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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 Marina Piccinini

Marina Piccinini (center) with BFA student performers

On Sunday, March 11th, 2012, the BFA was thrilled to host international star Marina Piccinini for a special masterclass.  Ms. Piccinini has not only been acclaimed worldwide for her virtuosity as a performer, but is also an incredible educator and a faculty member at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD, so this masterclass was a special treat for the BFA community!

The class featured performances by six BFA students who take private lessons in the accelerated studies program.  See below for program details.  The BFA thanks Ms. Piccinini for sharing her insights and experience with the performers and audience, and for leading a superb masterclass!

Concerto for Flute, Mvt. 1, by Ibert

Brendan Dooley, BFA Young Artist

Fantaisie, by Faure

Alexandra Conza, BFA Conservatory Program

Sonata in D Major, Mvt. 4, by Prokofiev

Elizabeth Sperry, BFA Young Artist

Night Soliloquy, by Kennan

Michelle Peters, BFA Private Studies

Concerto for Flute, Mvt. 1, by Nielsen

Jinji Zhang, BFA Conservatory Program

Sonata in e minor, Mvts. 2 and 3, by Bach

Nicholas Fitton, BFA Young Artist (Collegiate Division)

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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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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!