Upcoming Flute Concerts

Friday, May 2nd, 2008, 8:00 PM, Susan ONeill-Senyshyn, flute and Yaroslav Senyshyn, piano, presented by Canadian Association of University Teachers in a benefit concert for Discovery University for the Homeless at Tabaret Hall.  Tickets through Ticketweb: $25 general, $20 for students and seniors.

Friday, May 9th, 2008, 8:00 PM, Tina Fedeski, flute; Lucile Brais Hildesheim, harp; Gail Halliday, violin.   Refreshing music by Fauré, Ibert, Corigliano, and Saint-Saëns’ amazing Fantaisie for violin and harp.  First Unitarian Congregation, 30 Cleary Ave. 613-725-1066, www.uuottawa.com.

Sunday, June 1st, 2008, 8:00 PM, Lara Deutsch, flute, with Scott Richardson, piano, and special guest, Stephi Bell, flute, in an evening of 20th Century works including: Le Merle Noir – Olivier Messiaen, Sonatine – Pierre Sancan, Ballade – Frank Martin, Out of Doors Duets: Bucolics – Gary Schocker, Sonata, Op. 23 – Lowell Liebermann.  At the Ottawa Mennonite Church, 1830 Kilborn Ave.  Donations at the door.

Event poster:

OFA Flute Camp 2008

August 11-15, 2008,
9 AM to 4 PM daily,
University of Ottawa,
Department of Music, 610 Cumberland Street  

Small group instruction at different levels, music history, flute ensembles, improvisation, ear training, performance with piano, informal closing recital.  Early Bird registration (save $20) – April 30, regular registration – June 30.  Cost:  $220 (minus $20).  Contact Flute Camp Director, Kirsten Carlson, (613) 526-5234, kirstentheresecarlson@yahoo.ca.  See flute camp flyer attached.

Event poster/registration form:

Flute Camp 2007 members were invited to play national anthems at the Ottawa Lynx baseball game.  Camp Director, Kirsten Carlson arranged the anthems in three voices and we sounded superb.

Review of Winter 2008 Concerts

Lara Deutsch, flute, and Antoine Malette-Chenier, harp in Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra in C Major, K. 299 with the Ottawa Youth Orchestra at the National Arts Centre, Sunday, March 30, 2008 under the direction of John Gomez.  Both played from memory.  Lara continues to amaze us with her mature tone and musicianship.  Her Mozart has an easy delicacy, lightness and warmth of tone with an expressive musical line and exquisite dynamic control.  It was hard to remember that she is not some seasoned performer whose pile of CD’s we have at home but a young musician beginning her career.  Antoine played masterfully.  The duo was very well matched.  We look forward to following Lara’s career and hearing her on large stages in the future.

Gertrude Letourneau, flute, and Garry Elliott, guitar in concert at St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Sunday, March 16, 2008.  This warm and lovely duo have given several recitals in Ottawa and Gatineau.   Gertrude is one of Ottawa’s gems, professional, perfect, expressive, a great treat to hear and always delivers an interesting and memorable program.  We were treated to the Sonatina for Flute and Guitar by Castelnuovo-Tedesco a beautiful work showing off the flute’s colours and sheer capacity for fun.  In their rendition of Takemitsu’s The Night from “Toward the Sea for Alto Flute and Guitar”, the audience was spellbound by this mesmerizing and haunting work.  The piece de resistance of the evening that brought down the house was Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango for flute and guitar.  This is a wild work full of the bittersweet passion and surprises of love and life and all that stuff.  Gertrude playing was perfect, exciting, with great tone colours and finely controlled wild abandon.   The next time she plays, promise yourself that you will give yourself a memorable and invigorating experience – go hear a recital with Gertrude Letourneau.  You’ll thank yourself.

The Susan Hoeppner Experience

Susan Hoeppner flew into Ottawa, Thursday, March 6, 2008 for a day of media appearances beginning with Eric Longley and CTV.  Susan taught Eric to play the Poulenc Sonata.  He mastered the motions under the glare of the camera which slowly panned back to reveal Susan playing the piece behind him.  Then off we went to the CBC where I recorded a brief announcement in one take to be aired on Saturday morning.  Eric Friesen invited Susan to an afternoon of interviews and an airing of exerpts from several of her CD’s.   Meanwhile the Ottawa Citizen boasted a large photo and article announcing Susan’s concert.   Thursday was media day generating great audience interest while storm clouds headed our way.

In a masterclass, Susan Hoeppner is a study of a intense listening and then leaping up and remolding the student in every way necessary.  She is not shy, is direct in her approach and leaves the student with a sense of being well cared for and the auditors enlightened.

A Susan Hoeppner concert is unlike any other.  She is a most natural and consummate musician and plays most of the pieces from memory.  The image of an elegantly dressed lady with a sunshine array of hair and tremendous emotional energy playing the flute with intensity remains forever in my memory.   Pianist, Jean Desmarais was the perfect partner with his exquisite sensitivity and very romantic and expressive musical style.  It is always a thrill and an honour having Jean in our concerts.  The concert opened with the Poulenc Sonata which Susan played from memory.  She is expressive to the nth degree with a flawless easy technique and brings out every aspect of this complex work.  A new standard is set for this new classic.  Schubert’s two lieder, Gute Nacht and Die Taubenpost with their love-lorn lyrics and contrasting cheerful melodies were a delight.  The Hindemith Sonata for flute and piano was a terrific study in tone colours.   I could not have more amazed to see Susan come out and play the Bach Partita in A minor from memory.  This is a rarely heard work due to its difficulty.  Susan’s Bach is a most natural and romantic interpretation, not stilting and formal.  I am sure that Bach is sighing in relief at being well understood.   The audience was transfixed and noone breathed or moved.  The concert closed with the Trio for two flutes and piano by Damase with Camille Churchfield joining Susan and Jean.  Here is a study of contrasting perfection of two superb flutists.  Camille’s rich, solid tone has become a flute landmark in Ottawa.  This piece is fun, perky, lilting, with a tangy sauciness.  The trio seemed to breathe in playful unison and the audience just reveled in the sound.  Those who came out despite the snowy weekend were rewarded beyond measure.  Everyone must have a Susan Hoeppner experience to say that they know the flute in this day and age.

Susan Hoeppner Event Pictures: