Doriot Anthony Dwyer, in memoriam (1922-2020)

How sad to report that one of the brighs test stars of the flute universe has passed away at age 98—the wonderful and unique Doriot Anthony Dwyer, retired Principal Flute of the Boston Symphony.

I had the great honor and pleasure to work with the inimitable Doriot at Tanglewood many years ago, as well as in a few illuminating private lessons, and a red-carpet-rolled-out visit to the Powell Factory in Boston, where she helped me pick out the flute that, 27 years later, I still love and play.

Aside from my personal connection, she was a force to reckon with, musically and personally. A direct descendant of the American suffragette Susan B. Anthony, she too broke barriers, namely in winning (and holding for 38 years) a Principal position in a major U.S. orchestra. At that time, 1952, there were few women in the top orchestras, and none in a Principal position. Doriot (“DOH-ree-oh”) earned her job after preparing, she told me, “as if it were for a doctoral dissertation”, memorising the entire list and basically blowing away the competition.

As flutist of the B.S.O. she recorded innumerable works in recordings that are now considered recordings of reference. Her style of playing was uniquely vibrant, flexible, expressive and extremely powerful. The last time I heard her perform—the Concerto written for her by Ellen Taafe Zwillich, at an N.F.A. convention in Boston, AFTER her retirement—she walked onstage, last on a program of flute concertos, wearing a bright-pink, floor-length gown (she was actually tiny), planted her feet firmly, and…projected the hugest sound I ever heard into the entire hall. 

(Do you even have to ask? Yes, she was a Powell Artist—performing on a Custom Platinum Powell.) What a woman, what a flutist, what a musician!

Indeed, her comment to a journalist after retiring from the B.S.O. was “now that I’m retired, I finally have time to practice!” And to record chamber music and concerto CDs, and to continue teaching.

She was fierce, in the best possible way, and she will be missed, but always remembered. Thank you, Doriot, for breaking through an important glass ceiling, and for all the artistry of your playing, for so many, many years. Now, finally, dear Doriot, rest in peace.

The young Doriot Anthony; photo courtesy of the Boston Symphony Orchestra

Coming up for air / Bravo Maria and Simão!

Oops, I've been so busy I haven't been blogging…but time to get back on the saddle, because there is a lot to write about!

To start off, just a sweet photo of two ESART students, Maria Paixão (entering 3rd year) and Simão Francisco (completed Masters in Teaching in 2017), together in Tomar. As Simão was Maria's teacher, at the Canto Firme School of Music, where he is Professor of Flute and also the Director (!), you can sense in the photo the special connection between students and teachers, and a love for music that is what makes me enjoy teaching so much. 

Shortly after this photo was taken, Maria won 1st Prize in the "Sons de Cabral" competition in Belmonte, and Simão was busy directing the flute ensemble and helping organize the 6th Summer Flute Academy in Tomar—congratulations for two jobs extremely well done!

ESART in Tomar—Maria Paixão and Simão Francisco

Pedro de Alcantara @ 5th Summer Flute Academy!!

Consider yourself invited to attend our 5th (!) Summer Flute Academy— it promises to be the biggest, craziest and most fun EVER! Don't come to sit there watching, you'll be there to play, play, play, and also do a little listening and lots of trying out of new ideas!

There is really TOO MUCH planned to list it all in one go, so I'll just start in with one hot-off-the press bit of news: Pedro de Alcantara, one of the world's best-known teachers of the Alexander Technique and a wildly creative person, will be present! I'm very excited to announce this as it is not easy to get Pedro, based in Paris, "down" to Portugal, not for lack of interest, but only because he's often busy working in exotic places such as Australia or Japan! 

Pedro is Brazilian, trained in the US and the UK as a cellist, and has lived and worked in Paris for quite some time. He is the author of "Indirect Procedures", a book about the Alexander Technique for musicians published by Oxford University Press, has released several CDs, including improvisations, and is also a writer of novels. Check out his site and blog!

But mostly, he is a wonderful, insightful and unique person, who will bring his own ideas on music-making to all of us at the Academy! Thank you, Pedro, for fitting us into your schedule! "Expect nothing, anticipate anything."

Pedro de Alcantara, musician, writer, thinker, healer, creativity expert

Lisbon — it's Jacaranda Time!

The jacaranda time is here! I love the outrageous purple of the blooms contrasting with the typical yellow buildings on the left and especially the pistachio-green building on the right — repainted a few years back, surely with this (often brief) moment in mind! One torrential rain or wind, and the blooms fall to the street, also beautiful, but then are lost. Fleeting beauty, rather like music…Carpe Diem!

D E D I C A T I O N !!

Yesterday, on my way to rehearsal, I passed by a diplomatic ceremony in front of the Jerónimos Monastery. I was feeling grumpy because I'd had to get off a warm seat on the tram to walk past this "stoppage" and catch another tram on the other side.

Then I saw these colleagues, from the Portuguese Army Band, out on the street, playing at 9:15am, when the temperature—yes, in Lisbon!—was 4º Centigrade (that's 40º F). WOW, guys, that is great for skiing, but COOOOOLD for standing still, let alone playing. Yet there they were, and playing beautifully and somehow even in tune.

My hat's off to these musicians, that's for sure. I hope the diplomats had some appreciation.

We know all the years of practice and dedication it takes to reach professional level, but sometimes it just hits you in the face: you really have to be, and stay, DEDICATED!!

PS: No, Lisbon is not supposed to be this cold (but it is, sometimes)!! PPS: Yes, there were at least 4 flutists in the band—BRAVO!

The Portuguese Army Band, performing with class and distinction in 4ºC weather!

Ravel's "Mother Goose" returns to the CCB in December!

Parents and the young-at-heart, take note: "A Minha Mãe Gansa" ("Mother Goose") will be performed on December 16th, Friday, in the Large Auditorium of the CCB at 6pm. It is a wonderful multi-media mix of storytelling and the music of Ravel performed live by the Lisbon Opera House Orchestra.

This production, previously presented in the "Dias da Música", was conceived several years back by Madalena Wallenstein of the Fábrica das Artes at the CCB and myself, with a brilliant and moving script also by Madalena Wallenstein, art/video by André Godinho, and narration in this production—co-produced by the CCB and the Lisbon National Opera—by actress Natália Luiza.

"A Minha Mãe Gansa" is somewhat akin to Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf", but with stunningly beautiful music by Ravel and perhaps more insight into the connections between music composition, the instruments, the "Mother Goose" stories—primarily from 17th and 18th-Century French fairy-tales—and the magic of growing up and realizing your dreams.

We are still some six weeks off, but I recommend purchasing tickets NOW (6€ only!) to secure a good seat for a wonderful pre-Christmas event for all!

Drawing for "A Minha Mãe Gansa" by André Godinho