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Felix Skowronek Memorial Event: Recital and Masterclass with Demarre McGill

Sunday, October 13, 2013 - 10:00am to 8:00pm

On Sunday, October 13, 2013, the Seattle Flute Society (SFS) hosts its annual Felix Skowronek Memorial Event featuring a recital and masterclass with Demarre McGill. The Felix Skowronek Memorial Event is an annual event sponsored by the Seattle Flute Society in honor the organization’s founder, Felix Skowronek.

The recital and masterclass, held at Brechemin Auditorium at the University of Washington School of Music Building, starts at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $20 general admission; $15 SFS Members; and $10 SFS Student Members.

Winner of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant, Demarre McGill is one of the most entertaining and sought-after flutists of his generation. Mr. McGill has performed with numerous orchestral and chamber ensembles around the world. Concerto solos include performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Seattle Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Baltimore Symphony and Milwaukee Symphony, among others. He has served as Principal Flutist with the San Diego Symphony, the Florida Orchestra, and the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra. Currently on leave from the Seattle Symphony, Mr. McGill is the Principal Flutist for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. McGill’s recital program includes: Sonata for flute and piano by Francis Poulenc; Ballade for flute and piano by Frank Martin; Violin Sonata (arr. for flute) by Gabriel Fauré, and; Suite for flute and piano, Op. 34 by Charles-Marie Widor. For additional information on Demarre McGill, please go to the artist’s website at: http://demarremcgill.com/

ABOUT FELIX SKOWRONEK:

Felix Skowronek was a founding member of the Soni Venorum Wind Quintet. A native of Seattle, he studied flute at the Curtis Institute of Music with William Kincaid. Upon graduation from Curtis with a B.M. in flute performance, Skowronek returned to Seattle to serve as principal flutist with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra (1956-57, 1959-60), serving in the U.S. Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra in Germany between 1957-59 when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. In 1960, Skowronek accepted a position as the first instructor of flute at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, during which time he co-founded the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet with fellow faculty members. He left Puerto Rico in 1966 to serve as principal flutist with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for two years, then rejoined the Soni Ventorum ensemble when it became the quintet-in-residence at the University of Washington School of Music where he served as professor and professor emeritus of flute from 1968 to 2004. Skowronek was the founding president of the Seattle

Flute Society in 1979, and also served as the president of the National Flute Association from 1985-86. Skowronek’s research, performances and lectures throughout the 80’s and 90’s contributed significantly to the return of the wood flute and wood head joint to create specific tonal effects relevant to the specific genre of music performed.

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