PREVIEW
Top Notes Flute Quartet
With special guest Kendall Leighton
St. Albert Chamber Music Society
Saturday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m.
St. Albert United Church
20 Green Grove Dr.
Tickets: $35 adults, $30 seniors/students
The flute is everyone’s favourite: it burbles; it bubbles; it floats; it soothes. It produces happy music and easily makes us smile.
Given that the orchestral instrument is so calm and uplifting, much like a dear friend, it’s surprising that a chamber music flute quartet has never materialized in the region until now.
In its second performance since starting up about 18 months ago, Top Notes Flute Quartet is the St. Albert Chamber Music Society’s special guest on Saturday, May 4 at St. Albert United Church.
The newly minted ensemble is composed of four of Edmonton’s most distinguished flautists: Petar Dundjerski, conductor of the University Symphony Orchestra, as well as Liz Koch, Shelley Younge and Liz Faulkner of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
The musicians play flutes of varying sizes including piccolo that have different ranges and quite often need their own technique. Their full-length program of 10 short works is broad in scope, spanning five centuries and three continents.
“We’re all so busy with our own projects. This was a side, fun concept and we hope to bring joy to people who love music and inspire young flute players to practice. It’s part of our responsibility as musicians to help younger musicians find joy in music,” said Koch.
As colleagues playing at the ESO together, the foursome had developed a strong musical and personal bond. Right from the outset, the foursome knew they’d found something special.
“When Petar came up with the idea, we all jumped on it. Our vision was to play together and enjoy music together. We also wanted to explore different repertoire and bring the flute community together.”
One of the Saturday concert's highlight pieces is American composer Robert Russell Bennett’s Rondo Capriccioso, a spirited work written for friends in a flute quartet.
Proficient in multiple instruments, Bennett was widely respected for his Broadway orchestrations partnering with Jerome Kern and Richard Rodgers.
But Bennett craved recognition as a classical composer. Rondo Capriccioso was one of his classical scores.
“It has quite a few sections in one big piece. It’s like a conversation that passes from flute player to flute player.”
A second highlight is French composer Claude Debussy’s Arabesque No. 1, originally written for piano.
“It’s compelling and evocative, and when you listen, it’s what you would like to think about."
Canadian composer Derek Charke has his say in Raga Saat. Raga is a Hindu prayer and Saat means seven.
“This piece is written in seven quiet, meditative sections. It repeats and repeats and that feeling of repetition is hypnotic.”
The weightiest program piece is a Bach aria, For Love My Saviour Now is Dying, from St. Matthew’s Passion.
“When we perform it, we make the flute sing. It’s yearning, angst ridden and pure beauty.”
Perhaps the liveliest and an easily recognizable work is Brazilian composer Zequinha de Abreu's catchy Tico-Tico, a popular dance piece since the 1940s.
Although many of the individual pieces are more modern, it doesn’t mean they are less challenging.
“We hope the audience enjoys the music. Flute music can be fun and entertaining, and we hope the audience can enjoy every era of music.”
St. Albert-based Kendall Leighton, an emerging flautist, opens the concert. Leighton performed as a soloist with the University of Albert Concert Band. She was also a musician with University of Alberta Concert Band, Alberta Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Edmonton Youth Orchestra.
