Get to Know...Katherine EmenethIt’s always interesting to learn how our members came to love new music and what inspired them to join FNMC. Katherine Emeneth is one of our newest members, who also happens to be rather new to performing new music (there’s a lot of new in that sentence!). We love that she’s embraced new music and FNMC and we’re happy that she is contributing her talent to a concert of FNMC works at the Music by Women Festival this weekend (March 3-5) at Mississippi Women’s University. Q&A with Katherine… What about new music for the flute appeals to you? I have only recently discovered a love for new music! After playing a concert for college music appreciation students last year and then later reading their essays about the concert, I discovered that their favorite work was for flute and electronics (the piece was "Arcana" by Elizabeth Brown). I was shocked! Their reviews of the other pieces which were mostly from the standard repertoire did not strike a nerve with them, but the electronic piece did. I realized that new music is more accessible to varying audiences than I originally thought. Since then, I have the pleasure of learning and crafting several pieces of new music for flute. One characteristic I like about new music for flute is that is highly diverse. Some are with electronics, some solo, some with piano...the sky's the limit! There's always something for everyone! Who is/are your favorite “new music” composer/s and why? Since beginning this new endeavor of exploring new music for flute, I always find something interesting about each composer's work. Some composers are well-known and have won awards while others are students who are just starting their journey. There is something unique about every composer, and therefore, I have many favorite composers. I am currently exploring works by Jacob TV, Nicole Chamberlain, Elizabeth Brown, and Kay He. What is/are your favorite “new music” piece/s and why? I like many new music pieces and am finding myself gravitating towards pieces that use electronics. There are so many possibilities with electronics. It is amazing how pieces that use electronics take on a totally different character and how they allow the flutist to toy with colors, blending with unique sounds, and explore new methods of expression. When did you join FNMC and what attracted you to the organization? I joined FNMC this past fall. The organization is very active with commissioning new works and promoting new composers and compositions. Since I made it my mission to learn more about new music and become part of the new music scene and an organization that promoted people and music I advocate, I joined! What advice can you give to flutists about approaching new music in practice? If you're new to new music, the first piece of advice I have is: DON'T BE SCARED!!! Speaking from experience, some flutists view new music as repertoire that is very difficult, will take a lot of time to learn, and audiences will not like it. Not true! There are many works out there that are extremely accessible, very idiomatic, and fun to learn. Begin by listening. Listen to a wide variety of new music and find out what you like. Go to the FNMC website and listen to the prize-winning compositions. Find a piece that speaks to you and order it. Study the piece like you would any other composition. Go slowly. Learn everything correctly the first time. One big advantage of new music is that if you do not understand something in the composition (fingering, expressive marking), you can simply email the composer to get an answer! More About Katherine… Dr. Katherine Emeneth is an enthusiastic performer, collaborator, clinician, pedagogue, and teacher with a passion for outreach and sharing music with new audiences. Katherine Emeneth’s performances include both solo and ensemble appearances with the Seattle Collaborative Orchestra, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra, Washington-Idaho Symphony Orchestra, among many others. Katherine Emeneth is a co-founder of the Flutissimo! Workshop at the University of Georgia. She currently serves at the Membership Committee Chair of the NFA. Katherine Emeneth has served on the faculty of the University of Washington. She currently teaches at Georgia Gwinnett College and holds degrees from the University of Georgia and the University of Washington. Website: www.katherineisbillemeneth.com
0 Comments
