Ensembles
Metropolitan Flute Orchestra
In summer residence at New England Conservatory
Boston, MA
The New England Conservatory Summer Metropolitan Flute Orchestra, comprised of highly trained flutists, presents a wide variety of music, crafting musical selections for each concert based upon the concert venue and audience. From classical and sacred literature to jazz, folk songs and show tunes, the ensemble has been delighting audiences since 1998. In additions to concerts presented in the local area of Boston, Massachusetts, the New England Conservatory Flute Orchestra has also presented concerts in Europe and prestigious events in the United States.
Summer Metropolitan Flute Orchestra 2007, Jordan Hall, New England Conservatory, Boston, MA. Click to enlarge.
Past performances, in addition to regular concert programs presented at the New England Conservatory, include appearances at the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Open House, the BSO’s Symphony Café, Boston’s Faneuil Hall and Boston’s French Library. The Metropolitan Flute Orchestra commissioned the awarded winning composition The Academie of Dance by Catherine McMichael.
The Metropolitan Flute Orchestra was selected and performed at the 2000 (Columbus, OH), 2006 (Pittsburgh, PA), the 2009 (New York City, NY) and the 2011 (Charlotte, NC) National Flute Association Convention and presented a concert tour in France, July 2001 and in Ireland in 2008. Currently, they are preparing for a concert tour in Germany, Austria and Slovakia, July of 2012.
While on tour in France, the Metropolitan Flute Orchestra visited the Conservatoire National de Region in Dijon, presenting joint concerts with the exceptional French ensemble, Flutes Ad Libitum, directed by Martine Charlot. 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 in 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.
Metropolitan Flute Orchestra in concert at the Gothic Chapel of Kylemore Abbey
From 1998-2001, the New England Conservatory Metropolitan Flute Orchestra rehearsed and performed year round. Since Paige’s move to Florida, the Metropolitan Flute Orchestra is now in summer residence at New England Conservatory, presenting annual concerts in renowned Jordan Hall.
The Metropolitan Flute Orchestra Irish Tour was a huge success, with concerts in Bantry Bay, Kinsale and Kylemore Abbey. In Kinsale, the ensemble joined together with 10 flutists in the Cork area to present the final half of their performance at the historic St. Moltose Church dating back to the 11th century. With a wide and varied concert program, the ensemble performed Lisa LeMay’s beautiful work Innes Glas Mor. This piece, inspired by the composer’s trip to Ireland, consists of three movements. The second movement, entitled Kylemore Abbey, musically describes the beautiful abbey located in Ireland’s rugged Connemara region. Kylemore Abbey is the monastic home of the Benedictine Nuns. Several of the nuns were present for our concert, as we performed LeMay’s Kylemore Abbey in the Neo-Gothic Chapel on the grounds of Kylemore Abbey. Performing to a standing room only audience, it was an amazing musical experience for all to perform this work with the people, chapel and country that inspired the beautiful music.
Florida Flute Orchestra
Orlando, FL
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), and the 2011 (Charlotte, NC) 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.
METROPOLITAN FLUTE ORCHESTRA and FLORIDA FLUTE ORCHESTRA
Performed during 2011 National Flute Association Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina
The Metropolitan Flute Orchestra, in summer residence at New England Conservatory, performed on Saturday, August 13 during the National Flute Association (NFA) Convention in Charlotte, NC. At 7:00pm in the lobby of the Belk Theater in Charlotte, the ensemble, directed by Paige Dashner Long, presented “Goin’ Coastal from Boston to Miami” performing works by Respighi, Long and Beethoven.
During this same concert, The Florida Flute Orchestra, also directed by Long, presented Beach Music by award winning composer Catherine McMichael and then joined the Metropolitan Flute Orchestra to perform the first movement, Poco sostenuto-vivace, from Beethoven’s 7th Symphony in A Major.
Director Paige Dashner Long, coordinator of the newly formed NFA Flute Choir Composition Committee and member of the NFA Low Flutes Committee, also led a low flute technique class, Down Deep with Low Flutes, on Friday, August 12 from 9:30-10:30am in the Convention Center.
Metropolitan flutists who performed in Charlotte are:
METROPOLITAN FLUTE ORCHESTRA
In summer residence at New England Conservatory
Paige Dashner Long, director
Piccolo: Mary Ellen Kregler
Concert Flute: Sallie Brainard, Kathy Craven, Vicki High, Phyllis Howard, Elise
Locker, Mariellen Sears, Gretchen Schlier, Lindsey Sherman, April Showers
Alto Flute in G: Hannah Bitterman, Debbie MacMurray, Judith Sammel, Mary Sand,
Susan Schueller
Bass Flute: Jeremy Benson, Kelly Gallivan, Serge Paul Emile, Carol Peabody
Contrabass Flute: Earl Grant Lawrence, Jay V. Kast-Tuttle, Sue Blessing, Phyllis Avidan Louke,
Martin Melicharek, Paul Scherr
Sub Contrabass Flute in G: Sharyn Byer, Jennifer Kramer
Double Contrabass Flute: Paige Dashner Long
Percussion: Robert McCormick
Florida flutists who performed in Charlotte are:
Florida Flute Orchestra
Paige Dashner Long, director
Piccolo: Tereasa Payne
Concert Flute: Cindy Bruce, Nora Lee Garcia Velazquez, Amanda Lyon, Kim
McCormick, Tammara K. Phillips, Irene Pruzan, April Showers
Alto Flute in G: Susan Adragna, Amy Clark, Nancy Cobun Clew, Debbie MacMurray,
Cathi Marro, Christine Smith
Bass Flute: Carl Adams, Jeremy Benson, Sarah B. Fouse, Lindsay Hager, Martha
Oestreich, Virginia Schulze Johnson
Contrabass Flute: Jessey Howard Andris, Phyllis Avidan Louke
Sub Contrabass Flute in G: Karen McLaughlin Large
Double Contrabass Flute: Paige Dashner Long
Percussion: Robert McCormick
For information about the Metropolitan Flute Orchestra and the 11th Annual New England Conservatory Summer Metropolitan Flute Orchestra Festival to be held July 19-22, 2012, please contact director Paige Long or follow the prompts for Summer School Institutes and Intensives at www.necmusic.edu
International Flute Orchestra
Directed by Nancy Clew and Dr. John Bailey
Paige travels annually with the International Flute Orchestra, comprised of flute teachers throughout the United States. Each May the orchestra visits a different region of the world, presenting concerts and doing exchanges with local music schools and flutists. Paige has traveled and performed with the orchestra while on tour in France, Germany, Austria, England, Wales, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Czeck Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Chile, Poland, Belgium, and The Netherlands, and they are preparing to go to Croatia and Slovenia.