2Flutes brings together flutists Laura Falzon and Pamela Sklar, who between them have performed a staggeringly eclectic repertoire ranging from Classical works to rock, pop, folk and jazz, with performances throughout the USA, Canada, Europe, Morocco, India and Japan. Both acclaimed soloists in their own right, Falzon has been described as “fearless in tackling and promoting” challenging new works by the British Flute Society’s PANmagazinewhile Sklar, has been called “ A master of control and dynamics” by the Boston Globe.
Steeped in distinctly varied musical backgrounds, 2Flutes perform music ranging from newly written works to standard repertoire and own arrangements of classics. Two time winners of the New York Women Composers Seed Grant awards, 2Flutes has recently recorded their debut album New York Tapestries featuring works specifically written or arranged for them by members of New York Women Composers. The CD, sponsored in part by NYWC will be released in the Fall of 2018.
Recordings
News
New York Tapestries Out Now
2Flutes’ debut CD “New York Tapestries” is out now!
The CD presents a collection of contemporary works for two flutes by New York women composers specifically written or transcribed for the 2Flutes ensemble.
In New York Tapestries, the two flutes of Laura Falzon and Pamela Sklar weave together pieces from New York women composers to form a tapestry of the city, creating a diversity of musical narratives and conversations.
Composers include Marilyn Bliss, Rain Worthington, Pamela Sklar, Alyssa Reit and Victoria Bond
US/NY Premiere
Pamela Sklar’s US/NY premiere of her new work Chains of Love for a quartet of mezzosoprano, flute, alto flute and piano was performed on January 24th 2018 at the Lincoln Center—Bruno Walter Auditorium by mezzosoprano Anna Tonna, 2Flutes (Laura Falzon & Pamela Sklar) and pianist Isabel Pérez Dobarro.
2Flutes receive a New York Women Composers 2015 Recording Grant
We are very excited to be awarded a recording grant by New York Women Composers to fund the recording of of a CD featuring works by NYWC composers.
World Premiere
In 3 movements, and scored for flute and Alto flute, When the Clouds Clear was written for 2Flutes duo—Laura Falzon & Pamela Sklar by composer Alyssa Reit. The first 2 movements were written in Spring of 2015 and received their World Premiere performance by 2Flutes in April of the same year at the PAC house theatre in Westchester, New York. Some of Alyssa Reit’s many compositions include “American Songs” for Brass Quintet, “Legends of Isis,” for strings and “Faith, Hope and Love” for chamber ensemble. As a harpist she has performed with institutions ranging from the Orchestra of St. Lukes, the Pittsburgh Symphony, and the Metropolitan Opera, to contemporary music groups and traditional Irish bands, playing in such well known, diverse venues as Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Tully Hall, BAM, the Public Theater, and the Kitchen.
World Premiere
Composer and tenor Robert Puleo wrote Earthsongs for 2Flutes duo which they premiered at the PAC house theatre in Westchester New York in April of 2015. As a tenor, Mr. Puleo who began his singing career as a Boy Soprano with numerous appearances as a soloist with the Metropolitan Opera and New York City Opera. One of his first roles was Amahl in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors under the personal direction of its composer. He has has since sung over 30 operatic roles. He was co-founder Artistic Director, member and Composer-in-Residence of the award winning vocal chamber ensemble, Musica Plenti until 2011. Robert Puleo has written many vocal works including the cantata, Outcase, St. Francis -an opera about the conversion of St. Francis of Assisi, and Cry of the Children, a work about war and peace.
