piccoloHQ

Welcome to Piccolo Headquarters!

Exciting News for piccolo enthusiasts attending the 2008 British Flute Society Convention: I am excited to be assisting Trevor Wye in coordinating a mini piccolo symposium during this year's BFS conference, and the schedule is shaping up nicely. Included on the program will be piccolo clinics, performances, morning warm-up sessions and panel disucssions conducted by myself (Christine Beard), Walfrid Kujala, Lior Eitan, Stewart McWilliam, Matjaz Debeljak, and Patricia Morris. Visit Trevor's BFS convention preview for more information!

Chutzpah! for piccolo and piano by Howard J. Buss received its world premiere on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 7:30 PM in the Strauss Performing Arts Center, Recital Hall, at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The performers were John Bailey, piccolo, and Ann Chang-Barnes, piano. Chutzpah! will be published by Brixton Publications in January of 2008.

Piccoloist Nan Raphael has released 2 new piccolo CDs entitled "Hands Across the Seas" and another featuring music for two piccolo called "Piccolo Four Hands" with Duo 8va. Check out the details on the RECORDINGS page.

The 35th NFA convention was held in Albuquerque, NM. Amongst the scattered piccolo performances included Mary Kay Fink (Bruce Broughton's Concerto and the premiere of "Gravities Ghost" for solo piccolo by Robert Dick), Regina Helcher (premiere of "Farandula" for picc/gtr by Christopher Caliendo), Linda Toote (Martin Amlin's Sonata), the piccolo masterclass with Walfrid Kujala, and his encore performance of "Piccolo Pops" composed for him by his son, Steve. There were also several piccolo-related items that were unveiled: Trevor James' new Recital and Performer series piccolos, Burkhart's XXV anniversary piccolo, the piccolo Thumbport, and a new guide entitled "Complete Piccolo Resource Book" compiled by Jan Gippo.

The 1st annual International Piccolo Symposium was held August 2-4, 2007 featuring artist-teachers in residence Nicola Mazzanti (Italy), Lois Herbine (USA), and myself (Christine Beard, USA), and guest presenter Nancy Nourse (Canada). 25 flutists from 10 states and Canada participated in this inaugural event which featured 3 days of master classes, recitals, lectures, and discussion sessions. Click on the Symposium link above for reviews and additional photos from this year's symposium, and make plans to attend the 2nd one next summer (details coming soon)!

An old book of small French pieces for piccolo has recently been reprinted! Jan Gippo discussed the collection "Pipeaux 1934" in a brief article which appeared in Flute Talk in 2006, and apparently his efforts to resurrect the collection have paid off. ÉDITIONS DE L'OISEAU-LYRE has reprinted the collection which includes 7 works for "pipe" and piano by several leading French composers of the time, including Poulenc, Milhaud, Roussel, Ibert, Auric, Ferroud, and Martelli. The works are all under 4 minutes in duration and exhibit a limited range that only extends from D1 to D3. Thus, they are well-suited to use as teaching pieces for beginning piccolo players, but they are also very charming and would make great filler pieces for recitals. The collection is selling for $36 EUR and is available on the ÉDITIONS DE L'OISEAU-LYRE website.

The Vermont piccolo festival in Burlington, VT entitled "Project Piccolo Rebirth" organized by Armando Veve, was a huge success! Visit www.projectpiccolorebirth.com for a recap and photos from the event.

Special thanks to piccoloists Lior Eitan and Nicola Mazzanti for inspring me to create this site after having met them at the NFA convention in San Diego. They're both great players and wonderful gentlemen. (Read more about them both on the PLAYER page). Thanks also to Jean-Louis Beaumadier for supplying much of the information regarding his piccolo recordings, Nancy Nourse for contributing to the Research page, Leonard Garrison for having great information on his website upon for me to build, and also to Jonathan Brahms for spreading the word about my original piccolo website. :-)

Enjoy!

C.E.B.

HEADJOINT FOR SALE: Drelinger Silver Free Flo with Gold Air Reed. Lip plate is beautifully engraved to help prevent slippage. Made in 1998; played professionally by one owner. Comes in case with original crown and stopper plus a custom Blackwood crown and stopper by Robert Bigio. When played this headjoint features a huge, warm sound; quick response; and crystal-clear articulation. Paid $1300 for the headjoint and $75 for the Bigio crown/stopper; asking $1250 for both. Contact Christine Beard at cbeard@mail.unomaha.edu or at (402) 554-2685. Photos available HERE. [Posted 08.07.06]

FLUTE FOR SALE: Haynes #30595. This flute was bought in 1961 and has the following specs: solid silver head, body and mechanism; drawn tone holes, plateau (closed-hole), C-foot, A=440 scale, traditional head. Flute is in excellent condition and offered by the original owner! For more information, contact Linore French at (402) 502-6673. [Posted 09.02.06]

PICCOLO FOR SALE: Woodwind Deluxe grenadilla wood piccolo (NEW!) with solid silver keys and split E. Asking $900.00 + $30.00 S&H. Click HERE for photos and more information, or contact Chris Fosky at mozartk3@yahoo.com. [Posted 06.12.06]