FA@FSU Blog
Flute Day 2023
By Adeline Belova, Secretary
March 30, 2023
The Flute Association at Florida State had the incredible privilege of hosting the spectacular Carol Wincenc for our annual Flute Day! On March 4th, students and guests arrived at the university bright and early to experience everything this big day had to offer, including a warmup session with Dr. Karen Large, a variety of workshops and exhibits, and Professor Wincenc’s incredible technique lessons.
Carol Wincenc is a Grammy-nominated flutist with a vast, successful history in flute performance and education. She is one of the most prominent flute figures in modern history, winning a variety of awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Flute Association, the National Society of Arts and Letters Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Music, and Distinguished Alumni Awards from the Brevard Festival and Music Center and Manhattan School of Music. She is currently on the faculty of the Julliard School and Stony Brook University.
Along with Professor Wincenc’s marvelous workshops, the Flute Association is grateful to have hosted Burkart, Beethoven and Company, and Flutistry. All three extraordinary companies pride themselves in their work to provide musicians with the finest quality instruments and sheet music possible. Both Burkart and Flutistry showcased their best flutes and piccolos for guests to try, while Beethoven and Company provided a vast selection of solo and ensemble flute sheet music to purchase. Needless to say, the day was packed with generous selections for guests to enjoy.
All in all, the 2023 Flute Day was a massive success for the Flute Association. We look forward to presenting our members and the community with next year’s event, continuously expanding bigger and better than ever before.
FA Halloween Flute Choir Day
By Adeline Belova, Secretary
November 8, 2022
On Sunday, October 30th, the Flute Association had the wonderful privilege of hosting a Halloween-themed Flute Choir Day, an event dedicated to reading fun flute ensemble music of varying genres and performing a concert showcasing the culmination of everyone’s efforts. From young middle schoolers to seasoned adults, we had participants of all ages join us in playing a variety of music from Harry Potter and GhostBusters to Phantom of the Opera and much more.
In addition to showing off their fun costumes, participants gained great experience in refining their sight reading and ensemble playing skills. Each piece was conducted and rehearsed by a member of the FSU Flute Association, including President Samantha Donnell, Secretary Adeline Belova, and Social Events Chair Rachael Lawson. After a rehearsal session, the performers hosted a successful final concert to showcase the work they have accomplished.
Overall, the Flute Choir Day allowed students to take a step back from demanding repertoire and difficult scales to play lively and fun music as a community, reminding us of why we love to be musicians.
Jill Felber Visits FSU
By Adeline Belova, Secretary
October 12, 2022
The Flute Association at FSU eagerly welcomed Jill Felber this past September to give an outstanding masterclass presentation and performance. An internationally acclaimed recording artist and distinguished performer, Professor Felber serves as the flute professor at the University of California Santa Barbara College of Music.
Alongside globally-renowned pianist Dianne Frazier, Professor Felber worked with graduate flutists Freddie Powell, Pamela Bereuter, Brenna Wiinanen, and Samantha Donnell to guide them in their performances, as well as presenting a show-stopping performance of her own. This marks her second appearance with the studio, as she presented an insightful virtual workshop in January of 2022 for the annual Flute Day. We give our sincerest and deepest thanks to Professor Felber for her outstanding work and generosity!
To accompany Professor Felber’s wonderful visit, Miyazawa flutes kindly joined us with a collection of beautiful flutes, head joints, and piccolos for the students to try. Their exhibit allowed students to gain insight into the world of professional flutes, and to witness first-class craftsmanship at its finest. A huge thanks to Miyazawa for joining us with Jill Felber and Dianne Frazer for an incredible Friday!
