Member Spotlight-Paula Gudmundson

Get to Know...Paula Gudmundson

We’re always excited to have new members! Paula Gudmundson is one of our newest! We love the new perspectives our members bring to the organization and can’t wait to see what she will contribute to FNMC!
 
We’re looking forward to meeting her at the NFA Convention where Paula will be busy! She is the moderator for a panel discussion hosted by the NFA Cultural Outreach Committee entitled “Embracing our Races: Connecting with Communities of Color” on Thursday at 1:30 and is performing her arrangement of Gran Fantasia for flute and piano by Amancio Alcorta on Friday at 5:00.
 

​Q&A with Paula…
 
What about new music for the flute appeals to you?
I am very interested in performing works that may be unknown or ignored. This may be “classical” music of Argentina, works by Scandinavian composers, to new music by female composers. I am most interested in bringing to life music that is unknown since it may not be part of the tradition cannon. I want to expand our own musical cannon.
 
Who is/are your favorite “new music” composer/s and why?
I really enjoy working with composers, so my favorite “new music” is one which I get to workshop with a composer. I really enjoyed working with John Luther Adams and Laura Kaminsky.
 
What is/are your favorite “new music” piece/s and why?
My favorite new work is “202-456-1111” which was a commissioned work by Laura Kaminsky. This is the phone number for the public comment line at the White House. I like that Laura Kaminsky’s works have a social consciousness aspect.
 
When did you join FNMC and what attracted you to the organization?
I joined FNMC in June 2017 after reading about the various exciting commissioning projects which I really want to support and promote with my own students. I think this is going to be a very important way to support performers and composers in the future.
 
What advice can you give to flutists about approaching new music in practice?
I like to approach new music without listening to a recording of the work so I can make my own decisions and to approach it with an open mind. I always use a metronome in learning a piece and then be flexible in always creating music.
 
More About Paula…
 
Flutist, Paula Gudmundson is Assistant Professor of Flute at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Debut recording titled, La Flauta of Buenos Aires, released in 2014 featured works for flute by Amancio Alcorta.  Her edition of Gran Fantasia by Amancio Alcorta received an Honorable Gudmundson has been invited to perform in recital at the National Flute Association Convention in 2016 and 2017,  La Côte Flûte Festival in Gland, Switzerland in  2016, and International Flute Festival of Costa Rica in 2017. Dr. Gudmundson is a graduate of Lawrence University (B.M), University of North Texas (M.M), and University of Minnesota (DMA) as a Berneking Fellow. Her principal teachers include Immanuel Davis, Terri Sundberg, Ernestine Whitman and Adrianne Greenbaum.
Website:  www.paulagudmundson.com

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