Multiphonics Hunting
Multiphonics Hunting
Listen: "Lampshades", from Contrapictions for flute, violin, cello
NEWSREEL
Multiphonics Live, Take 3
Bonnie will be streaming live on January 2nd, 3pm EST. Music by Bach, Ibert, and mutliphonics works. Featuring "Little Christmas" (2018) and a work-in-progress for glissando flute, called "Creatures of the Frontal Cortex". These new miniatures are inspired by sounds in the woods behind Bonnie's house. Link TBA.
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Call to Compassion The beautiful people at Reform Temple of Forest Hills in Queens, NY recorded this brand new commissioned work. Hear it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqOjTYc8UYU
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Multiphonics Live, Take 2
Bonnie will be streaming live on Saturday, 5/20, 8:00pm EDT. Some music by Bach, Bozza, and McAlvin, with a new works-in-progress segment at the end. The link will be available soon!
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Live Streaming Concert
Bonnie will be streaming live on Saturday, 5/16, 6:00pm EDT. Check back or subscribe for the link. Repertoire will include Transforming Parallels, Wayfaring Stranger, Bach's Partita in A minor, Bozza's Image, and a sketch of a work-in-progress for flute and hammer dulcimer, "Butterflies Found". Butterflies Found is a tribute to victims and survivors of the Holocaust. Interested in supporting the creation of a new piece of music? You can co-commission the work here, and you can co-sponsor the streaming event here.
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Day of Action, The Kaufman Music Center
Join us for a concert of artists and students from the Kaufman Music Center, and help to keep New York City's most important hubs for community music thriving. Monday, June 1, link to be announced. Bonnie will be performing "Wayfaring Stranger". We need twenty co-sponsors for this concert. You can co-sponsor Bonnie's performance here.
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Help Grow Art!
Interested in supporting the exploration of artistic possibility and building a more compassionate society? Avenues for patronage include commissioning/co-commissioning works, sponsoring/co-sponsoring concerts and publications, and providing scholarships to students of the Multiphonics Hunting classes. Contributions from $5 to $5,000, via PayPal. Learn more about the various opportunities here.
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Multiphonics Hunting, an online course for flutists
This summer, Bonnie introduces an online international course on multiphonics for flutists. The course guides advanced flutists with especially hardy spirits through the beginnings and the middles of multiphonic work. Students who enroll work through a book of exercises and etudes under the guidance of multiphonics specialist Bonnie McAlvin. The course includes a webinar, a private lesson, a peer review project and a virtual recording project. Too often, multiphonics are considered “wierd sounds” that are outside the scope of classical beauty. But it is possible to produce these delicate sounds and strings of these sound with stability, balance, good intonation and expressiveness. Aim to expand your blowing palette massively, and explore the edge of this artistic technique with like-minded flutists.
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Sandstone Peak is in post-production!
Sandstone Peak will be included in Melomanie’s next album, Ultraviolet. The album has been recorded and is in post-production. It was a thrill to work with four-time Grammy winning producer Andreas Meyer. We will announce the release date soon! Subscribe here.
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Bonnie will be performing Afterlight, by Robert Dick, at the National Flute Associations's national convention this year in Dallas. Stay tuned.
**EVENT CANCELLED**
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The New York Flute Club will be one of twelve flute choirs nationwide to premeiere a new work by Julia Wolfe. The premiere is April 19th, and we will be performing again for the National Flute Association in Dallas in August.
**EVENT CANCELLED**
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Call To Compassion, a commission for the Reform Temple of Forest Hills, will be premiered on April 4th in the Forest Hills sanctuary. as part of their 25th anniversary celebration concert.
**EVENT CANCELLED**
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Bonnie will be performing "Climbing Nissequogue's Shadows" for glissando flute and piano at the Composers' Concert of the Musicians' Club of New York. More info here.
**EVENT CANCELLED**
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Bonnie's new wind trio, "Insides" was warmly welcomed by the wonderful audience of the Astoria Music Project, and will be performed again on March 22 in Manhattan.
**EVENT CANCELLED**
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A new work for wind trio will find its way into the world on March 8th, in Woodside, for the Astoria Music Project! Each movement from the trio is dedicated to a different kind of stone.
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Bonnie will be heading to Delaware this week to record Sandstone Peak with Melomanie and Andreas Meyer. Melomanie is: Kimberley Reighley on flute, Kristof Richter on violin, Donna Fournier on viola de gamba, Ismar Gomez on cello, and Tracey Richardson on harpsichord.
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Overlooking Hither Hills
The Chamber Orchestra of the Hamptons, under the direction of Dr. Andrew Perea, premiered Overlooking Hither Hills, an overture for chamber orchestra on July 27, 2017 at the Montauk Playhouse, with a repeat performance on August 1 at the Children's Museum of the East End.
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Adjudicating for the Koussevitsky Competition this weekend in NYC
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The next movement for "And The Joy Will Burn Out the Pain" will premiere on Sunday, March 24th at Scandinavia Hall. More info and tickets here.
