ContraJam!
Setting the world record for the largest number of contrabass flutes in performance, ContraJam! was premiered during the 2024 International Low Flutes Festival in Washington DC. The ensemble, directed by Paige Dashner Long, was comprised of 40 contrabass flutists from all over the world, including sub contrabass flutes and double contrabass flutes. There was not a single piccolo, concert flute, alto flute or bass flute in this premiere performance. It was truly a ContraJam! This piece also is great for traditional flute choirs, quartets and quintets, described below.
With a jammin’ blues groove, the piece begins with contrabass and/or bass flute soli section. Soon, the entire ensemble joins in with percussive sounds, adding to the groove. Next comes a very sticky sassy-frass jelly tune that will have you tapping your toes. ContraJam! ends with an energetic Gospel marmalade, including a jammin’ bass line. This composition is filled with memorable tunes of jams, jellies and marmalades that will become musically well “preserved” in our minds.
With flexible instrumentation, this can be performed by flute choirs or by quartet or quintet of like instruments. The piccolo part is optional, as well as the 3rd flute part and sub contrabass flute part. For more flexibility, there is a C alternate alto part included for the alto flute. So, a quartet or quintet of C flutes could perform or alternatively a quartet or quintet of instruments in G could perform, using the C instrument parts.
ContraBand and Friends
2024 International Low Flutes Festival, Washington DC
ContraBand and Friends, directed by Paige Dashner Long, presented one of the three “Composer Spotlight” concerts during the 2024 International Low Flutes Festival, April 12-14 in Washington DC. This concert featured music for low flutes ensemble composed or arranged by Paige, performed by this select ensemble of highly advanced low flutists.
ContraBand and Friends
combined low flutes sections from Metropolitan Flute Orchestra and Florida Flute Orchestra
Paige Dashner Long, director
Contrafusion!
Paige Dashner Long (b. 1955)
Flutenado
Paige Dashner Long (b. 1955)
Lowly Conversations – Concerto for Low Flute and Flute Ensemble
Paige Dashner Long (b. 1955)
Metrically Speaking
Whispering Sweet Nothings
Rap It Up!
Paige Dashner Long – solo bass flute and contrabass flute
Jenny Cline, Karen Large – concert flute; Mary Matthews -alto flute;
Judy Diez d’Aux – bass flute
Orchestral Quartetto in D Major, Opus 8
Bernhard Henrik Crusell (1775-1838)
Arranged by Paige Dashner Long
Allegro non tanto
Jenny Cline, Judy Diez d’Aux, Charity Haney – alto flute
Deborah MacMurray – bass flute
Paige Dashner Long – contrabass flute
Bach to the Fluture
Paige Dashner Long (b. 1955)
Sebastian Sheep
Big Eoin Kisses the Blarney Stone
Johnny B Bach
Metropolitan Flute Fantasy
Paige Dashner Long (b. 1955)
World Premiere – Low Flutes Setting
The Mouse and the Mountain King
Paige Dashner Long (b. 1955)
Jenny Cline – piccolo
Paige Dashner Long – double contrabass flute
Dancing Dessert Suite
Paige Dashner Long (b. 1955)
Chocolate Truffle Tango
Sacher Torte Waltz
Lemon Merengue Pie
Today’s encore – Deck Out the Halls
Paige Dashner Long (b. 1955)
ContraBand and Friends
Alto Flute – Elaine Allen, Deborah Rebek Ash, Martha Beesley, Hannah Bitterman, Jenny Cline, Noreen Friedman, Lenore Gelb, Charity Haney, Margaret Howard, Karen Large, Deborah MacMurray, Mary Matthews, Brenda Meehan, Lisa Norton-Motulsky, Francine Pancost, Peggy Preusch, Adrienne Tedjamulia, Read, Tammy Roggen, Kathryn Scarbrough, Debra Schild, Carol Sugimoto
Bass Flute – Susan Anderson, Ozge Salar Berber, Judy Diez d’Aux, Kelly Gallivan, Jeanne Giblin, Jeanne Herbert, Carol Peabody, Joseph Saenz
Contrabass Flute - Claudia Brill, Jonathan Cohen, Laura Gustavsen, Lindsay Hager, Doris Hall, Ece Karsal, Jay Kast-Tuttle, Phyllis Avidan Louke, Victoria Molfetas, Alice Mullins, Nancy Newman, Maria Ramey, Shari Shaw
Sub Contrabass Flute –Kenneth Beauchamp
Double Contrabass Flute – Paige Dashner Long
Click to view full versions of each photo from the International Low Flutes Festival below.
