Jim Panttaja

I have enjoyed the National Flute Association convention in Albuquerque, but have had not time to post. I am now on the way home (Mary is driving - so it is ok). Here are a few random notes - a few on playing (both my playing - and advice from others on playing), on composers, and on outstanding players:

• Although the convention really starts Thursday, we arrived Wednesday so I could play three hours of rehearsal on Wednesday, and another Thursday morning, and perform with the 240 piece Fiesta Flute Orchestra. So after being in town about 18 hours, I had already played my flute for almost five hours. What a treat. Some of the pieces were written for flute choir (anywhere from four to eight parts for flute, alto flute, bass flute, and sometimes piccolo), others were written specifically for a larger group like this (maybe not quite like this) and include parts for contra bass flute. It is a great sound - and fun to be in the middle of it (see my earlier post on this).
• Attending this convention is also a humbling experience - many of these musicians started playing at an early age (I started at 8 - but playing in a small group at the Thompson Elementary School isn’t really the same as some of these people’s beginnings)
• The opening night concert was phenomenal. It was devoted to music with origins in the southwest - or South America. Robert Mirabel, with roots in Taos led off. He set the tone for the evening as a musician, a showman - but in particular someone who plays from the heart - with enthusiasm. I bought some of his sheet music, and hope to work on some of his pieces. Carlos Nakai talked, and played briefly. He was interrupted by a cell phone ringing in the audience - and was both not pleased - and thrown - by the occurrence. But his comments about playing from the heart rang (no pun intended) true. And it was something that is often missing in the rendition of ‘classical’ flute music - we all work hard to play the notes - but forget (or perhaps just haven’t gotten to) the feel.
• I met a composer named Edie Hill. When we first saw her in her booth - she looked uncomfortable and perhaps bored in this environment. After hearing one of her pieces played I chatted with her. The piece was beautiful - and beautifully played. I looked at the sheet music - a bit beyond my skills. But we did talk. Not surprisingly, she knows my cousin Lisa Bielawa, and her father, Herb Bielawa - both composers.
• Linda Chatterton played the piece by Edie Hill. She commissioned the piece. Many of the artists at the convention commission pieces, and the NFA also pays for some commissions. This is obviously a great way to extent the repertoire (The Liebermann Piccolo Concerto which I practice was a commission - more on this a later), but also supports and encourages composers. There were many composers at the convention (Katherine Hoover, Gary Schocker, Daniel Dorff, Martin Amlin, Christopher Caliendo, Phyllis Louke, Nancy Nourse,  Todd Malicoate - in addition to Edie Hill). Some with a reputation and following (I attended Katherine Hoover’s 70th birthday tribute), othersless well known - but looking for a following. Linda also played a second piece, Tarantella by Vladimir Tsybin. This piece she heard when a Chinese student visited her school. He had a bootleg copy - and she worked from a copy of that copy. She finally found a Russian printing of it. It was a lively, interesting taratella - certainly worthy of being ‘found’ in this way.
• I attended several sessions on jazz, including two master classes (Holly Hoffman and Bradley Leighton), two recitals (Holly Hoffman and Ali Ryerson), and a performance of Ali Ryerson’s Flute Big Band, put together for the convention. Imagine a big band composed of 22 flutes, and an incredible rhythm section. Holly and Ali have played together with Frank Wess as Flutology - a sextet featuring three flutes. Great sounds, great solos - although at one point hearing at least six of the group ’solo’ simultaneously didn’t really work.
• One of the observations from the master classes is exactly the advice that George Nichols, who heads the Healdsburg Saxophone Trio, keeps giving to Bruce and me: listen to recordings of the pieces, know the tune (the head), and know the words. Then you can play the tune. And (echoing Carlos Nakai) - play from the heart. It made me want to go right to my room and practice again…
• I ran in to Walfrid Kujala several times during the convention (I actually never said hello to him - and he absolutely would not know who I am). Wally was the piccoloist of the Chicago Symphony for almost 50 years. His son, Steve plays flute in LA (currently in Wicked among other things). Wally gave a master class. Both students did a credible job to start with - and Wally was incredibly supportive. What I found particularly interesting is that he had premiered the first piece (called Three Pieces, by Katherine Hoover), and was able to pass on comments from Katherine Hoover that he had gotten when he performed it for her. The Liebermann he had played - and he was able to offer detailed comments on when he took breaths, and where he used alternate fingerings. At a previous convention, I sat in on a master class at which Jan Gippo (Piccoloist for the St. Loius Symphony - who had premiered this work) offered his comments. What great experience - handing thoughts, experiences and suggestions to the next generation.
• I ran in to Wally Kujala again in two sessions where his son Steve was performing works with audience participation. One was a work that he had created for his father’s retirement from the Chicago Symphony. Steve handed out parts - and Steve, his dad, and his dad’s wife played ’solo’ parts with audience members participation. Another session was a reconstruction of Steve’s Tutti Flutti - which is now 25 years old. Again he handed out parts (I played bass flute), led a rehearsal, and then we performed the piece (for ourselves) with Steve and Wally playing lead parts.
• I also bought a new booklet by Jan Gippo, in which he says that when he started out - he felt that playing techniques and tricks (like alternate fingerings) were well guarded secrets - his new booklet - and actually his whole career - have been focused on turning that around.
• My primary purchases were of sheet music. I was tempted by a case from Wiseman Cases. This case would allow me to have my bass, alto, C flutes and piccolo all in a single case. I have a bag that is big enough - but it is awkward. On this trip I left my alto and piccolo at home - and wish I had brought them. So maybe I will pop for the Wiseman case this year. It is well designed, compact and light.

Another time I will write more about some of the performances that I attended, and some of the pieces that I purchased.