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Farewell: Himie Voxman

November 23, 2011 in News

I heard about this on the Klarinet list this morning, and now it is verified. Sad. He made and complied a lot of wonderful things.

Farewell: Himie Voxman:

 

Himie Voxman (1912-2011)

Influential music educator and longtime University of Iowa faculty member Himie Voxman has passed away at the age of 99. If you are a woodwind player, you have almost certainly used, at some point in your musical studies, something written or edited by Professor Voxman.

Check out the Iowa City Press-Citizen’s tribute for a nice overview of his life and career. 

 

(Via Bret Pimentel, woodwinds)

Mass User Purge

January 31, 2011 in News

Over December, my sites were hit with a TON of spam users registering. And they post stories about viagra for sale and whatnot. I decided to purge any users without any comments or posts, and implement a CAPTCHA for new registrations to help cut down on the spam.

Thanks for understanding.

Jazz Flute Highlights at the National Flute Association Convention in Anaheim, California, August 12 – 15, 2010

August 15, 2010 in News

National Flute Association will host its 38th Annual Convention in Anaheim, California, August 12 – 15, 2010 at the Anaheim Marriott with over 3,000 flutists, composers, flute scholars and flute enthusiasts from all over the world, including performances and workshops by some of the top and most exciting jazz and world flutists.   The public is invited to attend the events  that are offered Thursday through Sunday during the convention.

Jazz concerts and workshops include:

  • Thursday, August 12 at 8 PM, “Chamber Music with a Twist,” an exciting  fusion of  classical with everything from jazz and blues to world music featuring  performances by world music group Mystic Journey, the Matt Eakle Blues Band and flute beat boxer Greg Pattillo with his group PROJECT Trio. Jazz Review hailed Project Trio, saying, “They have a mission that transcends the music and touches humanity by bringing music to the kids, to the streets, to the masses. They do it so well that we all should get with the PROJECT and encourage this level of creativity and entertainment for the sake of all of us!”  Mystic Journey is led by Grammy nominated flutist Suzanne Teng, whose credits include the flute work on Lost, along with well known jazz bassist Barry Newton and drummer, Gilbert Levy. Matt Eakle, with with Joey Edelman on keyboards, Alex Baum on bass, and Jack Dorsey on drums, has been called “a through and through jazz cat” by the Bay Area Jazz Examiner and “a monster” by Mark O’Conner.
  • Thursday, Aug. 12: 1:30 All That Jazz, a concert of jazz-influenced works featuring Hollywood

(North) studio recording artist Louise DiTullio and George Pope.

  • Friday, Aug 13: 5 pm The Jazz Flute Practice Method, Ali Ryerson presents a workshop on her Jazz Flute Practice Method. Develop improvisational skills through daily

exercises. Learn jazz scales, chord progressions/substitutions, phrasing, and articulation. Bring your flute and stand.

  • Friday, Aug. 13: 7 pm Lobby Concert: Desert Echoes Flute Project. DEF Project presents a varied program including improvised jazz solos, world music, favorite classical themes, bottles, key clicks, tongue clicks, and a sense of fun!
  • Friday,  Aug. 13, 10:30–midnight Late Night Cabaret with Nicole Mitchell. Come hear Downbeat magazine’s Rising Star Flutist 2005–2009, who was also awarded Jazz Flutist of the Year 2008 by the Jazz Journalist Association and named Chicagoan of the Year 2006 by Chicago magazine.
  • Saturday, Aug. 14, 11 am. Robert Dick performs his own works, including a world

premiere of his newest piece, “Slider Goodbye.”

  • Saturday, Aug. 14, 2 pm Jazz Flute Big Band Reading Session with Ali Ryerson

Bring your flutes.

  • Saturday, Aug. 14, 10:30–midnight Late Night Cabaret with Nancy Stagnitta. Classically trained as a soloist and orchestral musician,Nancy Stagnitta began to play jazz as a young adult. Come hear this dynamic crossover artist with members of her group from Michigan’s Upper Lower Peninsula,including pianist and composer Jeff Haas, son of pianist Karl Haas, for an evening of standards, originals, and good fun.

aturday Schedule

There will be workshops and performances by top and rising stars in the flute world, a wide variety of concerts, competitions and workshops and hundreds of exhibits by flute manufacturers, music and recording companies and others.  This year’s convention offers several “firsts” including seminars on career and artistic development, concerts and workshops spotlighting low flutes, the Kids Kamp, and Professional Development Credit available through California State University Fullerton. Flutists and their families can take advantage of the NFA member discounted rates at Disneyland August 9 – 22 by purchasing tickets by August 8.

A complete listing of events is available at nfaonline.org/convention.  Tickets for all events range from  $10 to $25, and will be available at the NFA registration area at the Anaheim Marriott during the convention.  Tickets for the evening concerts, at $25 or  $20 for  students,  will also be sold at the door. All events will be held at the Anaheim Marriott and are open to the public.  For more information on the convention, call 661-250-8920 until August 11 or 714-748-2433 during the convention, or visit www.nfaonline.org.

