Here is the press release for our much anticipated local flute event:
Randolph County Community Arts Center host
West Virginia’s 3rd Annual Timber Flute Festival
Elkins will come alive with the sound of flutes at the Randolph County Community Arts Center the week of
June 21 through June 26. The festival, which will bring artist/teachers and flutists to Elkins, West Virginia, is devoted to flutes made of wood, hence the old Irish distinction for such instruments, the “Timber Flute.”
This is West Virginia’s first and only festival celebrating the wooden flute and one of just a few such Festivals nationwide. According to
Dr. Wendell Dobbs, Festival Director, “This Festival presents a unique crossing of the line between classical and traditional flute music.”
The Timber Flute Festival is for musicians who would like to explore the history, practice, and creation of wooden flutes. A series of classes, ensemble coachings and evening events will be offered to increase the skill of the experienced player and provide an introduction for the beginner. The festival will focus on several arts associated with wooden flutes: the one-keyed flute (Baroque/Classical Eras) to the eight-keyed flute (Late Classical/Romantic), Irish traditional music, the Native American flute and fifes. Each day will include a morning session dedicated to a broad experience with each of the traditions followed by an afternoon session for in depth studies in a chosen tradition.
Festival participants can move from one tradition to the other or solely focus on one tradition. Players of modern metal flutes are welcome to attend. Teachers will help you adapt your modern instrument to the playing of Irish traditional music or Baroque music and provide opportunities for you to experiment with wooden instruments. “This is a non-competitive atmosphere,” Dobbs explained, “and we provide hands-on instruction that is not superficial.”
Each evening will be filled with entertainment. The Arts Center will welcome Timber Flute Festival participants on Sunday evening with a delicious reception followed by a jam session. Monday evening will feature a contra dance at 8 p.m. that will be open to the general public. The Tuesday evening concert at 8 p.m. that will feature classical and baroque flute music by flutists of the 18th and 19th centuries performed by Colin St. Martin and Wendell Dobbs. Wednesday will be a dinner with an interdisciplinary jam followed by “Pickin’ in the Park.” The Thursday evening concert will feature the ensemble of Irish flutist Grey Larsen and guitarist Cindy Kallet as well the Native American trio of flutist concert Ron Warren, guitarist Lenny Stevens, and vocalist and hand percussionist Janice Torres. The week will conclude with a Friday afternoon performance by all Festival participants. Flutist ensembles coached during the week by the Festival teachers will strut their stuff at this variety event. There will be Irish traditional music, Baroque and Classical Era music, Native American music and Fife and Drum Corps music.
Teachers for the Timber Flutes Festival are stars in their chosen areas. They include
Wendell Dobbs, Colin St. Martin, Ron Warren and Grey Larsen. Guitarist Cindy Kallet will assist with Irish traditional music as well as lead workshops on flute accompaniment. Renowned flutemaker John Gallagher will be on hand to explain the construction of fine wooden flutes.
Wendell Dobbs, Timber Flute Festival Director, has served as professor of flute at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia for 23 years and performs as principal flute with the Huntington Symphony Orchestra and Ohio Valley Symphony. Thanks to assistance of the John Deaver Drinko Academy at Marshall University, Dr. Dobbs is currently exploring early American music for the flute and recently released Rallying Round Our Liberty, a CD of music for flute, guitar and voice from the era of Chief Justice John Marshall with his wife, soprano Linda Dobbs and guitarist Leo Welch. He performs music from the 19th century on a Rudall & Rose copy by flute maker John Gallagher. Dobbs notes, “For the past ten years I’ve enjoyed exploring various historic wooden flutes and traditions. My enjoyment is helping players of modern flutes make transitions, whether it’s adapting their modern flutes to Irish traditional music or experiencing wooden flutes.”
Colin St. Martin, currently a teacher at the Peabody Conservatory of Music
at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, received his First Prize
(Bachelor of Music) from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels,
Belgium, under the tutelage of Barthold Kuijken. He continued his studies
at the Early Music Institute at Indiana University where he received a
Master of Music with a Performer's Certificate (an award for excellence in
performance). Mr. St. Martin currently performs with a variety of chamber
ensembles and orchestras including the Washington Bach Consort, Opera
Lafayette, Ars Lyrica among others; and, has participated in music festivals
throughout the US and Europe. He has numerous recordings to his credit of works by Bach, Handel, Boismortier, Rameau, Sacchini. Rebel, Lully, among others.
