The Los Angeles Philharmonic has made some rather impressive hires during the Gustavo Dudamel era, but perhaps none more intriguing than the three stellar principal woodwinds. They’re tough to miss, both because they sit dead-center in the orchestra and, more importantly, because their playing is impeccable. They also share a notable line-item on their curriculum … Continue reading
When Julien Beaudiment was still just a teenager in France, he was already a prominent enough flutist to warrant attention from his hometown newspaper. “I was doing a concert in my hometown, and I was saying that my dream was to work in America. For me it was always something that was really fascinating to … Continue reading
In May 2010, a few months after Mathieu Dufour decided to return to his old chair in Chicago, the Los Angeles Philharmonic held auditions for a new Principal Flute to replace him. They ended up offering the position to David Buck, then principal with the Oregon Symphony, without requiring any kind of trial period. Fast … Continue reading
In what has become a nearly annual event, the Pacific Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has named a new Principal Flute: this time around, the winner is Benjamin Smolen, the current Principal Flute of the Battle Creek Symphony. Mr. Smolen has played as a guest with the Pacific Symphony before. Now that he’s got the full-time gig, let’s hope … Continue reading
Ahhh, it is July, and a classic Southern California Summer is brewing: the sun is shining with no clouds in sight, there is a slight breeze in the air to keep you cool, and the water temp is in the high 60’s and climbing. Once the waves grow higher than their current ankle-slapper status, conditions … Continue reading
