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Body Mapping Workshop and Mini-Recital

IMG_0133Boston Flute Academy enjoyed another fun-filled and educational weekend! This weekend, BFA hosted a body mapping workshop by flute faculty member at the Longy School of Music and body mapping specialist, Vanessa Breault Mulvey, and a mini-recital by graduate student of Paula Robison at the New England Conservatory and finalist of the 33rd Annual James Pappoutsakis Flute Competition, Alicia Mielke.

Vanessa Mulvey’s body mapping workshop began with an introductory presentation of body mapping basics.  Body mapping assists the mind’s map of the structure of one’s body. BFA students learned concepts such as inclusive spatial awareness, the path of weight delivery, and the actual location of important physical joints necessary to aid in proper structural body alignment. Ms. Mulvey kept everyone engaged with full class participation!

Following her presentation, Ms. Mulvey analyzed several BFA students (Ned Martenis, Issac Alter, Gretchen Herdrich, and Yumi Lee) while they performed short musical selections. She then suggested various tools and advice, taken directly from her workshop, to help each student with proper alignment and balance as they played. Audible and visual improvements where noticed immediately by the students as well as those in attendance!

After Vanessa Mulvey’s enlightening presentation, BFA students attended a mini-recital by Alicia Mielke.  Alicia performed repertoire from her up-coming NEC graduate recital program including Reverie et Petite Valse by A. Caplet, and Violin Sonata No. 1 by G. Fauré with pianist Dr. Christina Wright-Ivanova. During her spoken program notes, Alicia shared that she felt that the violin part of the Fauré Sonata is so comfortably transferrable to the flute that she could read directly from the original score!

For more information about Vanessa Breault Mulvey, please visit http://bodymapping.wordpress.com/. You can visit Alicia Mielke’s website at http://www.aliciamielke.com/.

As always, photos from this weekend’s events can be found on the Boston Flute Academy website at http://www.bostonfluteacademy.com/photos/

Written by Christopher A. Petre

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Highlights from Masterclass and Recital with Nina Assimakopoulos

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The Boston Flute Academy (BFA) has kicked off its spring term in modern style. The first guest artist of the term was acclaimed interpreter of contemporary flute repertoire and Professor of Flute at West Virginia University, Nina Assimakopoulos.

Assimakopoulos’ residence at BFA included a recital and masterclass on Saturday, February 2nd, 2013. Her recital of music for flute alone was masterfully performed and educational. The program included popular works from the modern flute repertoire including Syrinx, by Debussy’s and Zoom Tube, by Ian Clarke. Assimakopoulos also performed Reflections by Maggie Payne and a piece written for her, Spirit Man by Margaret Fairlie-Kennedy, which began with a short, yet powerful, reading of the poetry  that inspired the composition.

Immediately following Assimakopoulos’ recital, BFA students and ensembles took the stage beginning with members from the Conservatory Ensemble and Young Artist program: Hyo Jin Jamie Park (BFA Conservatory Ensemble) performed Concerto for flute and orchestra, by Ibert; Amy Lipman (BFA Conservatory Ensemble) performed Concerto for flute and orchestra, by Gordeli; Elizabeth Sperry (BFA Young Artist) performed Sicilienne et Burlesque, by Casella. Following the soloists, the Maliotis Chamber Players – the BFA’s newest ensemble of adult performers – gave a beautiful performance of Mayflower Suite, by Catherine McMichael, a composition commissioned expressly by and for BFA. The Advanced Repertory Ensemble concluded the program with Monochrome V, an entrancing and exhilarating piece by Peter Schikele (aka P.D.Q. Bach).

Following the recital, BFA students performed for Assimakopoulos in a masterclass, where she proved to be an adept teacher as she is as a performing artist. The following students performed for Assimakopoulos in Saturday’s masterclass:

  • You Hyun Cho (11th grade) – Mozart Concerto in G Major: Mvt. I, Exposition
  • Hyo Jin Jamie Park (12th grade) – Ibert Concerto: Mvt. I
  • Isaac Alter (college) – J.S. Bach Sonata in e minor: Mvt. III
  • Oliver Villanueva (college) – Nielsen Concerto: Mvt. I
  • Amy Lipman (10th grade) – Gordeli Concerto

For more information about the Boston Flute Academy, please visit our website at bostonfluteacademy.com.

Written by Christopher A. Petre

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Elizabeth Rowe Masterclass 2012

THANK YOU to BSO Principal Flute Elizabeth Rowe for a fantastic Master Class at BFA on Saturday, December 8th, 2012. Open to the public. What a great turnout we had for this event!

Student masterclass performers included:

  • Alexandra Conza, 11th grade – Excerpts from Dvorak, Symphony No. 8 and J.S. Bach, Aus Liebe from St. Matthew Passion
  • Issac Alter, freshman at Harvard University – Excerpt from Ravel, Daphnis et Chloe and Exposition of Mozart’s Concerto in G major, 2nd movement
  • Hyo Jin Jamie Park, 12th grade – Ibert Concerto, 1st movement 
  • Sally You Hyun Cho, 12th grade – Debussy, Syrinx 
  • Amy Lipman, 10th grade – Excerpts from Stravinsky, Petrouchka and Ravel, Bolero
  • Oliver Villanueva, BFA Intensive Immersion Student – Excerpt from Debussy, Prelude to an Afternoon of a Faun
  • Elizabeth Sperry, 11th grade – Excerpts from Beethoven, Leonore Overture No. 3 and Gluck, Minuet & Dance of the Blessed Spirits from Orpheus

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