Get to Know...Kallie SnyderI had the pleasure of first meeting FNMC member Kallie Snyder at the FNMC Social at the NFA convention in DC and getting to know her much better when we were part of a group of FNMC members who performed at the Kentucky Flute Society Flute Festival in 2016. To meet Kallie is to immediately like her. She’s a really dedicated teacher and gives a fabulous presentation about the flute methods of Will Offermans, which was the subject of her doctoral treatise (incidentally she’s giving it at the FFA Convention this year, you should check it out, you will not regret learning more about the thumpy flute!) Since joining FNMC, Kallie has performed several works; French Quarter (Fun fact, she is an awesome bass flute player!!!), Cycling, In Memoriam: Sacajawea and will perform Tutti Frutti with Sarah Jane Young at the Florida Flute Association Convention January 28, 2017. Kallie has contributed to the organization by coordinating the programs and proposals for the 2016 Flute Society of Kentucky Festival and the 2017 Florida Flute Association Convention. She also served as a preliminary round judge for the Newly Composed category for the 2016 FNMC Composition Contest. We’re happy to have Kallie as a member and we hope you enjoy learning more about her. Q&A with Kallie… Describe your musical background and current activities. I come from a rural community in Kentucky with a strong band program, and I discovered my passion for teaching and mentorship before leaving high school. A music education degree and two graduate performance degrees later, I find myself in Tallahassee, FL where I have built a diverse flute studio teaching students from 8 years old to 70+! I teach in at least 9 locations every week, and no one can keep up with my schedule, but it is gratifying work, and I am privileged to do what I do. I also serve as the Education & Engagement Coordinator for the Tallahassee Flute Club, and I'm really proud of all that we have accomplished in less than a year as an organization. If you are attending the Florida Flute Convention, you can see a quartet from the Tallahassee Flute Club perform in the lobby before making your way to the FNMC concert! What about new music for the flute appeals to you? The "new music" that I like best either tells a story or has the ability to evoke very clear imagery. When I look back at the pieces I have performed through FNMC, like Nicole Chamberlain's French Quarter or Panayiotis Kokoras's Cycling, I think about how those works transported me, both as a performer and a listener, to the streets of New Orleans or a grassy field where I am a cyclist whizzing up and down hills. We tend to get so busy as musicians, whether we're still in school or trying to make ends meet, that it can be challenging to just sit down and really listen to a piece of music, which is why I tend to prefer works that make it easy for me to escape the to-do list and get "lost" in for a while. When did you join FNMC and what attracted you to the organization? I joined FNMC in 2015 initially in support of my colleague and fellow Florida State alumna, Shelley Martinson, because you know that any project she initiates is going to be stellar :) The FNMC leadership team has really done an excellent job of recruiting composers of the highest caliber for the group commissioning projects, and the annual new music competitions provide a platform for talented composers while offering fresh programming ideas for flutists and cultivating relationships between composers and performers. If you haven't joined yet - do it now! More About Kallie… Dr. Kallie Snyder is a flutist and teacher currently based in Tallahassee, Florida. In May 2015, Dr. Snyder graduated from The Florida State University with a doctorate in flute performance and a certificate in world music. In addition to maintaining a private flute studio, she serves as the Education & Engagement Coordinator for the Tallahassee Flute Club and the Arts Program Coordinator for Good Sam Arts. She also holds degrees from Middle TN State University (MA), and Western Kentucky University (BME), and her teachers include Eva Amsler, Deanna Little, and Heidi Alvarez. www.kalliesnyderflute.com. Get to Know...Olivia BoatmanWe have been very happy to welcome several new members to the Flute New Music Consortium this year. So many of our new members are really enthusiastic about new music and are quickly becoming active members of the organization. Among them is Olivia Boatman, who will perform Stephen Lias’s Flight of Fancy at the Florida Flute Association Convention January 28, 2016. Q&A with Olivia… Describe your musical background and current activities. I was lucky to grow up in a musical family. From an early age I had the opportunity to take piano and flute lessons and attend many summer camps and clinics for voice and band. Due to such a supportive musical system, I fell in love with music education and pursued degrees in music education and performance. As a recent graduate, I am excited to share my passion of music with students in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas. What about new music for the flute appeals to you? I enjoy the opportunity to explore and break new boundaries in music. The ability to perform new music opens