Runnin' Fl'UTES Perform at National Convention
by Lisa Chaufty
The 47th Annual National Flute Association Convention came to Salt Lake City this past week. In attendance at the Salt Palace were hundreds of flutists from all over the world, many presenting or performing as soloists, in flute orchestras, or in chamber groups. Some flute choirs were featured in showcase concerts. The School of Music’s own Runnin’ Fl’UTES secured a concert spot in the convention and performed on the morning of 3 August. The talented students switched between the smaller (piccolos) and larger members of the flute family (alto and bass flutes) throughout a performance which encompassed an entertaining program ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) to Ricardo Matosinhos (b. 1982). The ensemble, under the direction of Tiffany Sedgley, captivated the large and appreciative audience.
Sedgley crafted an entertaining program that drew on the many talents of the students
in the ensemble as well as the talents of former students and current faculty in the
School of Music. For example, Mitchell Atencio, recent graduate in flute performance,
arranged one of the pieces on the program for the ensemble: he set the first movement
of Bach’s Concerto for Three Violins (BWV 1064R) for three flutes and flute choir.
Soloists for the Bach were Sedgley, Lisa Byrnes, and Caitlyn Valovick Moore. Since Sedgley was performing in that particular piece, she passed the conducting
baton to flutist and 2019 DMA graduate, Diego Plata.
Likewise, another piece on the program, Jimmy Webb’s (b. 1964) classic “Up, Up and Away,” was artfully arranged for flute choir by School of Music faculty member Igor Iachimciuc. This is an arrangement created for the Runnin’ Fl’UTES to perform last year at the inauguration of University of Utah President Ruth Watkins.
The concert ended with a fitting piece for the Beehive State, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee (arranged for flute choir by Nourse). Enjoy part of the performance excerpted in the video below.
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Join us in congratulating the current and former student flutists who performed with the Runnin’ Fl’UTES at the convention: Mitchell Atencio, Perla Barreda, Sara Beck, Kristen Bennett, Deanna Biles, Emma Blake, Audrey Brown, Madeline Burningham, Dallan Gordon, Ali Parra, Nava Payandeh, Diego Plata, Hope Welch, and McKayla Wolf!
Stay tuned for upcoming concerts by the Runnin' Fl'UTES this coming semester: October 3, 2019 (7:30 PM), and December 8, 2019 (5:00 PM). Both concerts are located in Dumke Recital Hall and are free!
Guest Conductor Diego Plata acknowledges the group and soloists (Tiffany Sedgley, Caitlyn Valovick Moore, and Lisa Byrnes) after the performance of Atencio's arrangement of the first movement of J.S. Bach's Concerto for Three Violins (BWV 1064R).
Director Tiffany Sedgley and the Runnin' Fl'UTES at concert's end.
Sedgley and students acknowledge each other.
The Runnin' Fl'UTES: (front, left to right) Dallan Gordon, Madeline Burningham, Hope Welch, Emma Blake, Perla Barreda; (back, left to right) Tiffany Sedgley, director; Mitchell Atencio, Audrey Brown, McKayla Wolf, Kristen Bennett, Sara Beck, and Nava Payandeh.