Timber Flute Festival
June 22 27, 2008
Randolph County Community Arts Center
Elkins, West Virginia
~ Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains~
A series of classes,
ensemble coachings and evening events focusing on the wooden
flute exploring Baroque, Romantic, Traditional Irish, and Native American
musical styles.
About the Timber Flute Festival
The Timber Flute Festival will take place in the beautiful town of Elkins, West Virginia at the Randolph County Community Arts Center. Elkins is nestled in the mountains of the middle Appalachians, a few hours drive from Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington or Columbus. It enjoys a pleasant, cool climate in June. Nearby are Seneca Rocks and the Canaan Valley.
The Timber Flute Festival is for musicians who would like to explore the history, practice, and creation of wooden flutes. Classes, ensemble coachings and evening events will be offered to increase the skill of the experienced player and provide an introduction for the beginner. The festival will focus on several arts associated with wooden flutes: the one-keyed flute (Baroque/Classical Eras) to the eight-keyed flute (Late Classical/Romantic), Irish traditional music, the Native American flute and fifes. Each day will include a morning session dedicated to a broad experience with each of the traditions followed by an afternoon session for in depth studies in a chosen tradition. Festival participants can move from one tradition to the other or solely focus on one tradition. Players of modern metal flutes are welcome to attend. Teachers will help you adapt your modern instrument to the playing of Irish traditional music or Baroque music and provide opportunities for you to experiment with wooden instruments.
Festival Activities will include:
Sunday Evening Orientation: Delicious reception following by a jam session.
Monday Evening Dance: Colonial dances (general public invited).
Tuesday Evening Concert:
Classical and baroque flute music by 18th & 19th century composers, performed by
Colin St. Martin and Wendell Dobbs.
Wednesday Evening Dance: Contra dances (general public invited).
Thursday Evening Concert: Irish flutist Grey Larsen with guitarist Cindy Kallet, Native American flute trio with flutist Ron Warren, guitartst Lenny Stevens and vocalist/percussionist Janice Torres.
Friday Afternoon Closing Concert: All festival participants, performing material coached in ensembles during the week.
Festival Instructors and Performers
Wendell Dobbs, Timber Flute Festival Director, has served as professor of flute at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia for 23 years and performs as principal flute with the Huntington Symphony Orchestra and Ohio Valley Symphony. He plays music from the 19th century on a Rudall & Rose copy by flute maker John Gallagher.
Colin St. Martin teaches at the Peabody Conservatory of Music, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. He studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels with Barthold Kuijken and at Indiana University. He currently performs with a variety of ensembles and has participated in music festivals throughout the US and Europe.
Grey Larsen,
one of the worlds foremost performers and teachers of Irish flute, has taught
numerous workshops and master classes in the US, Canada, Ireland, the
Netherlands, and Australia for more than 25 years. He is the author of the
The Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle
and
The Essential Tin Whistle Toolbox.
Larsen leads a varied and rich musical life as a performer, teacher, author,
recording artist, record producer, mastering engineer, and as the Music Editor
of
Sing Out!
magazine.
Ron Warren (Echota Tsalagi) is an award winning composer/arranger as well as a performer on both Native American flutes and keyboards. Ron began a journey with Native American flutes to honor his ancestors and to continue to learn more about the traditions. He is now recognized as one of the most versatile and dynamic Native American flute players in the country.
John Gallagher, a flute maker of international renown, has been designing and handcrafting wooden flutes in Elkins for many years. He created many of the flutes that will be used in this festival.
Festival
Accompanists: Cindy Kallet
and Lenny
Stevens,
guitar,
Adam Pearl,
harpsichord, and
Janice Torres, vocalist/percussionist.
Note: Players of modern metal flutes are welcome! We will help you adapt your modern instrument to the playing of Irish traditional music or Baroque music and we will provide opportunities for you to experiment with wooden instruments.
To register, click HERE for a PDF file.
Timber Flute Festival registration fees:
$250 until June 1
$300 after June 1
$70 per day
The Timber Flute Festival leadership is proud to recognize these sponsors:
http://www.marshall.edu/cofa/music/