Iowa City Flute Choir to feature new pieces, female composers
The Iowa City Flute Choir is thrilled to take the stage for our first public concert in 2023. We invite you to join us on at 3 p.m. March 26 at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Iowa City. All are welcome and free-will donations will be accepted.
For the spring 2023 season, we are delighted to present an exciting, innovative program containing newly published pieces, many by female composers. Here is a sneak peek at a few of the pieces:
“Flights of Passage” for Flute Choir, written by Judy Nishimura. Published in 2022, it has four movements, each based on a milestone achievement that serves as a rite of passage in a person’s life. From a toddler’s first steps to a wide-eyed teenager finding new-found freedom and experiencing the pitfalls of adulthood, you will find many musical conversations taking place.
“A Lantern Lit With Borrowed Light,” by Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda. This piece premiered at the 50th annual National Flute Association Convention in Chicago, where the Iowa City Flute Choir was humbled to also perform in August 2022. This four-movement work was based on the illustrated poem, “The Moon Waxing Poetic,” by Will Santino. The creativity and musicality are sure to hold your attention.
“Woodbridge Suite,” by Gretchen L. Morse. As our program progresses, one of our guest conductors, Laura Paarman, leads us in this four-movement suite and compilation of dance movements, each bearing a symbolic, historical tribute to Woodbridge, Virginia.
“Toccata,” by Cécile Chaminade. We are excited to welcome master’s student Caleb J. Estrada-Valentin to the podium for this performance. Originally a piece for solo piano, it was arranged for flute choir in 2022 by Nicholas Buonanni. Chaminade (1857-1944) is well-known in the flute community for her flute concerto.
“Meditation on Abide With Me.” In deference to our performance venue of St. Andrew Presbyterian, we will play this familiar hymn tune.
“Piccolos in the Pub,” by our good friend Jonathan Cohen. Our raucous closing piece will feature not one, but two piccolists. We hope you can help us end our concert on a “high note.”
More performances planned
Can’t make it to our performance this weekend? You have two more opportunities to see the Iowa City Flute Choir in concert this spring. We are looking forward to performing for our friends at Oaknoll Retirement Center at 7 p.m. May 4 and at the Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference on May 19. We are awed by the ongoing support of our wonderful community and are grateful for every musical moment created.
The Iowa City Flute Choir is a semiprofessional group composed of adult-age flutists of all ability levels. There are no auditions required. Please email icflutechoir@gmail.com to learn more. You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated on performances, rehearsals, and all things flute.
Heather Neuenschwander has served as the director of the Iowa City Flute Choir since helping co-found it in 2018. She also plays piccolo, teaches and works at Flute Specialists. Rebecca Peterson is the marketing director for the flute choir and plays alto flute in the ensemble. She also works for Flute Authority as their marketing strategist.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Female composers, new pieces on program for Iowa City Flute Choir
