Gilbert has leading roles at National Flute Convention in Washington

Debbie Gilbert, a renowned flute player and flute teacher who lives in Broad Run, has been selected to conduct the National High School Flute Choir at the National Flute Association (NFA) convention in Washington, DC Aug. 13-16.

Gilbert said high school students from all over the United States compete to be in this 25 member National Flute Choir. Jay Laws, one of Ms. Gilbert’s private flute students, is one of the students selected to perform in the group

The National High School Flute Choir includes flutists performing on piccolo, C flute, alto and bass flute. The music, selected by Gilbert, is given to the students in advance. 

She will rehearse every day during the convention with the students which will culminate in a concert on Sunday, Aug. 16 at the convention headquarters.

The concert will feature three World Premieres – She Flutters Me by Jonathan Cohen, Coffeelation by Greg Lutz and Hopak by Peter Senchuk.

Jeffrey Zook, from the Detroit Symphony will be the guest virtuoso piccolo soloist on Butterfly by Russell Nadel. Other selections include Fanfare pour précéder “La péri” by Paul Dukas and arranged by Martin Melicharek, Fun of Flying by Ferne Tudor Franz, Sonnets by David Uber, Masques by Anne McGinty, and Insomniac Blue by Peter Senchuk.

Gilbert will also conduct The Woodbridge Flute Choir at the convention on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Ballroom Foyer/Mezzanine Level of the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. 

Gilbert is the Artistic Director of the Woodbridge Flute Choir, an all-adult group of 25 members who play flute, piccolo, alto flute, bass flute and contrabass flute. 

The concert will feature Emma Resmini as flute soloist with the choir in the World Premiere performance of Russell Nadel’s piece Balkan Dances, commissioned by the flute choir.

The choir will also perform the World Premiere of a new piece by Greg Lutz called A Jazz Journey Through “America” also commissioned by the choir. Kathleen Mayne’s charming piece “The Balcony” which is featured on the choir’s latest CD Butterfly will round out the program along with the jazz inspired piece Conversazione by Raymond Guiot. For more information about the Woodbridge Flute Choir go to:  http://www.woodbridgeflutechoir.org

Gilbert has taught private flute lessons to youth and adults in Fauquier County for over 25 years and directed the high school flute choirs in Fauquier County for 25 years.

She is the artistic director of the Woodbridge Flute Choir, principal flutist with the Piedmont Symphony Orchestra, president of the board of directors of the Flute Society of Washington and directs the adult handbell choir at Greenwich Presbyterian Church. 

She is a seven time winner in the NFA’s Professional Flute Choir Competition.

Jeffery Zook has been a member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra flute section since 1992. His formal musical studies began at the Interlochen Arts Academy and continued at the University of Michigan. Zook has also been awarded of a grant from the National Endowment for the Advancement of the Arts.

Flutist Emma Resmini, 15, has soloed with the Dallas Symphony, National Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, and McLean Orchestra (VA), and has performed on the Laredo Philharmonic Rising Stars Concert (TX), Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival (VA), New York Flute Club Concert Series, Music at Penn Alps (MD), Odeon Chamber Music Series (VA), the National Flute Association Convention, and the Penn Composers Guild (PA).

Emma attends the Curtis Institute of Music and is a student of Jeffrey Khaner. She was formerly a member of the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship, and a long-time student of National Symphony Orchestra flutist Alice Kogan Weinreb.

The National Flute Association, founded in 1972, is the largest flute organization in the world. Approximately 5,000 members from more than 50 countries join together in person, online, at conventions, informally and in forums, through publications and classrooms, in performance, in friendship and collegiality. Go to http://www.nfaonline.org for more information about the convention and the organization.