Powell-Happy at the Summer Flute Academy (2)

Here's another great photo from the Powell Flutes trial-session at the 4th Summer Flute Academy at ESMAE, Porto in July. Shown below, Samuel Maia trying out an Aurumite® 9k head joint on a sterling silver Handmade Conservatory flute body. Style style style, Sr. Maia!

Did you know that you can switch out head joints and flute bodies separately? This can be a great solution to finding your dream instrument within your price range!

Aurumite® is a patented-by-Powell fusion of one layer of sterling silver and one layer of gold—in this case, 9 karat gold, on the outside of the tube. Powell offers two other types of Aurumite®: 14k, which has a heavier layer of gold on the inside of the flute tube,and Ruby Aurumite, with a 14k rose gold layer on the outside of the flute tube. All combine the "best of both worlds": the projection of silver with the warmth, depth and finesse of gold. Handmade Conservatory flutes are available in Aurumite 9k, while Handmade Custom are available in 9k, 14k, and Ruby Aurumite. To make an appointment to try them out in Lisbon or in your area, just click here.

Photo ©Susana Neves/AFV

4th Summer Flute Academy - Radio Days

While I was hard at work doing the morning warm-up session ("Zapping Warmup") on the fourth day of the 4th Summer Flute Academy, my dear colleagues Stephanie Wagner and Raquel Lima, along with Academy student Catarina Rebelo Esteves, were over in Gaia having a blast being interviewed for RDP's Antena 2, the Portuguese national classical music radio. (Yes, this is Europe and we have stuff like that!).

Our team went in super-prepared to explain the multifaceted approach of the Academy, and I believe the mission was achieved, and we thank Paulo Guerra for the invitation to present our project on his bright-and-early program called “Império dos Sentidos” ("The Empire of the Senses")—how's that for a nice description of our ephemeral art?

Here's a photo of Catarina, an ESART Master's student and a repeat Academy participant, looking totally at home in the sound studio! (PS, if anyone can find the link to the interview, please let me know! It was Thursday 28th of July).

Flutist Catarina Rebelo Esteves, bright and early in the Antena 2 studio

Portugal at the US National Flute Association Convention!

We're small, but we're mighty! For anyone attending the NFA Convention in San Diego, CA, put this on your calendar for tomorrow, Sunday, August 14th, 9am: the US premier of Portuguese composer André M. Santos's work for solo flute: O motivo da menina Laite, published by Scherzo Editions of Lisbon.

The work will be performed by American flutist Tracy Doyle, of Colorado, a winner of the NFA's 2016 Convention Performer's Competition, and a Powell Flute player. The premier will be Sunday at 9am, on the program of "Newly Published Works" — works whose publishers won First Prize for the edition—in the California Room at the Convention venue. 

I sure wish I could be there to hear it, but you can be sure that the room will be filled, and Portugal will be "put on the map" as we say. Tracy has kindly agreed to send an "on-the-ground" report from the Convention afterwards, for me to publish here on the blog—keep your eyes out for that!

Toi-toi for the performance (that's Portuguese for "break a leg"), Tracy!!

Powell Flutist Tracy Doyle, with a beautiful out-West, Colorado background

Itzhak Perlman: Masterful Advice on Practicing and More

While we may possibly be enjoying NOT PRACTICING during vacation, I find it inspiring to get "fuel" for the next season. So I was delighted to come across this fabulous site, ClassicFM, which happens to have five very short videos of Itzhak Perlman, the great violinist, giving advice on practice (how much, and how), dealing with nerves, and building a career in music.

Perlman's manner of speaking is as easy, natural, and expressive as his way of playing the violin. If you don't know his playing, check out his website—I'd guess he's been at the top of the top for about 50 years!

Here's the link to the videos on ClassicFM, enjoy!

The world-renowned violinist, Itzhak Perlman. 

Powell-Happy at the Summer Flute Academy (1)

During the 4th Summer Flute Academy, I did a "show and tell" about Powell Flutes, about its long, prestigious history (founded 1927) and a brief orientation about the different models and options. Brief—considering the many, many options—so that there would be time for the Academy participants to try out a Powell flute or head joint. It was a bit of a crazy scene, but here is a beautiful photo, by photographer Susana Neves, of Leonor Moreira playing a gorgeous Handmade Custom Grenadilla flute. if you've been wondering "what's up" with the resurgence of wood flutes, just give one of these a try! To make an appointment for a trial session in Lisbon or in your area, just contact me with a click here!

Leonor Moreira playing a Custom Handmade Powell flute in Grenadilla, Photo © Susana Neves/AFV

An-ti-ci-paaaaaaa-tion!

Guess who's on their way to Lisbon? Aside from thousands of tourists, that is…

Answer: Raj Bhimani, the wonderful pianist of Syrinx: XXII, our trio with the fabulous António Carrilho, recorders. Soon he'll be somewhere over the Atlantic, en route from New York, in order to rehearse for upcoming concerts of Syrinx: XXII and soak up the ambience of Lisbon in August. We're preparing a couple programs about which you'll hear more later—can't spill the beans quite yet! But you can bet they'll be anything but the "same old, same old"—working with Syrinx: XXII is a case of 1+1+1=10!

I love this atmospheric, Rembrandt-esque photo of Raj (by the NY photographer Jiyang Chen) because it has depth of expression, both in the subject and in the photo itself. Plus, check out the serious piano-size hands—

American pianist, Raj Bhimani. Photo by Jiyang Chen