creative outlets and chances to inspire others in the ever-changing world of music. What advice can you give to flutists about approaching new music in practice? When practicing new music, I would suggest allowing time for technique practice and personal reflection. Some pieces require non-traditional effects, which can take both dedicated practice time and reflection time to create a convincing musical phrase. What about new music for the flute appeals to you? I enjoy the opportunity to explore and break new boundaries in music. The ability to perform new music opens creative outlets and chances to inspire others in the ever-changing world of music. More About Olivia… Dr. Olivia Boatman is a flutist and educator currently based in Mississippi. As a recent graduate, she holds a Doctor of Music in performance from Florida State University with a Music Education and Leadership certificate, a Master of Music from Arkansas State University and a Bachelor of Music Education from Mississippi State University with a K-12 MS teaching license. She has performed and/or presented at the Florida Flute Association Convention, National Flute Association Convention, Starkville/MSU Symphony Orchestra, Delta Symphony, and a soloist with the Arkansas State University Wind Ensemble. She studied with Carol Dale, Lana Johns, Joe Bonner, and Eva Amsler. Get to Know...Mary MatthewsFNMC is so excited about the many new members who have joined for the 2016-2017 membership year. We’re really honored that flutists want to join us in supporting new music for flute! Among these is Mary Matthews. Mary is already an enthusiastic supporter of new music for flute, as you’ll read below. In fact, she’d already performed two of this year’s finalist works! We’re happy to welcome Mary to FNMC. We’re crossing our fingers that she’ll be performing on a concert of FNMC works very soon, keep watching our FNMC page for some announcements about 2017 performances! Q&A with Mary… What about new music for flute appeals to you? New music for flute appeals to me because composers are exploring the many timbres and effects that are possible on the instrument. The flute is equally effective in communicating haunting images through harmonics, whistle tones or pianissimo colors as it is expressing aggression or high energy characters through slap tonguing and various types of beat-boxing. The range of emotion present in new flute music is exciting for both the performers and the audience. When did you join FNMC and what attracted you to the organization? I joined FNMC immediately following the National Flute Association Convention this past summer in San Diego. At the convention, I met flutists and composers who are members of FNMC, and I heard FNMC works being performed. I was inspired by both the mission of the organization and the music I heard. Do you have any upcoming events you would like our friends and followers to know about? I have an upcoming Flute New Music project that I am very excited about! Funded through the Boedecker Foundation in Boulder, a flutist colleague and I are presenting an electroacoustic project at the Dairy Center for the Arts. The project includes three performances of repertoire for flute and electronics, premiere performances of four newly commissioned works, and three educational workshops allowing students to rehearse and perform electroacoustic works. All concerts will take place in April of 2017. More About Mary… Mary Matthews enjoys an active and international career as a contemporary flutist, pedagogue, and entrepreneur. She has presented masterclasses, recitals, and lectures at the Fundação Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina in Florianópolis, Brazil, El Instituto Eduardo Laredo in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and the Peabody Institute, among others. She made her solo debut at Carnegie Hall in May of 2016, and she has been invited to perform at the Newport Music Festival, the Maryland Wind Festival, and five National Flute Association Conventions. She holds a D.M.A degree from The Hartt School, a M.M. degree from the Peabody Institute, and a B.M. degree from the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory. For more information visit her website: www.MaryMatthewsFlute.com Get to Know...Hannah Porter Occeña Hannah Porter Occeña has been an active member of FNMC almost since the inception of the organization. In fact, she was the first non-board member to join FNMC! A Commissioning Member for both the Zhou and Pann projects, she has contributed to the organization in a variety of ways including interviewing Zhou Long for our YouTube Channel, serving as a preliminary round judge for the 2014 FNMC Composition Competition, and performing Confluence in three states (Kansas, Missouri, and North Dakota!) Q&A with Hannah… What about new music for the