“The Native American flute’s wistful tones evoke images of moonlit nights on the western plains and remind a listener of the musician’s spiritual connection to his world,” writes Graham Bryant in an article posted 12/7 (Monday) on wm.edu, website of the College of William and Mary. “But to James Pellerite, former principal flutist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Native American flute has potential beyond its Western origins—it can be a classical instrument at home in an orchestra. In a series of lectures and performances at William & Mary last week, Pellerite demonstrated his vision for the Native American flute culminating in a Friday performance of Michael Mauldin’s ‘Dream of the Child of Light,’ and the world premiere of James Aikman’s ‘Ania’s Song’ alongside the William & Mary Symphony Orchestra in Phil Beta Kappa Hall.” On Thursday, “Pellerite performed a Lakota rain dance that utilized only the flute’s five primary tones.…’The instrument was not built to be played in a modern manner,’ [Pellerite said].… But that fact has not stopped Pellerite from harnessing the Native American flute’s full potential. He demonstrated to attendees the various ways in which he has extracted a full range of tones and notes from the instrument.”
Posted December 10, 2015
