Posted on

Flute Forum Workshop with Paul Edmund-Davies

BFA Guest Artist Paul Edmund Davies – former Principal Flutist, London Symphony Orchestra – returned to BFA on Sunday, February 16th, 2014 to present a special event for flute teachers! Mr. Edmund-Davies presented a Flute Forum Workshop where Boston-area flute teachers and advanced students learned from the master teacher and performer. For more information about this special event, click here.

This event filled the hall in which it took place! Flutists representing BFA as well as area flute studios played for Mr. Edmund-Davies. It was enlightening and educational for all.

Workshop Performers:

  • Michael, 6th grade – By the Brook by Paul Wetzger

    • Student of Julianne Johnston
    • BFA Repertory Ensemble & Seminar
  • Natalie Ramesh, 9th grade – Cantabile et Presto by Enesco

    • Student of Ann Bobo
    • BFA Advanced Repertory Ensemble & Seminar
  • Jessica Cheng, 12th grade – Fantaisie by Fauré

    • Student of David Houston, BFA Faculty
    • BFA Repertory Ensemble & Seminar
  • Issac Alter, Harvard University – Sonata by Taktakshvili

    • Student of Judy Grant, BFA Faculty
    • Member of 2012-2013 BFA Conservatory Ensemble & Seminar
    • BFA College Studies
  • Ceylon Mitchell, Boston University College of Fine Arts – Orchestral excerpts and Fantaisie Pastorale Hongroise by Doppler

    • Student of Linda Toote
    • Member of 2011-2013 BFA Teacher Training Program
  • Kanae Kimura, Boston Conservatory – Chant de Linos by Jolivet

    • Artist Diploma candidate

    • Student of Geralyn Coticone, BFA Faculty

Posted on

Jean Ferrandis Masterclass

Boston Flute Academy presented a Flute Masterclass with acclaimed flutist Jean Ferrandis on Sunday, November 3rd, 2013 from 7:00-9:00pm at the Maliotis Cultural Center in Brookline. FREE. Jean Ferrandis is on the faculty of L’Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris and California State University at Fullerton.  Attendance was fantastic.  Click here for more information.

Student performances included:

  • Elizabeth Sperry, 12th grade – Ballade by Perilhou
  • Alexandra Conza, 12th grade – Fantasy No. 10 in f# minor by Telemann
  • Amy Lipman, 11th grade – Kokopeli by Hoover
  • Katie Scholl, 11th grade – Three Preludes for Unaccompanied Flute by Muczynski
  • Bradley Joshowitz, Intensive Immersion student – Concerto by Nielsen
  • Sieon Choi, 10th grade – Grand Polonaise in D Major by Boehm

Performers with Ferrandis

Posted on

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

Posted on

Highlights from Masterclass and Recital with Nina Assimakopoulos

IMG_0033

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

Posted on

BFA Young Artist Selected for the 2013 National Youth Orchestra of the USA

IMG_1956Elizabeth Sperry, an 11th grader from Chelmsford, BFA Young Artist, and member of the BFA Conservatory Ensemble is off to a wonderful new year of exceptional music making. She has been selected as a member of the 2013 National Youth Orchestra of the USA (NYOUSA)!

The National Youth Orchestra of the USA is an auditioned orchestra comprised of 120 of the finest young American musicians, ages 16-19. These students will be conducted by legendary conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, Valery Gergiev, and will be joined in performance by violin soloist, Joshua Bell. Additionally, the orchestral sections will be coached by “some of the finest players and section leaders from America’s greatest orchestras and music schools”.

Together with Gergiev and Bell, the NYOUSA will have the opportunity to perform domestic concerts in New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall and in Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, before setting off on an international tour, which includes performances in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and London.

More information about the NYOUSA can be found by clicking here.

Please join the Boston Flute Academy in congratulating Elizabeth on earning this momentous honor!

Written by Christopher A. Petre