“I look forward to working with students to improve their technical mastery of the traverso while expanding their knowledge of 18th century performance techniques-particularly ornamentation and improvisation," he said.
Grey Larsen, one of the world's foremost performers and teachers of Irish flute, has taught numerous workshops and master classes in Irish flute in the US, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Australia for more than 25 years. He is the author of the most comprehensive book on Irish flute and tin whistle playing, The Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle and The Essential Tin Whistle Toolbox. Larsen leads a varied and rich musical life as a performer, teacher, author, recording artist, record producer, mastering engineer, and as the Music Editor of Sing Out! magazine. Larsen has released eleven CDs as a solo artist and with Malcolm Dalglish, Metamora, Paddy League and André Marchand and has performed extensively with them and with Cindy Kallet in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia. According to Larsen, “I look forward to plumbing the depths of Irish flute playing with you, by exploring ornamentation, articulation, phrasing, improvisation, breathing, etc., and to deepening our appreciation of the players of past generations who have kept the music alive and kicking.”
Ron Warren (Echota Tsalagi) is an award winning composer/arranger as well as a performer on both Native American flutes and keyboards. Ron began a journey with Native American flutes to honor his father’s ancestors and to continue to learn more about the traditions. He has quickly emerged as one of the most versatile and dynamic Native American flute players in the country. He has recently performed on both flutes and keyboards with renowned world musicians such as Joseph Fire Crow, Coyote Oldman, Ash Dargan, Jeff Ball, Peter Phippen, and Mary Youngblood. His works in a wide range of media have been heard in important venues throughout the United States and Europe. The Washington Post has praised his “pensively evocative music” as well as his “expressive and highly energetic” performances. Warren’s work has been supported by numerous organizations and ensembles, including the American Composers Forum, Meet the Composer, Inc., American Indian Heritage Education Association (AIHEA) and the Contemporary Music Forum. In addition, Warren has released numerous cds, all receiving rave reviews and awards.
Guitarist
Cindy Kallet is a songwriter, singer and guitarist with five solo albums to her credit: Working On Wings To Fly and Cindy Kallet 2 on
Folk Legacy Records, and Dreaming Down A Quiet Line, This Way Home,
and Leave the Cake in the Mailbox - Songs for Parents and Kids Growing
Up (chosen for the 2004 Parents' Choice Gold Award ) on the Stone's
Throw Music label. She has also recorded two trio albums, Angels in
Daring and Only Human (Overall Music) with Ellen Epstein and Michael
Cicone, as well as a collaborative effort with Gordon Bok entitled
Neighbors (Timberhead).
In the past few years she has joined musical forces with Grey Larsen and they have recorded an album together, Cross the Water. Cindy has taught and performed extensively throughout North America. Her love for the natural beauty of the New England coast has been the inspiration for many of her songs. In 2003, she put together The Cindy Kallet Songbook - A Collection for Guitar and
Voice, published by Stone's Throw Music. It contains words, music, chords, and guitar tab for 32 original songs. She has been called “one of folkmusic’s most respected songwriters...provocative, heartwise, and original ...a brilliant guitarist...” by Scott Alarik of the The Boston Globe. Kallet will be leading morning workshops on how to accompany the flute on the guitar.
Tuition for the week is
$350 before June 1 and $400 after June 1. For returning students, the registration
fee is only $300 before the June 1 deadline. Also, two students signing-up at the same time can take advantage of the $300 discounted fee if they register before the deadline.
All events will occur on the grounds of the Randolph County Community Arts Center. The RCCAC, a non-profit organization promoting and supporting the arts in Randolph County and the surrounding areas, is located in a restored stone Romanesque church at the corner of Randolph Avenue and Park Street in beautiful Elkins, West Virginia.
Elkins is nestled in the mountains of the middle Appalachians, a few hours drive from Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington or Columbus. It enjoys a pleasant, cool climate in June and is adjacent to Monongahela National Forest. For more information contact RCCAC at (304) 637-2355 or log onto
http://www.randolpharts.org/. The third annual Timber Flute Festival is sponsored by the Myles Family Foundation, Myles Lumber Company and the Randolph County Community Arts Center.
The Randolph County Community Arts Center, a non-profit organization promoting and supporting the arts in Randolph County and surrounding areas, is located at the corner of Randolph Avenue and Park Street in Elkins.
Labels: Flute concert, flutes WV, NAF, RCCAC, Ron Warren, timber flute, timber flute festival