World Premiere
Composer Victoria Bond found inspiration for her work originally written for 2 violins and now newly arranged for two flutes “Woven”, in Jack Larsen’s fabric designs. This new version of “Woven” for the duo 2Flutes will receive it’s premiere on March 10th 2015 at a Concert by 2flutes ensemble at Columbia University’s Music at St. Paul concert series. In “Woven”, Bond applies the principle of interwoven strands of colored thread to the interwoven musical lines. In each of the 4 contrasting movements, Spinning, Knotted, Open-weave and Tapestry, texture, color and design are the governing elements. The recipient of the Victor Herbert Award, the American Academy of Arts and Letters’ Walter Hinrichsen Award and the Miriam Gideon Prize, Victoria Bond’s compositions have been praised by the New York Times as “powerful, stylistically varied and technically demanding”. Bond’s commissions include by The American Ballet Theater, Pennsylvania Ballet, and Houston Symphony Orchestra. Her work has been performed by orchestras such as Dallas Symphony and New York City Opera.
New York Premiere
Slovenian composer Anže Rozman’s work for two flutes and piano titled Two Rivers, receives it’s New York premiere performance by 2Flutes with guest artist, pianist Daniel Beliavsky, on October 3rd 2015 at a concert at Columbia University’s Music at St. Paul’s music series. Rozman studied at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana and at Berklee College of Music and his work includes orchestral, choral works, chamber music, and music for film and television. He has been performed by such orchestras as the Opera & Ballet House Orchestra of Ljubljana and his music has won several awards. The composer explains that in his The Two Rivers, for two flutes and piano, “as the title suggests, the piece is very flowing in nature and talks about two entities joining into one. (…) the melody lines that evolve throughout the music suggest introspective thoughts of each of the two rivers, the two souls, and join up in the end into one uniform entity.”
World Premiere
Marilyn Bliss wrote “It Was the Wind” a setting of an evocative Navajo text originally for voice and Native American flute. Arranged specifically for the duo 2Flutes, and scored for Alto flute & Native American flute, this new version receives it’s World premiere by 2Flutes during a concert at Columbia University’s Music at St. Paul’s concert series on March 10th 2015. Marilyn Bliss has written many widely performed orchestral, chamber, and solo works. Educated at Coe College and the University of Pennsylvania, her teachers include such distinguished composers as George Crumb, George Rochberg, Jacob Druckman, Jerry Owen, and Harvey Sollberger. Awards received include a Charles Ives Prize from the American Academy/Institute of Arts and Letters, ASCAP Young Composers Award, Newly Published Flute Music awards from the National Flute Association and fellowships from Tanglewood. The Boston globe wrote that her piece Huatzu Hill is “…a series of rich landscapes – the colors sharp, the feelings powerfully concentrated, the language eloquent, the expression precise.”
World Premiere
Rain Worthington‘s Duets for a Duo, will receive its World Premiere during a Concert this Wednesday this Wednesday October 22nd 2014 at St Paul’s Church National Historic Site in Mount Vernon, Westchester, New York. This work for flute and Alto flute, takes from an earlier work by Worthington — a work for flute and oboe duo written for and performed at the Festival of Contemporary Music at James Madison University in Virginia. Worthington’s emotionally evocative music has been described as music that “… take ideas of American musical style to a new place – like a walk in a familiar, yet very different park… And isn’t afraid to come up with its own startling conclusions.” – Kyle Gann, Chamber Music magazine
World Premiere
Pamela Sklar’s new work Flashes of Inspiration and Joy for flute & bass flute doubling Native American flute received its World Premiere performance on September 23rd 2014 during 2flutes’s ensemble performance at St Peter’s at Citigroup on Lexington Avenue in New York. Inspired by Joy Harjo- the internationally known Native American writer and artist of the Mvskoke/Creek Nation,Flashes of Inspiration and Joy is composer Pamela Sklar’s personal reflection on Joy Harjo’s imagination, spirituality, many talents and determination which enabled her to survive a troubled childhood and early youth. Sklar, one of the two flutists and the co-artistic director of 2Flutes ensemble, is a published composer of chamber music, whose work has been described as “engaging… piquant…stimulating…delightful” by the New York Times.
Awarded New York Women Composer’s Grant!
We are thrilled to announce that New York Women Composers have awarded 2Flutes a Seed Money Grant. The Disseminated Grant will enable us to program music by five NYWC members in concerts across New York City and Westchester County for the coming season.