Flute Choir
Elizabeth Jolly, director
Shana Edwards and Karen Roberts, managers
Northminster Presbyterian Church
Saturday, April 26, 2025 | 3:00 PM
Concert Program
Welcome!
Melvin Lauf, Jr.
Program note by Nancy Nourse: Welcome! is an exciting and showy work composed for flute choir, utilizing the sparkling colors of running sixteenth notes in contrast to a flowing melodic line. Its composer, Melvin Lauf, Jr., is a native of Ottawa, Ohio. He is a graduate of the U. S. Armed Forces School of Music. He started his musical career as a trumpet player in the U. S. Army. Over time he switched to flute and piccolo. He has been writing and arranging for flute ensembles for many years and Welcome! is his first published work. It was written for the Columbia Flute Choir from Falls Church, Virginia, and was first performed at the Mid-Atlantic Flute Fair on February 15, 1997.​
Eternal Springs
Lewis A. Kocher
Program note by the composer: Eternal Springs is a crystalline imagery of water bubbling up from the earth. Like a tiny trickle from the ground, the piece starts out quietly with just a few flutes, then builds in intensity and participation. The trickle grows to a stream, in some parts noisy and exciting, in others vernal and lyrical. The duet of flute and piccolo in the latter section of the piece splashes and plays like a tiny rivulet dancing over pebbles. Lastly and once more following the imagery of a large stream, the ensemble takes a final plunge of excitement before the river settles into its smooth, daily course; the tiny trickle has realized its potential to become a great water of life.
Summer Dreams
(world premiere)
Amy Marcy Beach
Arranged by Elizabeth Jolly
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1. The Brownies
2. Robin Redbreast
3. Twilight
4. Katy-Dids
5. Elfin Tarantelle
6. Good Night
Amy Beach (1867–1944) was a pioneering American composer and pianist, best known for being the first American woman to compose and publish a symphony. A child prodigy, Beach demonstrated extraordinary musical talent from an early age, leading to a celebrated career as both a performer and composer. Summer Dreams, Op. 47 is a suite of six short pieces originally composed for piano duo. In this flute choir arrangement, each movement captures the whimsy and charm of children playing in the summertime.
Sauntering Down the Boulevard
Laurence Dresner
Program note by the composer: Laurence Dresner has studied composition with William Thomas McKinley and George Russell (M.A. from N.E.C.) and trombone/performance with Miroslav Vitous, David Baker, Jimmy Giuffre and Wayne Andre. Now, as a reformed trombonist, he writes in a wide variety of styles including jazz, chamber, and cabaret and has been performed in the states and Europe.
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Arranged by Elizabeth Jolly
Moment Musical, Op. 16, No. 3
(world premiere)
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor celebrated for his lyrical melodies, lush harmonies, and emotional depth. After emigrating to the United States following the Russian Revolution, he continued a successful career as both performer and composer. Written at age 23, his Moments Musicaux, Op. 16, reveal a remarkably mature voice; Moment Musical No. 3 is a dark, introspective work blending elements of a song without words and a funeral march. Despite its brevity, the piece unfolds slowly in three sections, using minor thirds, open fifths, and deep octaves to create a brooding, distinctly Russian atmosphere. This arrangement for low flute choir is scored for three alto flutes, two bass flutes, and contrabass flute.
Gavota
Manuel M. Ponce
Arranged by Héctor Javier Rodríguez
Program note by the arranger: Manuel M. Ponce (1882-1948) is considered by many to be the foremost Mexican composer of the twentieth century. Gavotte (1901), originally for solo piano, shows the influence of the Mexican canción romántica, and was Ponce's first successful work. In this flute ensemble setting, I attempted to showcase the interplay between musical lines that I find so lovely in this work. Héctor Javier RodrÃguez Santos enjoys an active career as a soloist, chamber musician and teacher, having given performances and masterclasses in Puerto Rico, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, and Mexico, as well as in the United States. RodrÃguez joined the faculty of the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley in the fall of 2014, where he serves as Director of the Guitar Ensemble and as Lecturer of Applied Guitar. Prior to his appointment at UTRGV, RodrÃguez served on the faculty of the Escuela Preparatoria of the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. An advocate for new music for chamber ensemble, RodrÃguez has arranged several works, with the particular aim of replicating the sound world of the symphony orchestra. His chamber music arrangements have been performed in concerts and festivals in Mexico, Puerto Rico, the United States, Panama, Peru, and Lebanon, among others.
Jonathan Cohen
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I. Amabo (I shall love)
II. Amavi (I have loved)
III. Amo (I do love)
Latin Verbs
Program note by the composer: Jonathan Cohen's business card says "Bald Technical Guy." Jon was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1954. After passing through Palo Alto, California and undergraduate school in Akron, Ohio, he settled in Maryland, where he received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering. Jon has worked as a researcher in information retrieval and visualization, optical and signal processing, and related fields for 40 years. His resulting trophies include 12 patents and a bald head. Confined to his house for several snow days in 2003, Jon began to composer, and has resisted all calls to desist. His piece "Flutes and Vegetables" was a winner of the NFA's 2008 Newly Composed Music Competition. Jon plays flute in the Montgomery Village Community Band (Maryland) and Tiny, his contrabass flute, in Flutes on the Brink and Flute Cocktails, from which he draws far too much encouragement. Jon continues his dubious contributions to science as he composes and plays.
