National Flute Association Convention, Chicago, IL, 2022
Florida Flute Orchestra, Paige Dashner Long, director during 2022 NFA Convention Chicago
On the stage of DePaul University’s Merle Reskin Theater in Chicago, Illinois, the Florida Flute Orchestra performed on Saturday, August 13 during the 2022 National Flute Association Convention as part of the NFA Flute Ensemble Festival. This professional ensemble, directed by Paige Dashner Long, presented an exciting program including works by Luigini, Beeftink, Coleridge-Taylor and Long. It is an honor to be selected to perform during an NFA convention and the Florida Flute Orchestra was excited to be a part of this special “golden convention” celebrating the NFA’s 50th anniversary.
The Florida Flute Orchestra is a select ensemble comprised of professional flutists from Florida. In addition to concerts in Florida, the ensemble has performed at the 2006 (Pittsburgh, PA) the 2009 (New York City, NY), the 2011 (Charlotte, NC), the 2013 (New Orleans, LA) the 2015 (Washington DC) and the 2018 (Orlando, FL) National Flute Association Conventions, annually during the Florida State Flute Conventions, as well as presented a concert tour in Provence, 2005, sponsored by AICLER, France. While in France, they visited the Conservatoire National de Region in Dijon. There they performed with one of France’s top flute ensembles, Flutes Ad Libitum, directed by Martine Charlot. The Florida Flute Orchestra hosted Flutes Ad Libitum during their Florida concert tour in April of 2006.
From piccolo to the rare double contrabass flute, the ensemble performs with multiple flutes spanning an amazing seven octaves.
With the world as their stage, the Florida Flute Orchestra also presented another amazing concert during the virtual 2022 International Low Flutes Festival in June. For this performance, the ensemble performed the ethereal Angelus! Priere aux anges gardiens (Prayer to the Guardian Angels) by Franz Liszt, arranged for low flutes by Paige Dashner Long, as well as the low flutes setting of Flutenado, composed by Long.
Florida Flute Orchestra flutists who performed in Chicago include:
Piccolo – Francesca Arnone
Concert Flute – Martha Beesley, Heather Davidson, Anja Grube, Charity Haney, Judi Lampert, Karen McLaughlin Large, Tammy Roggen, Mariellen Sears, Briana Vidal, Sarah Jane Young
Alto Flute – Amy Clark, Noreen Friedman, Cathi Marro, Adrienne Tedjamulia Read, Sarah Jane Young
Bass Flute – Victoria Molfetas, Nan Raphael
Contrabass Flute – Claudia Brill, Lindsay Hager, Crisha Joyner, Phyllis Louke
Sub Contrabass Flute in G – Joseph Boyce
Double Contrabass Flute – Paige Dashner Long
National Flute Association Conference, New Orleans, LA, 2013
Florida Flute Orchestra after concert during National Flute Association Convention in New Orleans, August 2013
National Flute Association Conference, New York, NY, 2009
The Metropolitan Flute Orchestra, in summer residence at New England Conservatory, performed on Friday, August 14 during the National Flute Association Convention in New York City. On a flute choir showcase from 10:30-noon in the Empire Complex of New York’s Marriott Marquis Hotel, the ensemble, directed by Paige Dashner Long, presented works by Awano and Martin.
On this showcase was also The Florida Flute Orchestra performing works by Mendelssohn, Molnar-Suhajda and Dvorak. In addition, Flutes Ad Libitum, directed by Martine Charlot from The Conservatoire Jean-Philippe Rameau in Dijon, France performed works by Mussorgsky, Lauf and Khachaturian.
All three ensembles performing during this showcase have a wonderful performance history together, both here in Boston and Florida, as well as in France. The Metropolitan Flute Orchestra toured of France in July of 2001, visiting Flutes Ad Libitum in Dijon and hosted Flutes Ad Libitum in Boston in July of 1998. The Florida Flute Orchestra toured France in March of 2005 and has also hosted Flutes Ad Libitum in Florida in April of 2006.
While on tour in France in 2001, the Metropolitan Flute Orchestra visited the Conservatoire Jean-Philippe Rameau in Dijon, presenting joint concerts with Flutes Ad Libitum. The majestic and beautiful Palais des Etats, where the States-General of Burgundy have met, was one of the concert venues while in Dijon. The Metropolitan Flute Orchestra also presented a concert during the prestigious French Festival Musical des Grands Crus de Burgogne in the historic medieval village of Noyers-Sur-Serein. Concerts in Paris and Roquebrune-Sur-Argens were also very well received.
While on tour in France in 2005, the Florida Flute Orchestra stayed in the homes of French flutists in Dijon and performed with Flutes Ad Libitum at the Conservatoire Jean-Philippe Rameau. In addition, the FFO presented a concert tour in Provence sponsored by AICLER France. AICLER Provence, Association Intercommunale pour la Culture et les Loisirs en Region Provence, is an active arts organization in France. The purpose of this particular set of concerts was to bring high quality and unusual concerts to the smaller cities and towns in Provence. A real surprise in this series of concerts was the presence ofJules Massenet’s great-grandson at the concert in Tourettes sur Loup. As part of our concert program, we performed Dances from the Massenet opera Manon. Massenet’s great-grandson was delighted with our choice of programming music by his great-grandfather, and we were extremely pleased to meet him. In addition to the concert in Tourettes sur Loup, the group also performed in the Provencial towns of St. Tropez, Le Val, and Rognac.
