UC Davis Music Department Hosts Unique Flute Festival
Following in the footsteps of the Department of Music's Percussion Festival (2008), Cello Festival (2007) and Violafest! (2003), this season's Flute Festival brings top performers and student musicians to the UC Davis campus from Jan. 22 to Jan. 24 in a celebration of the instrument's tradition, variety and potential.
Curated by Tod Brody—UC Davis faculty affiliate and principal flutist of several important Northern California new music groups, including UC Davis's own Empyrean Ensemble—the Flute Festival consists of a series of events of interest to flutists, other music lovers and artists of all varieties. The festival begins with a free Noon Concert on Thursday, Jan. 22, featuring an out-of-the-ordinary recital performance by Brody, and continues as the Department of Music welcomes three unique guest artist-teachers—stars of the flute world—to UC Davis for the first time.
Friday, Jan. 23, Julie McKenzie, celebrated principal flutist of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, gives a master class to advanced students in the afternoon and performs in recital with pianist Joan Nagano that evening. Those interested in participating in the master class should contact Tod Brody, tod@todbrody.com, with information on repertoire, background and experience. All ages are welcome.
Saturday, Jan. 24, Robert Dick, world-renowned flutist, composer, teacher, author and inventor, gives an afternoon lecture-demonstration on contemporary flute technique and performs in an evening concert of his own works. Those interested in participating in the lecture-demonstration should bring their flutes; Robert Dick will call on volunteers to help him teach and explain various techniques, including circular breathing, throat tuning and multiphonics. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 23 and 24, Helen Spielman, musician, flute teacher and performance coach, presents performance-anxiety workshops, open to all performers, exploring the sources of fear that prevent musicians, actors, dancers and public speakers from comfortably giving their best, and offering an array of solutions and strategies for confident performance. For more information about the workshops and Helen Spielman, visit PerformConfidently.com.
A festival pass for all daytime events (workshops, master class, lecture-demo) is available for $30. To request day passes, send check payable to "UC Regents," noting "Flute Festival" in the memo line, to UC Davis Dept. of Music, Attn: Flute Festival, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616. Single daytime events tickets also are available for $10 at the door.
Tickets for each evening event (recital, concert), $9 student/child and $18 adult, are available from the Mondavi Center box office: 530-754-2787 or MondaviArts.org/events.
For more information on the UC Davis Flute Festival, visit music.ucdavis.edu/flutefestival. For a full schedule of Department of Music events, to receive a season brochure, or to join the department mailing list, call 530-752-7896, send e-mail to musicmail@ucdavis.edu, or visit music.ucdavis.edu/events.
UC Davis Flute Festival Events
· Thu., Jan. 22, 12:05 p.m., Room 115, Music Building
Noon Concert: Tod Brody, with Brenda Tom, piano. Works by
Heiss, Prokofiev and Doppler.
· Fri., Jan. 23, 10 a.m., Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center
Workshop I: "Performance Anxiety: Talking to Yourself Means You're
Sane and Confident," with Helen Spielman.
· Fri., Jan. 23, 2:30 p.m., Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center
Master Class: Julie McKenzie.
· Fri., Jan. 23, 7 p.m., Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center
Recital: Julie McKenzie, flute, with Joan Nagano, piano.
· Sat., Jan. 24, 10 a.m., Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center
Workshop II: "Performance Anxiety: Hallucinating Means You're
in Control of Your Performances," with Helen Spielman.
· Sat., Jan. 24, 2:30 p.m., Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center
Lecture-Demonstration: Robert Dick on contemporary flute technique.
· Sat., Jan. 24, 7 p.m., Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center
Concert: Robert Dick performing his own works.