flute appeals to you? I was hooked on new music because of its collaborative nature. I love getting to work one-on-one with composers! Although many of the pieces that I have premiered are "one-night-only" sorts of works, I have found a few gems that I perform frequently, and I thoroughly enjoy the back-and-forth work I get to do with composers while helping refine and realize their work. Describe your musical background and current activities. I knew I wanted to play the flute at age 2, and I started lessons at age 7 when I was finally big enough to hold the instrument properly. After about 10 years of claiming I wanted to be other things – teacher, orthopedic surgeon, marine biologist, astronomer, physicists/engineer, and lawyer – I decide to major in music performance and ended up at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory studying with Mary Posses. It was at UMKC that I got the new music bug – the school has outstanding composers (including Zhou Long) on faculty – and I continued to work on new music projects in my master's degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London and in the four years I spent working in Europe and the Kansas City-metro after my graduation. I am currently working on my DMA at Stony Brook University and performing with the Topeka Symphony in Kansas. What projects are you working on now? I have a number of upcoming projects. My duo partner, Belle Chen (www.bellechen.com) and I are collaborating on a new CD titled Reflection, Remembrance, and Resilience which features music by Robert Beaser and Aaron Copland. I am also in the process of commissioning five additional pieces, including two works for flute and strings, to premiere alongside the next FNMC commission work by Carter Pann in 2018. I also have three additional recitals and a lecture recital planned as part of my degree requirements at Stony Brook. What advice can you give to flutists about approaching new music in practice? Work first at the overall shape of a piece, and see if you can map the work before you start practicing it: Where is the climax of the piece? What techniques/motifs is the composer using frequently? Is this tonal or atonal? What do I know about the piece's story? Then spend time working on whatever part of the piece is the most demanding, always remembering to end practice sessions with something easy or particularly satisfying. More about Hannah… Hailed by the New York Times as possessing “rich tone and deft technique,” flutist Hannah Porter Occeña is the Principal Flute of the Topeka Symphony Orchestra (Topeka, KS); previous positions include Principal Flute of the Midwest Chamber Ensemble (Prairie Village, KS) and Associate Principal Flute of the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra (Bismarck, ND). The 2012 Irene Burchard prizewinner at the Royal Academy of Music, She has performed as an orchestral soloist, recitalist, and clinician throughout the Midwest and abroad. Committed to the rich heritage and new horizons of the repertoire, Occeña strives to make classical works accessible and engaging to diverse audiences. Between her DMA studies, her orchestral performance and teaching responsibilities, and chasing after a two-year-old daughter, she performs informal lecture recitals—combining contemporary music, music technology, and standard repertoire—at senior citizens centers, participates in outreach concerts and programs for young people. Occeña was a commissioning member of the Flute New Music Consortium’s inaugural project, Confluence by Zhou Long, and will give a recital of newly commissioned works in February 2018. Occeña is a DMA student at Stony Brook University, where she studies with Carol Wincenc, and she holds a Master of Music Dip.RAM from the Royal Academy of Music and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. She lives on Long Island with her husband, Ryan, and their daughter, Veronica, and can be heard on New Beginnings: American and Australian Duos for Flute and Piano and Voices from the Middle with the Midwest Chamber Ensemble. Occeña is a Miyazawa Emerging Artist and plays on a Miyazawa PA-402. Get to Know...Brittany Trotter In our second FNMC Member Spotlight we introduce Brittany Trotter. Brittany is one of several new members who joined in 2016 and have quickly become active in FNMC. She recently assumed the position of Corporate Sponsorship Chair. Q&A with Brittany… What is it about new music that appeals to you? The overwhelming diversity of new styles of work is a prominent factor in why new music for the flute appeals to me. I enjoy how accepting composers are of non-traditional sounds and instrument combination. New music today is bring to light the different sounds and timbre colors the flute is capable of besides just mimicking the voice and birds. Who is your favorite “new music” composer