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"Using Flute Physics to Tune Multiphonics" is now published as part of the Initiatives, Meetings and Publications of Artistic Research's journal. Here's the article!
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I'm very proud to announce that Fourteen Fortnights is cited in the second edition of Dictionary for the Modern Flutist, by Susan MacLagan.
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Bonnie will be performing and teaching about multiphonics in Orlando this month, for the National Flute Association.
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Transforming Parallels is the featured publication on musicaneo.com this month! Check out a bit of the score here.
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Wayfaring Stranger, a new work for solo multiphonic flute has been released! Check it out!
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Bridge Project
Plans are in the works for an interdisciplinary film/music project in Kyoto, Japan, called the Bridge Project. A new work, "And the Joy will burn out the Pain," for flute and piano will be composed and premiered at the festival by flutist Bonnie McAlvin and pianist Emiko Sato. More news to come!
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Birdhouses
A new work for solo piano found its way to Japanese pianist Emiko Sato.
Each birdhouse represents a struggle between the life force and the desire to be civilized. The harmony swirls around the mouth of the bird house, undergoing transformations which lead it only—and always—within a few voice leading motions from that which keeps it swirling.
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Hands-On Flute
Bonnie performed a recital and spoke about tuning multiphonics at the Hands-On Flute Research conference hosted by IMPAR (Initiatives, Meetings and Publications on Artistic Research) at the University of Aveiro in Aveiro, Portugal.
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Transforming Parallels
A new work for solo multiphonic flute! Check it out.
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Mélomanie performs Sandstone Peak
The award-winning Mélomanie premiered Sandstone Peak on March 25 at Camp Rehoboth Community Center with a repeat performance on April 2 at the Delaware Contemporary Museum of Art. "Sandstone Peak is a story of illusion, erosion, being exposed, and being everywhere at once. The peak, the highest in the Santa Monica Mountains, stares--naked of trees or shrubbery--into the eyes of the wind."
I. Illusion
II. Conversation
III. Throne of sand
IV. Everywhere at once
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New York No Limits
My First Kiss and the People Involved will screen in NYC this weekend, at the New York No Limits Film Series. Saturday, 7pm. The Wild Project 195 E 3rd St
New York. Info here. Tickets here.
The film won the Audience Award!
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Audience Award at NOLA and Ultra Indie Nomination
My First Kiss and the People Involved won the Audience Award for Best Narrative at the New Orleans Film Festival, and was nominated for Ultra Indie Award at the Woodstock Film Festival.
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Branches Reaching
A new work for flute and piano duo is in the works this summer! Branches Reaching is a set of eight miniatures: each miniature is based on a photograph, and tries to bring the photo back to life. Listen to a sketch here. The new work will be premiered by Bonnie McAlvin and Kristin Samadi, pianist, on October 22nd, 2016 in recital at St. John's Lutheran Church of Lindenhurst, 36 East John Street. Other works on the program include the Reinecke Sonata, Dutilleux Sonatine, Boulez Sonatine, and a brand new transcription of a violin/piano sonata by Beethoven. Subscribe for info!
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New Orleans Film Festival
My First Kiss and the People Involved will screen at the New Orleans Film Festival, October 12-20, 2016. Info to come here.
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Overlooking Hither Hills, a new work for orchestra
The lovely musicians of the Chamber Orchestra of the Hamptons read a draft of "Overlooking Hither Hills", a new work for orchestra this summer, and it will be premiered during the summer of 2017! The piece was composed during the month of June, and parts are being printed as I type! I'm very excited to present this work, which is my first for full orchestra.
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Some Great Press!
My First Kiss and the People Involved was top pick for both CriterionCast and the LA Daily News! The Hollywood Reporter gave the score a grade of "Excellent". Here are the reviews:
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LA Film Festival
My First Kiss and the People Involved, directed by Luigi Campi and scored for flute and strings by Bonnie McAlvin, has been selected to premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival this June.
"In this lyrical and atmospheric coming-of-age tale, writer/director Luigi Campi has deftly crafted a world that is magical yet full of trauma and discovery. Every layer of story and production fully conveys Sam’s experience of the world—an undertaking that would be noteworthy at any level, but is truly impressive in a directorial debut."
-Drea Clark, LA Film Festival Programming Committee
"The most engaging movie title of any flick this year, we love the fish out of water idea of this one. Following a gal who 'doesn’t speak, hums with the trees and cracks in the walls’ as she makes her way out of a group home find her mysterious missing caregiver is one case we’re eager to see solved."
-Jason Coleman, Star Pulse
Watch the trailer here!
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Mélonamie commission
Bonnie has been commissioned by Delaware-based group, Mélomanie, to write for their 2016-17 season. Mélomanie was founded in 1993 by co-artistic directors and ensemble members, Tracy Richardson and Kimberly Reighley. Mélomanie has delighted audiences throughout the Delaware Valley with its provocative pairings of early and contemporary works. To connect the music of the Baroque with contemporary invention, Mélomanie's programs feature works from the 17th and 18th Centuries performed on period instruments as well as works from the 20th and 21st Centuries. In addition, Mélomanie is dedicated to commissioning and performing new works composed for the ensemble. Their recent cd was reviewed by Early Music America here.