Crash Out
Nicole Chamberlain
Program note by the composer: "Crash Out" was commissioned by Cindi Isenhower and dedicated to Flute Adventures 2020 Campers. The piece was originally intended to be premiered during the 2020 Flute Adventures Camp, but the pandemic of the Covid-19 virus made that performance an impossibility. This piece was composed in its entirely during the composer's own lock down, and even though she enjoys isolation she does enjoy getting outside and traveling. In the movie "High Sierra," Humphrey Bogart's character talks about almost going mad while confined in prison. He talks about the urge to crash out, bust out of jail, but is eventually granted pardon and dreams about a better life. Basically, to "crash out" means to escape confinement and to find freedom, to dream about better days ahead. That's what this piece does, dreams about when we can all get together and make music again.
Trois Chansons de Charles d'Orléans
(world premiere)
Claude Debussy
Arranged by Elizabeth Jolly
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I. Dieu! qu'il la fait bon regarder!
II. Quant j'ai ouy le tabourin
III. Yver, vous n'estes qu'un vilain
Program note by the arranger: Claude Debussy’s Trois Chansons de Charles d’Orléans is his only piece for a cappella choir, composed between 1898 and 1908. These pieces are settings of texts by the 15th-century French poet Charles d’Orléans (1394–1465), whose lyrical and elegant verse captures themes of love, melancholy, and nature with a distinctly medieval charm. I. Dieu! qu'il la fait bon regarder! Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder, La gracieuse bonne et belle; Pour les grans biens que sont en elle, Chascun est prest de la louer. Qui se pourroit d’elle lasser? Tousjours sa beauté renouvelle. Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder, La gracieuse bonne et belle! Par deça, ne delà , la mer, Ne scay dame, ne damoiselle Qui soit en tous biens parfais telle! C’est un songe d’y penser. Dieu! qu’il la fait bon regarder! I. Lord! how good to look on her! Lord! how good to look on her, The good and fair and gracious lady; For the high qualities within her, All are eager to praise her. Who could ever tire of her? Her beauty always increases. Lord! how good to look on her, The good and fair and gracious lady! The ocean knows of no woman in any quarter, Married or single, who is as perfect As she in every way. You would never dream of such a thing; Lord! how good it is to look on her! II. Quant j'ai ouy le tabourin Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin Sonner pour s’en aller au may, En mon lit n’en ay fait affray Ne levé mon chef du coissin; En disant: il est trop matin, Ung peu je me rendormiray, Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin Sonner pour s’en aller au may. Jeunes gens partent leur butin; De Nonchaloir m’acointeray, A lui je m’abutineray; Trouvé l’ay plus prochain voisin, Quant j’ai ouy le tabourin! II. When I heard the drum When I heard the drum Summoning us to go maying, I neither leapt from my bed Nor lifted my head from the pillow. And I said: it is too early. I shall sleep a little longer: When I heard the drum Summoning us to go maying. Let the young divide their spoils, I shall be happy to remain indifferent And share my spoils with him – For he was my nearest neighbour, When I heard the drum beat. III. Yver, vous n'estes qu'un villain Yver, vous n’estes qu’un villain; Esté est plaisant et gentil, En tesmoing de May et d’Avril Qui l’accompaignent soir et main. Esté revest champs, bois et fleurs, De sa livrée de verdure Et de maintes autres couleurs, Par l’ordonnance de Nature. Mais vous, Yver, trop estes plain De nège, vent, pluye et grézil; On vous deust banir en éxil. Sans point flater, je parle plain. III. Winter, you are nothing but a rogue Winter, you are nothing but a rogue; Summer is pleasant and kind, As May and April can testify, Accompanying it each eve and morn. Summer clothes fields, woods and flowers With his verdant livery, And many other colours too, As nature commands. But you, Winter, you exude Snow, wind, rain and hail; You ought to be exiled. Winter, you are nothing but a rogue. Translation © Richard Stokes, author of A French Song Companion (Oxford University Press), provided via Oxford International Song Festival (www.oxfordsong.org).
About Us
The Seattle Flute Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that was founded in 1979 by Felix Skowronek. To honor "all things flute," the SFS presents a yearly season of events, including recitals, masterclasses, workshops, and competitions. Each event features local, national, or international distinguished artists in all avenues of flute playing - performers of classical, jazz, baroque, contemporary, and world music.
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Our members are amateur and professional flutists, teachers, students, flute makers, accompanists, listeners, patrons – anyone interested in the flute! The SFS also sponsors a flute choir which rehearses weekly and is open to all members.
Musicians
Elizabeth Jolly, Director
Elizabeth Jolly is a flutist, educator, and arranger based in Kirkland, Washington. She earned Master of Music and Bachelor of Music degrees in Flute Performance from the University of Redlands, where she studied with Sara Andon, and pursued additional graduate studies with Donna Shin at the University of Washington.
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An accomplished performer, Elizabeth has appeared as a concerto soloist with the University of Redlands Symphony Orchestra, University of Redlands Wind Ensemble (premiering her arrangement of Carmen Fantaisie), University of Washington Wind Ensemble, and at the Beverly Hills International Music Festival. She has twice performed at the National Flute Association convention as a member of the Jolly Jones Duo with Stephanie Kolokotroni Jones) in 2019 and 2023, and showcased her duet arrangements of Chaminade, Mouquet, and Telemann at the 2023 NFA convention. A four-time winner of the NFA Professional Flute Choir competition (2022-2025), her artistry has garnered national recognition.
Elizabeth has run a private flute, clarinet, and saxophone studio since 2008. Her students have achieved honors such as placements in All-Northwest and All-State ensembles, concerto performances, and scholarships. She also serves as a Woodwind Specialist at Northshore Middle School, sharing her passion for music as a teacher, mentor, and arranger. Her flute ensemble arrangements are published by Jolly Music and distributed internationally by Theodore Presser.