and why? Jazz drummer, Antonio Sanchez has been on my radar since I heard his soundtrack work on the feature film "Birdman". What impressed me is that Sanchez composed the film's score on a drum kit while watching the footage. Sanchez's album by his fusion band "Migration" called "Meridain Suite" is a must listen as well. What are your favorite “new music” pieces and why? Currently, my favorite new piece is Frederic Rzweski's Coming Together. I am playing it this semester with West Virginia University's New Music Ensemble. I enjoy Rzewski's bold take on big political topics and how he infused it in his pieces. For example, Coming Together is based on the letters by inmate Sam Melville. Describe your musical background and current activities. I am a first year DMA student at West Virginia University studying under Professor Nina Assimakopoulos. I've received a bachelor of music education and performance at the University of Southern Mississippi and a Masters of Music at the University of Wyoming. I freelance around the greater Morgantown area. What flute brands do you play new music on? I play on a DN model Murmatsu flute with a platinum Burkart headjoint with a 14K gold plated riser. When did you join FNMC and what attracted you to the organization? I joined FNMC when my professor, Dr. Nicole Riner, asked me. I was intrigued by how, as a member of FNMC, I have voting rights on new compositions and get my very own copies of the winner's score that I help picked. FNMC also give its member the opportunity to take part in coordinated premieres. Being a member of FNMC is a new music junkie gold mine. Do you have any upcoming events you would like our friends and followers to know about? I am a part of the WVU's graduate flute quartet , BETA, and we are have our first public performance on 10/9 at the Thomas a Becket Concert Series at 3pm in Morgantown, WV. Please check out my website, www.brittanytrotter.com for information on more events. What advice can you give to flutists about approaching new music in practice? My advice for flutists about approaching new music is simply GO FOR IT! More about Brittany… Brittany Trotter is an active freelancer, performer, and teacher in Morgantown, West Virginia. She has performed in various recitals and orchestras, including West Virginia University Symphony Orchestra, the University of Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, the University of Southern Mississippi Orchestra, and substituted for Johnstown Symphony Orchestra and the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra. As a teacher, Brittany has taught privately throughout southern Mississippi and southwestern Wyoming and was the adjunct flute professor at Laramie County Community College and the University of Wyoming flute studio graduate assistant. She earned her Bachelor’s of Music Education and Music Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi and her Master's in Music at the University of Wyoming. She is currently attending West Virginia University as a recipient of the Arlen G. and Louise Stone Swiger Fellowship to pursue a Doctor of Musical Arts. Her primary teachers include Dr. Danilo Mezzadri, Dr. Nicole Riner, and Professor Nina Assimakopoulos. Get to Know...Amy Likar We’re excited to feature Amy Likar in our first Member Spotlight! Amy has been a commissioning member of FNMC since 2014 and as such, helped commission Confluence by Zhou Long and is a commissioner for the upcoming Carter Pann commission. Amy has been an active performer of Confluence and FNMC Composition Contest works such as Dviraag by Asha Srinvasan and a relic of adolescent heat by Bekah Simms, for which she will perform the world premiere on September 17, 2016! Amy has also contributed to the organization by serving as a preliminary round judge for the composition contest. We’re very happy to have Amy as a member of FNMC and we hope you enjoy getting to know more about her. Q&A with Amy… What about new music for flute appeals to you? I enjoy working with composers and bringing new works to life. I've always liked music history and the stories of composers and performers collaborating. We are making history when we bring new works to life. Who is/are your favorite new music composer(s) and why? At the moment my favorite new music composer is Martin Rokeach. And my favorite new piece of music is the Concerto for Piccolo and Orchestra he wrote for me last year. I premiered it with the Oakland Symphony in March to critical acclaim in the San Francisco Chronicle and I'm getting ready to perform it again in about 6 weeks and it looks likely I'll get to play it again next fall. Describe your musical background and activities. I did my Bachelor's in Music Education and Flute performance at Kent State studying with Martha Aarons. I did my Master's and Doctorate at The Ohio State