To celebrate the friendships of these three ensembles, award winning composer Phyllis Louke composed and dedicated a piece for the ensembles to premiere during their New York convention performance. “Oh, The Places We’ll See!” was premiered during a combined performance of all three ensembles at the beginning of the flute choir showcase on August 14. This light hearted work begins with “Vive La France!” continues onto “The Emerald Isle” (where the Metropolitan Flute Orchestra presented a concert tour in August 2008 touring Cork, Bantry Bay, Kinsale, Galway, Blarney Castle, Adare and Kylemore Abbey) and concludes with “A Dandy Yankee Doodle.”
The Metropolitan Flute Orchestra was selected and performed at the 2000 and the 2006 National Flute Association Conventions in Columbus, Ohio and Pittsburgh, PA. In addition, the Florida Flute Orchestra performed during the 2006 NFA Convention in Columbus, Ohio.
Flutists in the select ensemble of the Metropolitan Flute Orchestra:
Piccolo: Mary Ellen Kregler-Guzzio, Stephanie Abend
Flute: Patricia Anthony, Stephanie Abend, Sallie Brainard, Karen Coleman, Glaicy Kelly dos Santos, Phyllis Howard, Debbie Hyde-Duby, Jay V. Kast-Tuttle, Mary Ellen Kregler-Guzzio, Jennifer Lehman, Aimee LeMay, Elise Locker, Debra Machacek, Betsy Maholchic, Eve- Marie Nezich, Jessica O’Callahan, Hiro Saito, Kathryn Sheehan, Lindsey Sherman, Gretchen Schlier, Cassandra Willette
Alto Flute: Hannah Bitterman, Lisa Duke, Jay V. Kast-Tuttle, Mary C. Reed, Susan Schueller
Bass Flute: Jeremy Benson, Laura Finkelstein, Kelly Gallivan, Serge Paul Emile, Carol Peabody, Marty Tentor
Contra Alto Flute in G: Sue Blessing
Contrabass Flute: Mary Berk, Earl-Grant Lawrence, Martin Melicharek, Phyllis Louke, Paul Scherr
Sub Contrabass Flute in G: Sharyn Byer, Jen Kramer
Double Contrabass Flute: Paige Dashner Long
Flutists in the Florida Flute Orchestra:
Piccolo: Nora Lee Garcia Velazquez, Troy Paolantonio
Flute: Cindy Bruce, Anne Cevasco, Stephanie DiMauro, Noralee Garcia-Velazquez, Erin Helgeson-Torres, Debbie Hyde-Duby, Linda Hypes, Kim McCormick, Troy Paolantonio, Tereasa Payne, Irene Pruzan, Julie Troum
Alto Flute: Susan Adragna, Amy Clark, Nancy Cobun Clew, Cathi Marro, Christine Smith, Jean West
Bass Flute: Jeremy Benson, Sarah B. Fouse, Lindsay Hager, Martha Oestreich
Contrabass Flute: Barbara Dinger Jacobson, Phyllis Louke, Allison Rich
Sub Contrabass Flute in G: David Tagliarini
Double Contrabass Flute: Paige Dashner Long
Percussion: Robert McCormick
Metropolitan Flute Orchestra Performs With Sir James Galway For Fox News, Times Square, August 14, 2009
The Metropolitan Flute Orchestra, in summer residence at New England Conservatory, performed with Sir James Galway for a live FOX News TV shoot in Times Square on Friday, August 14 at approximately 9:00am. FOX News interviewed Sir James right before the Galway Guinness Record Breaking attempt for the largest flute ensemble, which took place at 10:00am during the National Flute Association Convention in New York City. Three additional ensembles were also invited to perform with Sir James in Times Square: The Florida Flute Orchestra, The Columbia Flute Choir and The Stanford University Flute Choir.
Sir James asked the Times Square ensemble to memorize an arrangement of a lively Irish folk song, Brian Boru’s March. Metropolitan Flute Orchestra director Paige Dashner Long was invited to warm-up the combined ensembles prior to the much anticipated arrival of Sir James. Long also conducted the TV “bump”, a 30-60 video segment aired prior to a news story used to draw attention to an upcoming news feature.
Sir James arrived in Times Square, talking with the ensemble prior to the live news shoot. He played several famous flute pieces, waiting for the live broadcast, and at one time, members of the Metropolitan Flute Orchestra jumped in playing a bass line for Sir James.
During the interview, Sir James tired to teach the FOX News reporter to play the flute. Then immediately after the interview, Sir James when into the Marquis Ballroom of New York’s Marriott Hotel and conducted the record breaking ensemble of 1,989 flutists performing “Galway Fantasie”, an 8 minute piece commissioned by Sir James especially for this record breaking attempt. The previous record of 1,975 flutists was held by a Chinese ensemble.
France, 2005
