Metropolitan Flute Orchestra and Florida Flute Orchestra
2009 National Flute Association Convention
New York City

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 of  Jules 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:

Flutists in the Florida Flute Orchestra:

Director Paige Long conducted one of the three flute choir reading sessions held during the 2009 National Flute Association Convention.  As an active guest flute clinician and ensemble director, she has led workshops, presented masterclasses, coached flute ensembles and directed flute ensembles for music schools in France, Germany and Mexico, as well as for flute associations and music schools throughout America. This past spring Long was the guest artist for the Upper Mid West Flute Association’s Flute Day in Minneapolis in March, and for a special performance with the studio of Cynthia Ellis at California State University- Fullerton, in May.  Also in May, Long toured Poland, performing with the International Flute Orchestra, presenting concerts in Krakow, Zakopane, Warsaw and Gdansk.  In June, in Orlando, she directed ensembles during the 2009 International Flute Institute at the University of Central Florida. On October 10, 2009, she is the guest artist for the Inland Empire Valley Flute Society Flute Festival in Redlands, California.

For information about the Metropolitan Flute Orchestra and the 9th Annual New England Conservatory Summer Metropolitan Flute Orchestra Festival, please contact director Paige Long at contraflute@msn.com or follow the prompts for Summer School Institutes and Intensives at www.necmusic.edu