Bill Holcombe Dies

April 27, 2010 in Articles, News

From the Times:

Wilford ‘Bill’ L. Holcombe Jr. EWING – Wilford “Bill” L. Holcombe Jr., 85, died peacefully at home on Sunday, April 25, surrounded by his loving wife of 60 years and his children. Next to his bed was the piano he used to compose music. Born in Trenton, Bill was a lifelong area resident and graduate of Trenton High School. He studied flute at the Juilliard School in New York, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in musicology. As a composer and arranger, Bill worked with Tommy Dorsey, 101 Strings, Peter Nero, and over 100 symphony orchestras, nationally and internationally. He also wrote more than 15 film scores. Bill founded Musicians Publications 35 years ago. Bill played flute, clarinet and saxophone and in his early career performed with Tommy Dorsey, Tex Beneke, Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians, and the New York radio station WMGM “Theatre of the Air.” He was also a Decca Records staff player. In recent years Bill had appeared as a soloist with many symphony orchestras around the country in a show entitled “Bravo Big Bands,” for which he wrote most of the arrangements. He also led and played soprano sax in the Philadelphia Saxophone Quartet. Son of the late Wilford L. Sr. and Isabel Tompkins Holcombe, he is survived by his wife, Helen Mooney Holcombe; son, Wilford L. Holcombe III, and daughters, Barbara Goehrig, Nancy Haber, Jeanette Schanilec, Heather Holcombe, and Kirsten Feldstein. Also surviving is his long-time personal assistant, Mario Singh, who is like family. Additionally, Bill is survived by 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, and many cousins. Family and friends may call on Wednesday from 1 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. at the Blackwell Memorial Home, 21 N. Main St., Pennington, NJ 08534. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to Samaritan Hospice at www.samaritanhospice.org. The family wishes to extend heartfelt thanks to Samaritan Hospice caregivers and Edward Ghanney for their exceptional care.

Sad. You will be missed Sir.

Another Obit here.

Ted Neff

December 11, 2008 in News

This is a sad story. Original article here.
A Vallejo man was arraigned in Martinez on Wednesday on charges that he murdered a man in his home in Bay Point, stole property, including a custom-made gold-plated flute, and then set the man’s house on fire, prosecutor Harold Jewett said Wednesday.

Alejandro Rivera, a 23-year-old male escort, met the victim, 66-year-old Theodore Neff, on Craigslist and had a sexual relationship with him, Jewett said.

The two men got into an argument on Dec. 3, during which Rivera allegedly strangled Neff.

At some point after the murder, Rivera allegedly went back into Neff’s home at 542 Bustos Place in unincorporated Bay Point, stole property and allegedly set the house on fire, Jewett said.

They have caught the guy, and charged him with murder, arson and burglary. The whole story is messed up.

Jim Walker Masterclass

February 24, 2008 in News

This was posted on the Galway Flute Chat list:

Southern California flutists were delighted to be treated to a
Masterclass by Sir James this last November in Malibu. For a variety
of reasons, masterclasses by high-profile flutists are a relative
rarity in the Los Angeles area, especially considering how large the
flute community is in Southern California. Fortunately, the tireless
and amazing Jim Walker has decided to offer an annual week-long
Masterclass right here in Los Angeles!
Jim is pleased to announce his first annual week-long Masterclass & Seminar, taking place at the beautiful new facilities at the Colburn School in Los Angeles June 16-21, 2008.

Guest Artists for Flute Week 2008 include Viviana Cumplido, Principal Flutist with the Phoenix Symphony, and Los Angeles Flutist Heather Clark.

Jim Walker’s “Beyond the Masterclass” Flute Week will follow an intense daily schedule that is both highly performance-oriented and designed to offer instruction on topics that students will face as professional musicians in the real world. Performers will play in masterclass, receive a private lesson, attend all seminars, play in flute ensemble, perform in recital, and attend two special flute concerts given by Jim and Viviana. Several options for auditing the class are also available.

Many more details about the class and registration forms can be found at www.jimwalkerflute.com/beyond.

Brochures to post or to hand out to students can also be downloaded and printed from the website.

Jim is very excited about the class this year and it promises to be a valuable opportunity for everyone who will participate.

Feel free to send any inquiries to: jwmasterclass@gmail.com

Greg Milliren
Jim Walker’s Flute Week Coordinator
Los Angeles, CA”

If you have not heard of Jim Walker, you haven’t been to the movies recently. You need to check him out.

John Devitt’s Website moved

October 28, 2007 in News, Sheet Music

Hi all,

         just thought I’d let you know that as of today my site has moved to a new provider with web address: http://www.john-devitt.com  The Harold McNair transcriptions and MIDI files are still available as free downloads, with the last addition being a transcription of his “The Cottage”. Hope you find these useful for your jazz flute study.

all the best,

 John Devitt

Pavarotti Loses Battle With Cancer

September 6, 2007 in News

71 year old Tenor Luciano Pavarotti lost his battle with cancer today. Of all the opera singers, he was my favorite. In the three Tenors concerts, he out shined the other two. Yahoo News has a link as well.

Fixed the Downloads Problem

August 21, 2007 in News

I fixed a little problem with the downloads. They should work now.

Contributor Status

August 19, 2007 in News

WordPress has a feature similar to what slashdot had, submitting items on the site. On slashdot, one would have to submit a story, and then have it approved, and then maybe it would reach the front page. On wordpress, it is a user who can contribute to the blog/site. This has now been enabled for users here. It is enabled now, so start contributing all you flute and jazz related items.

Stop SOPA