute performer and educator Leone Buyse for a special masterclass.  It was also a reunion for old friends and colleagues from the Boston flute community — Ms. Buyse had been BFA director Judy Grant’s teacher, and had played in the Boston Symphony Orchestra alongside BFA faculty members Fenwick Smith and Geralyn Coticone!  Currently, Ms. Buyse is on the music faculty at Rice University.

The masterclass featured performances by students in the BFA’s accelerated Conservatory and Young Artist Programs, who meet weekly as members of the BFA Studio Class.  See below for the program listings.  The BFA congratulates all of the performers on their excellent work.

Following the masterclass, Ms. Buyse led a Q&A session, sharing her years of experience and insights on the field of flute performance and education.  Thank you to Ms. Buyse for such a wonderful visit and an energetic, inspiring masterclass!

Program Listings:

Three Preludes for Unaccompanied Flute, by Muczynski

Elizabeth Sperry, BFA Young Artist

Sonata in g minor, Mvt. 3, by Bach

Alexandra Conza, BFA Conservatory Program

Orchestral excerpts by Brahms and Debussy

Nicholas Fitton, BFA Young Artist (Collegiate Division)

Quatre Pieces for Solo Flute, Mvt. 2, by Feld

Jinji Zhang, BFA Conservatory Program

Concerto in D Major, Mvts. 1 and 2, by Mozart

Brendan Dooley, BFA Young Artist

Nocturne et Allegro Scherzando, by Gaubert

Jamie Park, BFA Conservatory Program

Fantaisie, by Faure

Emma Huelskamp, BFA Young Artist

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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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“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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Young Artist Ensemble to Perform on "From the Top"

Past and present members of the Young Artist Ensemble, from spring 2011

The members of the Young Artist Ensemble–Brendan Dooley, Emma Huelskamp, Elizabeth Sperry, and Jinji Zhang–were selected to perform on “From the Top,” NPR’s radio show featuring the nation’s top young musicians!  They will be playing George McKay’s “Lyric Poem,” which they had previously performed in spring 2011 along with the now-recent graduates of the Young Artist Program.

They will be taped in a live performance in Jordan Hall, at the New England Conservatory, on October 2, 2011.  The air date is still TBA, but will most likely be in November 2011.  Congratulations to Brendan, Emma, Elizabeth, and Jinji on this incredible honor!

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2 finalists for 2011 NFA Competition

Brendan DooleyBFA is proud to announce that 2 of our students, Brendan Dooley and Emma Huelskamp, are among the 8 finalists selected nationwide for the 2011 National Flute Association High School Soloist Competition!  They will both compete on August 11, 2011 at the annual NFA convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Congratulations and good luck to both Brendan and Emma!

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BFA Gala Concert, Featuring Premiere of "Mayflower Suite"

Heather Kent conducting everyone in "Mayflower Suite"
Graduating seniors
Judy and Deborah with the graduating seniors (L-R: Jiweon Ryu, Catherine Jones, Judy Grant, Deborah DeWolf Emery, Mayuko Akimoto, and Madeline Aiken)

On Saturday, May 14, 2011, BFA hosted a special end-of-season Gala Concert Celebration.  The program featured the Young Artist Ensemble, the Repertory Ensemble, and the new Adult Ensemble.  In addition, the 4 graduating seniors from BFA’s Young Artist program performed solo works: Jiweon Ryu played Bela Bartok’s “Suite Paysanne Hongroise,” Madeline Aiken played Franz Doppler’s “Hungarian Pastorale Fantasie,” Catherine Jones played Ian Clarke’s “Great Train Race,” and Mayuko Akimoto played Franz Schubert’s “Variations on ‘Trockne Blumen.'”

In addition, the Young Artist Ensemble, Repertory Ensemble, and Adult Ensemble members combined together to perform the premiere of Catherine McMichael’s “The Mayflower Suite,” a newly-commissioned work for flute ensemble.  Dedicated to the students and faculty of the BFA, it is inspired by the founding of Plimouth Plantation in 1620.  The first movement, “Plimouth Landing,” evokes the excitement, apprehension, anticipation, and fears of those first European settlers in the New England area.  The musical letters B- F#-A (the Boston Flute Academy monogram) generate the themes in the opening and closing sections.  The contrapuntal form, common to the early Baroque period, is reminiscent of the type of music the settlers might have been familiar with.  The middle section is a rolling serenade, evoking the ocean crossing.

The second movement, “The Pilgrim,” is a portrait in courage, strength, and suffering.  The rising line suggests hope, and the minor key evokes the struggles and challenges.

The third movement, “1620,” is more joyful, also set in ne0-Baroque contrapuntal style.  The theme is tossed from flute to flute, from low to high, right-side-up and upside-down.

The overall structure of the piece was inspired by the Gigue from the French Suite in G Major by J. S. Bach.  Although Bach wrote that at least 100 years after the Pilgrims’ landing, it was chosen as a blueprint because the architecture of the piece is a culmination of the best of the Baroque period, which is when the Pilgrims lived.

Catherine McMichael is a pianist, composer, performer, arranger, and teacher in Saginaw, Michigan.

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Guest Artist Elizabeth Rowe at BFA – March 27, 2011

Elizabeth Rowe
Elizabeth Rowe

BFA presented a private masterclass with Elizabeth Rowe, principal flute of the BSO, to a packed crowd on Sunday, March 27, 2011.  Ms. Rowe was absolutely brilliant!  Boston is lucky to have such a phenomenal, engaging teacher and flutist.

Students from the BFA Young Artist and Conservatory programs performed orchestral excerpts for Ms. Rowe.  The performers were Madeline Aiken, Brendan Dooley, Emma Huelskamp, Catherine Jones, Heather Pulkowski, Jiweon Ryu, Elizabeth Sperry, and Jinji Zhang.  All students enrolled in BFA classes, ensembles, and lessons were invited to attend.  It was both fun and educational for everyone, audience and performers alike–an inspiration!