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Fortnight Series is complete
Today is a landmark! The final video in the Fourteen Fortnights of Multiphonics was released. Check it out here!
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Recording date set for Transforming Parallels
Transforming Parallels is a new work for solo flute. The work uses all of the fingerings from Parallel Transformations, but in a different order, and in a different harmonic context. The work is very different from Parallel Transformations, but it shares its unique timbral world, due to the shared fingerings. Keep updated by subscribing!
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Cherry Blossom, for solo flute
A new piece for solo multiphonic flute is hot off the press! Based on the Japanese folk song, Sakura, the piece was commissioned by Emiko Sato for a tour of Japan. Cherry Blossoms is published by Moveable Doors Publications and is available for download here.
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Folksongs in Four Voices
Folksongs in Four Voices is an upcoming collection of folksongs for solo multiphonic flute. The first folksong is Cherry Blossom, based on the Japanese "Sakura", and the second, in progess now, is based on the English folksong "I am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger". Keep updated by subscribing.
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Music for sale @ www.musicaneo.com
An exciting step: our sales platform is established! Parallel Transformations is available for purchase. Cherry Blossom, Bear Mountain, Adventures of a Flying Pond-Bug and many more will be available soon, as parts become available. Thanks so much to everyone who asked where they can buy music! Check back, or get automatic updates by subscribing here.
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National Flute Association Convention 2015
The Fourteen Fortnight-er coffee at NFA was lovely! What a nice break from all the craziness of the convention. So happy to meet such hard-working multiphonic-ers, and I'm looking forward to next year!
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My First Kiss and the People Involved
Bonnie just completed the score for the independent film, "My First Kiss and the People Involved", directed by Luigi Campi. The film, which is scored for flute and strings, uses multiphonics to convey the experience of its leading lady, Sam, a lovely young woman with ASD who is learning to reach out and connect with her world and the people in it. Wish the film luck on the festival circuit by following! http://www.myfirstkissmovie.com/
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We made the list!
Happy to announce that Bonnie is featured in the "Famous Flutists" list on All About Flute. Check out the super-useful app here: http://allaboutflute.org/
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New Multiphonic solo in the works for tour of Japan
Cherry Blossom enjoyed its premiere in June, at AUPAC Performing Arts Center. A video is in the works, for release in September, and the sheet music will be on sale beginning in October.
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The Koussevitzky Foundation's Competition is underway!
Bonnie is adjudicating.
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Parallel Transformations garners international attention
Parallel Transformations is a new multiphonic etude for solo flute. The piece is a fully tonal three voice counterpoint, performed by a single flutist! A tutorial is posted to get you started.
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Check out Bonnie's youtube channel here!
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The International Electro-Acoustic Music Festival
Bonnie will be working with four-time Guggenheim winner John Eaton, to realize his rarely-performed A Greek Vision, with soprano Emily Woodbridge. The work, which uses quarter-tones, multiphonics, and many other extended techniques is exhaustingly difficult for both flutist and soprano.
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"Little Pieces" to be performed by musicians of the Cleveland Orchestra
I am absolutely thrilled to announce that Mary Kay Fink, piccoloist with the Cleveland Orchestra, has agreed to perform Bouncing Off the Turtle-Top at a house concert this Spring! Mary Kay Fink has been the Cleveland Orchestra piccoloist since 1990. She received her Bachelor of Music degree of the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School. In 1986 she won the National Flute Association Young Artist Competition and gave her formal debut recital in 1987 at Carnegie Recital Hall. She has appeared as a soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Ohio Chamber Orchestra, The New Jersey Symphony, the Bismark Symphony, the Madison Symphony, and as a youth soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony.
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Firehouse Debut
Bonnie will debut at the Firehouse this February 28th: 246 Frost St. Brooklyn,. On the menu are various multiphonic works fearuring flutists Bonnie McAlvin, Roberta Michel, Melissa Keeling and Sarah Carrier.
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Contrapictions recording released!
Four movements for flute, violia and cello. Recorded at Uptime Studios by MP Kuo in June 2011, released February, 2013.
Bonnie McAlvin, Flute
Karen Rostron, Viola
Marta Bedkowska, Cello
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Winner, National Flute Association Convention Performers Competition
Bonnie appeared as soloist at the 2011 convention of the National Flute Association, held in Charlotte, North Carolina. She performed newly-published work(s) by Kenji Bunch and Ian Clarke.
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Two Upcoming Premieres
Two works will be premiered on June 5, 2011 at Church of the Holy Jesus Christ in Richmond Hill, Queens by prominent NYC chamber musicians Karen Rostron, Violin and Marta Bedkowska, Cello. They will be performing Bonnie's just-finished "Contrapictions" for Flute, Violin and Cello.
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