The Desert Echoes Flute Project "Unexpected Journeys" in March featured Derek Cochran as piccolo soloist on "Colibri" (The Hummingbird) and the audience response was tremendous. The composer, Eugene Magalif, said it was "a stunning performance by Derek Cochran and Desert Echoes Flute Project under Christina Steffen's directing!!! Such a perfect pitch, intonation, tempo, rhythm - all musical elements!!! The team is awesome!"
The DEF Chamber Choir enjoyed performing Sorrentino's "ParaFLU" and featured Hannah Chapman as the soloist on Offermans' "Bamburia." The Community Flute Choir performed the beautiful Sellers arrangement, "Scarborough Fair Fantasy," and had a lot of fun entertaining the audience with "Piccolos in the Pub" by Jonathan Cohen. They opened the concert as three separate groups playing across the audience for Gabrieli's "Canzona." The Ketelbey "In a Persian Market" closed the concert with the combined flute choirs and a standing ovation.
In the pictures below, the combined flute choirs are pictured to the left. Derek and DEFproject performing "Colibri" on the right.
The May concert title, "Wind", was taken from the piece "Eternal Winds" by Wil Offermans. It used extended techniques with the breath, whisper tones, harmonics, timbral trills and a singing bowl to a very haunting effect. DEFproject reformed itself into a low flute choir with all altos, basses and contrabass flutes for Molnar-Suhajda's "Voices from the Deep." They finished their portion of the concert with Nishimura's "The Four Seasons in Five Minutes." The Community Flute Choir featured Dr. Linda Bailey as soloist for the Overture and Italian Air from Telemann's Suite in A Minor. She played beautifully with a lovely tone and impeccable technique. The combined choirs concluded the program with a big sound and solid rhythmic groove on Piazolla's "Libertango."
DEFproject Low Flute Choir during a sound check:
The Community Flute Choir:
Dr. Linda Bailey, soloist:
Combined Flute Choirs:
