I've made it no secret that the summer is a struggle for us freelance musicians financially. A good bit of my students take the summer off for travel or camps. So I am teaching less. It is also slim pickins for paid performances, with the exception of some "Stars & Stripes" gigs for us flute/piccolo players . The result is I typically have more time to compose. While I have been doing that, sometimes I like to revisit doing arrangements especially for flute duo.
My Christmas Flute Duets have by far been the best seller of anything I have available for sale on my website. Unfortunately, those typical only sell during October through early January then sales drop off. I managed to prolong some sales by adding Easter and Lent Flute Duets as well as Wedding Flute Duets. Although those have been received well too, I have had many requests over the years to do a collection of traditional hymns. Music for church services is performed quite a bit, and people who perform that music on a weekly basis are always hungry for new music.
The result is I finally had some time this summer to get to a project I have always wanted to complete. It solves many problems for me. It makes me brush up on my basic composition skills, create some much needed income, and gives me some new music to perform with students and friends at my own church. Right now, I have 5 Traditional Hymns for flute duet: "Amazing Grace", "Be Thou My Vision", "How Great Thou Art", "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name", and "O Sanctisimma". So far, people seem to really enjoy them. Perhaps in the future I will be able to expand on the collection. They are always fun to arrange and perform. I'm always so please to hear how other flutists are so glad to find some new hymns to perform at their own church.
Every year I summer comes around and basically I white knuckle it until October when work picks back up (ie students and gigs). This summer is no different in the student and paid gig arena, but in the composition department is has been a record breaking season for me - well as far as summer is concerned. This summer has been filled with commissions, performances of my works, and a competition win!
My summer kicked off in the win column when it was announced in June that I won The Flute View's Composition Competition. Winning a competition is rare, especially for me. Winning meant a little money to help us get through June (record breaking low since I started teaching - thanks students for getting awesome and going away to music camps). It also meant a lot of publicity as well as a premiere of the my winning composition Percolate for flute trio. I haven't heard the premiere yet, but I'm sure it was amazing since it was performed by Viviana Guzman, Andrea Fisher (Fluterscooter), and Alice K. Dade. Did I mention that there was all sorts of publicity tied to this? There was a Youtube interview and a podcast interview with The Flute View.
August is shaping up to be a good month as well thanks to the National Flute Association Convention. The Flute Choir of Atlanta directed by Kathy Farmer will premiere Summer Insomnia for flute choir that they had commissioned specifically for this performance. (Purchase availability coming soon!) I will join forces with my sister who is a physical therapist to give a workshop about pain prevention called "When Tooting Your Flute is a Pain in Your Neck". So I think this summer certainly makes up for last summer.
There's been bumps in the road - AC breaking in the car and the house, a flat tire, health junk. But we got through it. The hubs even quit smoking! How awesome is that!?!
So maybe I got ahead of myself posting about the Christmas Flute Duets the other day. Never fear! I managed to find some time and crank out a flute duet for Halloween. The best familiar tune I could think of (that was in public domain) was Funeral March of a Marionette by Charles Gounod. Like many people, I was really only familiar with the theme played in the Hitchcock TV series. So when I dug around and found the original piano piece, I was surprised to find so much more to the work. That's why I love doing these simple arrangements. It makes me do score study. It flexes my composition skills in a different way. I have to to pay attention and figure out what is most important. How does this piece work? How will it translate? Hopefully, things rub off when I write my original pieces. For right now, enjoy this arrangement and hopefully some time soon I'll record it and eradicate that awful MIDI rendering:
Oh yes, its about that time of year where I start touting all the Christmas Music I've arranged for flute duet. I know its only September, but they time you factor in search engines finding this article and the prep time musicians need to get their Christmas Music practiced and in a Christmas program for the season it makes me start peddling them in September. Actually, I work on them all year - even when I'm not in the mood. I'll put on QVC's Christmas in July programs and I get the courage to start putting a few more arrangements out.
I originally made my first few flute duet arrangements out of frustration. I had some really talented students who wanted to sight read Christmas music in their lessons, but the majority of the duets out there are ridiculously easy. Not a challenge at all. So I tried to make some challenging ones which included changing meters from simple to complex, and also playing in the higher register. I posted my first one "Silent Night" on a flute forum, and I took my dogs on a walk. When I got back, I had a half dozen orders waiting on me. So I did a few more. I have arrangements of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", "Jingle Bells", "Silent Night", "Coventry Carol", "What Child Is This?", "O Come, O Come Emmanuel", "We Three Kings of Orient Are", and "Pat-a-Pan"
Not only did the arrangements help my students get some extra practice while having fun, but we were able to have extra money for our Christmas that year - not to mention how it helped build my skills as a composer. So every so often, I'll arrange a few more. I even did some Easter Flute Duets as well as Wedding Flute Duets. All this duet arranging got me thinking - I should write an original flute duet using extended techniques that I love, like beatboxing. Chatter for flute duet was born.
I'm grateful that teaching my students led to arranging which led to writing an original composition I'm proud of. Who would have thought? Now go buy my Christmas Music for Flute Duet :) Did I mention they work for violin as well?
Do you want a solo that you can play with your pianist at Christmas? I also have an arrangement of "Away in a Manger" for flute and piano. Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is F above the staff. Lowest note is A on the staff. Piece is approximately 2 1/2 minutes long. Great for Christmas church services!
Did you want to play something for solo flute or even bass flute? I have a solo flute arrangement of "I Wonder as I Wander". (This arrangement works well with other solo instruments as well like violin, oboe, etc) Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Suitable for C flute, alto flute, bass flute, and violin. Piece is approximately 4 minutes long.
All these Christmas Music arrangements can be purchased using Paypal and will be delivered personally by me through email as a PDF within 24 hours! Merry Christmas!
Alleluia, Sing to Jesus Jesus Christ Is Risen Today Were You There When They Crucified My Lord? What Wonderous Love Is This?
Arranger:Nicole Chamberlain Instrumentation: 2 C Flutes Level: Intermediate to Advanced Duration: 8 Minutes Format: PDF Price: $8.00
Arrangements of "Alleluia, Sing to Jesus", "Were you There When They Crucified My Lord", "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today!", and "What Wonderous Love Is This?". Buy all 4 in one click! Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd A above the staff. Lowest note is C below the staff. Each piece is approximately 2 minutes long. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.
Listen Level:Intermediate to Advanced Duration: 1 1/2 Minute Format: PDF Price:$2.00
This is an arrangement of the American Folk Song, "Yankee Doodle". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd A above the staff. Lowest note is Eb on bottom of the staff. Piece is approximately 1 1/2 minute long. Great for those Patriotic and Athletic Gigs! Suitable for piccolos and violins as well. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.
Listen Level:Intermediate to Advanced Duration: 1 Minute Format: PDF Price:$2.00
This is an arrangement of the American National Anthem, "Star-Spangled Banner". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd Bb above the staff (optional). Lowest note is D below the staff. Piece is approximately 1 minute long. Great for those Patriotic and Athletic Gigs! Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.
When the Dahlia Flute Duo agreed to premiere my piece "Chatter" this year, I really didn't expect to hear from them for a few months. To my surprise they found an opportunity to premiere the work on a huge stage. They will premiere the work at the International Alliance for Women in Music 2011 Congressat the University of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Arizona in September. Dates and times are not yet solid, but I will keep you informed as they happened. This week has been out of this world, and there is still more news ahead that is incredibly exciting. I can't wait to finally be able to tell people :)
Again, next week (not to mention the rest of the month and April) is looking like a jammed packed month and I welcome it!
On March 8 at 7pm at Hopewell Middle School in Milton, Georgia, the Hopewell Middle School Symphonic Band under the direction of Audrey Murphy (http://www.hopewellbands.com) will premiere a work they commissioned from me called "Hopewell". This concert is a preview concert of what they will perform at the National Music for All Band Festival in Indianapolis, IN from March 17-19. I've been to a couple rehearsal and they sound great!
On March 12 at 8pm and March 13 at 3pm at Kennesaw State University's Bailey Performing Arts Center I will be performing with the Cobb Symphony Orchestra. We will be performing Shoshtakovich's Symphony No. 1 and Rachmoninoff's Symphony No.2 You can buy your tickets here:http://www.cobbsymphony.org/cso_10-11_season.htm
In other new the Dahlia Flute Duo (http://www.dahliafluteduo.com) has agreed to premiere my flute duet "Chatter" this season. They are champions of contemporary music and are also featured recitalists at this years National Flute Convention. I will let you know more as we nail down dates!
Listen Level:Intermediate to Advanced Duration: 3 Minutes Format: PDF Price:$2.00
This is an arrangement Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd G above the staff. Lowest note is D below the staff. Piece is approximately 3 minutes long. Great for weddings and church services! Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.
Listen Level: Advanced Duration: 3 1/2 Minutes Format: PDF Price:$4.00
"Chatter" is a flute duet which uses percussive extended technique available to the flutist using beatboxing to mimic chatter and conversation. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.
I got the date, time, and place of the world premiere of my flute choir piece, "Tamar" (http://www.clearnote.net/Tamar.html). It will be on Feb. 11 at 1pm at UAH Roberts Recital Hall at the University of Alabama of Huntsville in Huntsville, AL. It will be performed by the UAH Flute Choir under the direction of Betty Stone. I will be in attendance. The New Music Festival has a lot of music scheduled including a performance of my husband's composition professor, Dr. Nickitas Demos. Here's the full schedule: http://www.uah.edu/music/nmf-rep
I've also continued with the arrangements, and with wedding season around the corner I thought some wedding duets would be a good idea to get started: http://www.nikkinotes.com/WeddingDuets.html
Listen Level:Intermediate to Advanced Duration: 2 Minutes Format: PDF Price:$2.00This is an arrangement of the traditional wedding tune by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, "Prince of Denmark's March" (Trumpet Voluntary). Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd Bb above the staff. Lowest note is F on the first space of the staff. Piece is approximately 2 1/2 minutes long. Great for Wedding Ceremonies! Could be used for wedding party processional, bride's processional, prelude music, or recessional. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.
Listen Level:Intermediate to Advanced Duration: 2 1/2 Minutes Format: PDF Price:$2.00
This is an arrangement of the traditional wedding tune by Jeremiah Clarke, "Prince of Denmark's March" (Trumpet Voluntary). Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd G above the staff. Lowest note is D below the staff. Piece is approximately 2 1/2 minutes long. Great for Wedding Ceremonies! Could be used for wedding party processional, bride's processional, prelude music, or recessional. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.
Listen Level:Intermediate to Advanced Duration: 2 Minutes Format: PDF Price:$2.00
This is an arrangement of the traditional wedding tune by Henry Purcell, "Trumpet Tune and Air". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd B above the staff. Lowest note is C# below the staff. Piece is approximately 2 minutes long. Great for Wedding Ceremonies! Could be used for wedding party processional, bride's processional, prelude music, or recessional. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.
Listen Level:Intermediate to Advanced Duration: 2 Minutes Format: PDF Price:$2.00
This is an arrangement of the Traditional Easter Hymn, "Alleluia, Sing to Jesus". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd G above the staff. Lowest note is C below the staff. Piece begins in 3/4, transitions to 3/8, then back to 3/4. Piece is approximately 2 minutes long. Great for Easter church services! Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.
Listen Level:Intermediate to Advanced Duration: 2 Minutes Format: PDF Price:$2.00
This is an arrangement of the Traditional Easter Hymn, "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today!". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd A above the staff. Lowest note is D below the staff. Piece begins in 4/4, transitions to 6/8, then back to 4/4. Piece is approximately 2 minutes long. Great for Easter church services! Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.
Listen Level:Intermediate to Advanced Duration: 2 1/2 Minutes Format: PDF Price:$2.00
This is an arrangement of the African American Spritual, "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd G above the staff. Lowest note is C# below the staff. Piece is approximately 2 1/2 minutes long. Great for Lent and Good Friday church services! Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.
Listen Level:Intermediate to Advanced Duration: 1 1/2 Minutes Format: PDF Price:$2.00
This is an arrangement of the Traditional Irish Melody, "Haste to the Wedding". Perfect for intermediate to advanced players. Highest note is 2nd B above the staff. Lowest note is C# below the staff. Piece is approximately 1 1/2 minutes long. Great for Wedding Ceremonies! Could be used for wedding party processional, bride's processional, prelude music, or recessional. Piece will be delivered as a PDF through email.
The result is I finally had some time this summer to get to a project I have always wanted to complete. It solves many problems for me. It makes me brush up on my basic composition skills, create some much needed income, and gives me some new music to perform with students and friends at my own church. Right now, I have 5 Traditional Hymns for flute duet: "Amazing Grace", "Be Thou My Vision", "How Great Thou Art", "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name", and "O Sanctisimma". So far, people seem to really enjoy them. Perhaps in the future I will be able to expand on the collection. They are always fun to arrange and perform. I'm always so please to hear how other flutists are so glad to find some new hymns to perform at their own church.
