Congratulations, Aldo Baerten!

September 06, 2016 in Flute, Masterclass, Powell Flutes, Summer Flute Academy-AFV, Teaching

Great news from the fabulous flutist Aldo Baerten, our guest teacher at the 4th Summer Flute Academy:

Aldo Baerten will leave the Münster Musikhochschule and replace Professor Marina Piccinini at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Median in Hannover, Germany. He will keep his positions as Principal Flute with the Royal Flemish Philharmonic and at the Music Universities in Antwerp and Utrecht.

As we saw during his recital and master class at the Academy, Aldo is a wonderful musician, flutist and teacher, inspiring and warm, so the Hannover Hochschule is very lucky to get him! Aldo, a Powell Flute Artist, was sponsored at the Academy by the generosity of Powell Flutes in Boston. BRAVO, Aldo, from your fans in Portugal!

Professor Aldo Baerten working with Constantino Dykiy at the 4th Summer Flute Academy.

Aldo Baerten at the Summer Flute Academy - photos!

August 03, 2016 in Powell Flutes, Summer Flute Academy-AFV, Teaching

I'd like to again thank Aldo Baerten, Principal Flute of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic in Antwerp, Belgium, for his wonderful recital and masterclasses at the Summer Flute Academy this year. His performance and work with the students reflected the artistic influences of his teacher, the legendary Peter-Lukas Graf, a special stylistic flexibility that perhaps comes from performing under chief conductors Edo de Wart and Philippe Herreweghe, as well as that special "something" that reaches and touches the audience, in this, the most ephemeral of the arts.

Aldo is a Powell Flutes Artist, and his presence was made possible by Powell Flutes in Boston, USA. Photos below: Aldo Baerten in action teaching, a group foto with Aldo, and with me before the session on Powell's history and flutes—a few minutes later, the room was full of flutists trying out the gear, of course!

Welcoming Aldo Baerten to The AFV

July 26, 2016 in Summer Flute Academy-AFV, Powell Flutes, Concerts

Monday I finally met Aldo Baerten here at the Summer Flute Academy, where he'll be guest-teaching courtesy of the generosity of Powell Flutes. I've been waiting for this moment for MONTHS, and we hit it off in a major way. After an opening concert by the professors in music ranging from Purcell to Takemitsu and finishing with a Scherzo from a quartet by Walckiers, we headed for great food (this is Porto, after all) and stayed talking way too late! You might say that the music business has been truly globalized when a Belgian and a Californian know any number of people in common—including Australians, and I've not even been to Australia! We discussed the orchestral life, teaching, teachers and students, and how the connections formed link us all not only geographically but to the past and the future. A different kind of World Wide Web. Today Aldo will stat working with the fabulous students of the AFV, and another set of new connections will begin to form!

Aldo Baerten to perform and teach at the Summer Flute Academy

July 21, 2016 in Summer Flute Academy-AFV

We are delighted to welcome the Belgian Flutist Aldo Baerton to the 4th Summer Flute Academy (AFV). Aldo is Principal Flute of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, and Professor at the Conservatories in Antwerp and Utrecht. As a Powell Artist, he comes to Porto through the sponsorship of Powell Flutes, USA—thank you, Boston!

Along with a master class for AFV participants, he'll be presenting an exciting recital accompanied by Jon Ayerst of REMIX ENSEMBLE, joining us for our teacher's opening recital, and making his first proper visit to Porto and Portugal. Bemvindo, Aldo, and thank you so much for joining us! (Time to break out a decent bottle of wine!). His classes are filled, but auditors may of course attend—Tuesday and Wednesday morning, July 26 and 27.