Fall 2024 Program

The Elements
by Cynthia Folio

The Elements was published in 1985 and has been a staple of flute choir music ever since.  The four elements of earth, air, water and fire are musically represented: from the eerie emptiness of viewing the Earth from outer space, to Air played without vibrato, to Water of a flowing country stream and finally the energy of Fire.

For the Beauty of the Earth
Music by John Rutter, Words by Folliott S. Pierpoint
Arranged for Flute choir by Matt Johnston

This sacred choral composition, published in 1980, was originally a hymn written in 1864 by Folliott Pierpoint to express his feelings of praise and gratitude when he looked at the countryside of Bath, England. It is considered one of Rutter’s most beloved anthems.

Songs of the Ocean
by Ryohei Hirose, arranged by Ann Cameron Pearce

The original vocal texts speak of a white feather found on a deserted inlet where the sea had erased all memory of the birds. The first and third movements are smooth and flowing with sweet melodies, while the second movement demonstrates energy and frivolity with bouncing staccatos and quick runs. In three movements: There Was No Ocean, The Tufted Puffin, Lullaby of the Ocean.

The Secret Language of Snow
by Kirk Vogel

Inspired by Terry Tempest William’s book of the same name, this piece depicts in three movements words for snow used by the Inuit of the Kobuk Valley in northwest Alaska. Annui means falling snow; Api, describes fresh snow on the ground, and Siquq, features snow that swirls above ridgetops.

Land of Arctic Fire
by Jonathan Cohen

This composition conveys Iceland’s beautiful, strange landscape. The first movement, Just Below the Surface, describes water, steam and lava exploding through the thin crust. The second movement, Glacier, is vast, timeless and cold with a tranquil melody. The third movement, Cascade showcases thousands of tiny rivers cascading down hills and mountains. The fourth movement, Valley Down, imagines breathtaking green valleys, and finally the fifth movement, Volcanics and Vikings, is grand and energetic.

Fire Dance
by Valerie Coleman

This musical description of fire and its hunger begins with embers of coal and progresses to a flickering flame and a raging inferno.