University with Katherine Borst Jones. I've been a freelance musician and teaching artist in the San Francisco Bay Area for 17 years and I'm a member of the Oakland Symphony. I'm also an Alexander Technique teacher and teach the Andover Educator's Body Mapping Course, "What Every Musician Needs to Know about the Body." I also direct the training program for Andover Educators. So my musical life is a wonderful mix of coaching and mentoring professional musicians, teaching and mentoring for the Oakland Symphony's Music for Excellence program and performing with several groups in the Bay Area and beyond. I feel very lucky to live a musical life. I'm a Powell Artist and play a vintage Powell, serial number 1816. In addition to the original Powell head, I have a Lafin headjoint I most often perform on. I also have a wooden head by Vincent Bernoulin. I play a Keefe piccolo and Yamaha alto flute. I have a Baroque flute made by Martin Wenner. When did you join FNMC and what attracted you to our organization? I joined FNMC when Elizabeth Robinson asked me. She had been a student at the Summer flute Masterclasses I teach on and when she described it to me I thought it sounded like a wonderful group and one that provides an important service for composers and performers. I've discovered wonderful new pieces by being involved. I'm excited to be premiering Bekah Simm's a relic of adolescent heat with my colleagues Cathy Allen Aird and Miles Graber this coming Saturday, September 17, 2016. The premiere is part of a house concert benefit for the Oakland Symphony. http://www.oaklandsymphony.org/house-concert-amy-likar/ What advice can you give to flutists about approaching new music in practice? My advice to flutists approaching new music is to dedicate part of your morning warm up to Robert Dick's Tone Development Through Extended Techniques book. If you spend time integrating the playing and singing, whisper tones, multiphonics, harmonics, into your regular practice they are less daunting when seen in a new piece. Then make sure you practice the piece withOUT the extended technique and make sure you get how the composer is using meter and rhythm to create a flow for the piece and then integrate the extended techniques as you are comfortable with them but remember that you want the extended technique to fit into the phrasing of the work. More About Amy… Amy Likar, flute and piccolo, is a member of the Oakland East Bay Symphony and teaches for their Music For Excellence (MUSE) program. As a freelance musician, she has performed with numerous groups throughout the Bay Area of California. She performs in the Alcyone Ensemble with flutist Rena Urso-Trapani and Ciel, Aer et Vens with soprano Jenni Cook and pianist Miles Graber. She has premiered works by Martin Rokeach, Zhou Long, Steven Hofer, Daniel David Feinsmith, Michael Stephens, Anthony McDonald, and Polly Moller. She holds Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor’s in Music Education and Flute Performance from Kent State University. Her flute teachers include Martha Aarons, Katherine Borst Jones, Randy Hester, Peter Lloyd and Tim Day. In 1991-92, Ms. Likar taught high school English in Swaziland, Southern Africa. As a licensed Andover Educator, Ms. Likar has presented “What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body” at the University of New Hampshire, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England, Cal Summer Arts, Holy Names University, Columbus State University (GA), Clayton State University, St. Olaf College, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and other venues across the country and Europe. Ms. Likar has presented the work at multiple conferences including National Flute Association Conventions, Performing Arts Medicine Association Symposiums and the Music Teachers National Association Tri-Conference. She is the Director of Training for Andover Educators and served as their President for 7 years during their formation as a non profit for continuing education and professional development for musicians. Ms. Likar has studied the Alexander Technique for over 20 years and received her teaching certification and training from the Alexander Training Institute of San Francisco, studying with Frank Ottiwell, Robert Britton, Larry Ball, Rome Earle, Simone Biase and John Coffin. She has also studied the Alexander Technique and Body Mapping over the past 20 years with Barbara Conable. She is a member of the American Society of the Alexander Technique (M.AmSAT). Ms. Likar maintains an active studio and coaches young students to professionals. She works with singers and instrumentalists who are motivated and eager to experience more freedom and ease physically and musically. Learn more about Amy on her website: www.amylikar.com |
AuthorThe Flute New Music Consortium Archives
March 2018
Categories |