Mesa Community College Music Department Presents: Desert Echoes Flute Project Concert

Dec 7 at 7:30 pm  – MCC Performing Arts Center

The Fire and Ice concert includes soloists, a little holiday cheer, a flute quartet playing in the lobby as prelude, and features the two large flute choirs combined for the last portion of the concert in a unique three-movement work, “Fire & Ice and other Miracles” by Deborah Anderson. The composer “attempts to capture the beauty, energy, and mystery of certain phenomena found in nature and in humankind. The first movement, “Sky Fire,” depicts the Northern Lights. The unusual sound effects reflect actual sounds sometimes made by the aurora borealis. The second movement, “Secrets,” explores the miracle and mystery of the human personality. The third movement, “Snow Mist,” revolves around the incredible beauty of ice in nature, such as ice crystals, snowflakes, etc. The whispering evokes ice-like sounds…”

The DEF Chamber Choir opens the concert with “Cori Spezzati con Variazioni” by Masamicz Amano and the delightful “Serendipity” by Cameron Golinsky. Serendipity is fun. Think of Eric Whitacre + A Charlie Brown Christmas + Medieval Dance + the Nutcracker.

DEF Community Flute Choir presents a sampler of Christmas music with the Saint-Saens Oratorio de Noel featuring soloists Ashley Tenney and Jim Turner plus Judy Nishimura’s aptly named and joyful arrangement, “Yet Another Christmas Medley” with numerous famous melodies.

DEFproject presents soloist Robert Heiligenberg performing the popular contest piece “Concertino” by Cecile Chaminade. The well-known solo combines lyricism and virtuosity and was originally written for flute and piano. Chaminade later arranged it for full orchestra becoming her last symphonic work and Robert Rainford has arranged it for soloist and flute choir. The concert falls on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day and John Williams’ “Hymn to the Fallen” will be performed to honor of the members of the Greatest Generation for their sacrifice and courage. The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi is among the most recognizable classical works. They were originally composed as violin concerti depicting each of the seasons and were published with accompanying sonnets. The flute choir appropriately performs “Winter” depicting a frozen landscape which brings its own delights.

All 54 DEF flutists will conclude the program with the cheerful Sugarplums and Mistletoe by Michael Isaacson.

DEFproject member Robert Heiligenberg is the principal flutist of the Scottsdale Symphony and Arizona Wind Symphony. A graduate of the Juilliard School, Robert studied under Carol Wincenc and Jeanne Baxtresser before earning a Master’s in Music at Rice University with Leone Buyse.

 Robert Heiligenberg

Prices:

General Public - $10.00

Senior/Staff/Military/Alumni - $8.00

MCCCD/HS Student - $6.00