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Southern Illinois Flute Choir Spring Concert

April 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Southern Illinois Flute Choir will play its Spring Concert on Friday, April 27th.  This evening of classical and contemporary  flute music, under the artistic direction of Dr. Douglas Worthen, is offered free of charge to the public. The Concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 214 W. Main St., in Carbondale.

With the recent addition of a contrabass flute (sounding two octaves below middle C), the Choir now has the complete range of flute voices available.   The April 27 concert will be the public debut of this new, large flute.

Choir members come from communities throughout Southern Illinois to rehearse weekly, with the goal of improving their individual skills and playing together in an ensemble.  The culmination of these rehearsals is a free public concert played with precision and beauty.

Concert selections will include works by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Thomas Tallis, Gary Schocker, Jonathan Cohen, and Friedrich Kuhlau.

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Spring Concert

February 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Southern Illinois Flute Choir members are excited to be in rehearsals for their Spring concert to be held Friday, April 27, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, Carbondale.  Selections will include “Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis” by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and “Ikebana” by Gary Schocker.  With the recent addition of a contrabass flute (sounding two octaves below middle C), the Choir now has the complete range of flute voices available.   The April 27 concert will be the public debut of this new, large flute.  Make plans to attend what is certain to be a most beautiful and unique concert!

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Holiday Concert

November 18, 2011 By 1 Comment

It’s been a busy year 2011 for the Southern Illinois Flute Society.  From hosting Mark Sparks, Principal Flute of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, in January to hosting Gary Schocker, flutist-composer-pianist, in October as part of the Illinois Flute Society’s annual flute festival, to a few Halloween appearances throughout the region, the year 2011 is quickly drawing to a close.

The Flute Choir is in final rehearsals for its Holiday Concert to be held Friday, December 2 at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 214 W. Main, Carbondale.  Admission to the concert is free.

The Choir, at eighteen members strong, utilizes a variety of flutes:  bass, alto, piccolo, and C flutes.  The December 2 Concert will feature mostly seasonal music, highlighted by choral singing and drums.

The Southern Illinois Flute Society would like to thank our wonderful fans who attend our concerts, and those who so generously help us with our financial needs so that our concerts can be offered free to the general public.   We hope to see you December 2!

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Halloween Pops

August 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Southern Illinois Flute Choir will be scaring up some great music at the SIUC Halloween Pops on Thursday, October 27th, 2011 from 7:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. in Shryock Auditorium.  You won’t want to miss this SIUC School of Music event! Don’t forget to wear a costume!

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Members’ Concert

August 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Southern Illinois Flute Society will be introducing a new event this season, as members present an evening of solo and ensemble flute music.  Members of the Flute Choir will be teaming up for duets, trios, and quartets, as well as showcasing solo pieces.  Date, location, and program will be announced soon.  Please check back for concert details.

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Illinois Flute Society 2011 Fall Flute Fest with Guest Artist Gary Schocker

August 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Gary SchockerThe Southern Illinois Flute Society is proud to host the 2011 Illinois Flute Society Flute Fest, featuring guest artist Gary Schocker.

Flutist-composer-pianist Gary Schocker is an accomplished musician of  outstanding versatility. At age 15, he made his professional debut when he performed as soloist with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He has won numerous competitions including the Young Concert Artists, the National Flute Association, the NY Flute Club and the East-West Artists. Often, he concertizes in duo with guitarist Jason Vieaux. Internationally, he has toured and taught in Colombia, Panama, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Japan, Germany, France and Italy.

Schocker has composed sonatas and chamber music for most instruments of the orchestra. He also has written several musicals, including Far From the Madding Crowd and The Awakening, which can be heard on Original Cast Recordings. Both shows were winners of the Global Search for New Musicals in the UK and were performed in Cardiff and at the Edinburgh Festival, as well as in New Zealand. In New York, they were winners of the ASCAP music theatre awards.

Schocker has won the International Clarinet Association’s annual composition competition twice and the National Flute Association’s annual Newly Published Music Award numerous times. Among artists who have played his compositions, James Galway gave the American premier of Green Places with the New Jersey Symphony.

Visit Gary’s website to learn more about him and to view his performance schedule.

The pre-Flute Fest activities begin Saturday, October 22nd at 5 p.m. with a coaching session for the Southern Illinois Flute Choir.   On Sunday, October 23, the Flute Fest opens at 8:30 a.m. with registration.  The first sessions are at 9 a.m.  The Masterclass with Gary Schocker follows from 10 – noon.   Following lunch, the second sessions begin at 1 p.m.  These series of events require registration.

At 2 p.m., Gary will perform a free concert in Old Baptist Foundation Recital Hall.  The general public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

See press release.

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Fall 2011 Season Begins

August 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Southern Illinois Flute Choir will begin the Fall 2011 season with its first rehearsal on Sunday, August 21st at 7 p.m. in the Altgeld Band Room on the SIUC campus.  If you are interested in auditioning for the flute choir, visit our “Join Us” page for more information.

Fall 2011 performances include a Member’s Concert (date and time TBA), the Halloween Pops Concert on Thursday, October 27th, and special performances by our artistic director at Inside the Bachs on Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th.

We are also hosting the Illinois Flute Society Flute Fair on Saturday, October 22nd through Sunday, October 23rd, with guest artist Gary Schocker.

Please check our events calendar throughout the season for details on these and other Flute Choir events.

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Southern Illinois Flute Choir 2011 Spring Concert

April 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Please join the Southern Illinois Flute Choir on Saturday, April 30th for an evening of classical and contemporary flute music, under the direction of artistic director Dr. Douglas Worthen and assistant conductor Izabel Zambrzycki. The Spring Concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 214 W. Main St., in Carbondale.

Musical selections will include works by Giovanni Battista Sammartini, Jonathan Cohen, Anne McGinty, and Felix Mendelssohn.

Sammartini was one of the earliest Symphony composers, and his work led the way to the Classical style of composition.  Symphony No. 1, J.C. 7, arranged by Lisa R. McArthur, is a 3-movement work with a 1st movement in sonata form, a lyrical 2nd movement with beautiful upper register harmonies, and a joyful 3rd movement.

Masques is an original composition by flute choir specialist Anne McGinty, who is known throughout the world as the most prolific woman composer in the field of concert band literature.

Helen’s Backyard, by contemporary American composer Jonathan Cohen, is a celebration of Helen Cohen’s life told through a backyard day, presented in five movements.

Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides Overture is considered by many to be his masterpiece. This challenging arrangement by Rick Pierce utilizes the entire range of the flute choir.

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