Top Flute performers from Vienna, Germany, Norwegian and Singapore will be performing during the two-day Singapore Flute Festival III on the 20 and 21 August 2016.
Multiple prize-winner and Muramatsu artist Hansgeorg Schmeiser from Vienna will be giving his debut concert in Singapore at this festival. He will also be conducting flute master class. The Flute Festival will also feature all players from the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, including Jin Ta, Roberto Alvarez, Evgueni Brokmiller and Miao Shan Shan. They will be premiering an entertaining piece called Paganini vs Tchaikovsky, which showcases the virtuosity of the flutes.
Singapore Symphony Orchestra Flute Section: From left, Jin Ta, Miao Shanshan, Roberto Alvarez and Evgueni Brokmiller
Apart from the concerts, award-winning jazz flutist Rit Xu will also be giving a talk about jazz flute playing. Other seminar talks include the basics of flute maintenance by technicians from the well-known Japan flute maker Muramatsu Inc.
A Muramatsu representative Yosuke Shimizu remarked that, “The Flute Festivals organised by MusicGear have been efficient and successful since 2010. These are fantastic platforms for flutists to try new models of flute, discover flute talents and interact with other flutists.”
Technicians from Muramatsu and another renowned Japanese Miyazawa, will be at this Festival to do quick flute repairs for the flute community.
Other highlights of the events include watching winners of the competition from the following category: Solo Junior, Solo Young Artists, Solo Open, Ensemble Intermediate and Ensemble Open. These competitions have attracted over 60 participants this year. The Young Artist Winner will also get a chance to perform with the Singapore’s Philharmonic Winds in 2017.
Festival director Sean Tan added, “This is the third installation of the Flute Festival and we are delighted that the local participants have increased. For the first time, we included the flute ensemble competition to allow the flutists from secondary schools to tertiary institutions to join us. It is heartening to see more young and local flutists joining the flute community.”
There will also be a Mass Flute Choir led by Henriette Wie Flaig, an established Norwegian flutist and conductor.
The first prize winner of the Junior Flute Category in the previous Singapore Woodwind Festival (2014), Nikolai Song, recommends this festival to all flutists. He added that, “this is a great festival and it is a lot of fun activities for us!”
Singapore Flute Festival III
20 and 21 August 2016 (Sat & Sun)
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Campus 3, Lee Foundation Theatre
Admission: 2-days Festival Pass at $40.
Available from Flute and Music Academy (Parkway Centre), MusicGear (Aljunied) and The BandWorld (Esplanade)
A contributing editor at TBP.