The National Flute Association (NFA) is the largest flute organization in the world, with roughly 5,000 members from more than 50 countries.[1] It is an association in the United States with headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. Members include soloists, orchestral players, jazz musicians, world music performers, teachers, adult amateurs, and students of all ages.
| Abbreviation | NFA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1972 |
| Founder | Mark Thomas (1972-2022) |
| Founded at | Indiana |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Purpose | Inspiring Flutists, Enriching Lives. |
| Headquarters | 70 East Lake Street, Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Location |
|
| Membership | 5,000 |
Executive Director | Jennifer Clarke |
| Staff | 8 Staff, 14 Board of Directors |
| Website | http://www.nfaonline.org |
The organization was founded in 1972 by flutist Mark Thomas[2] and incorporated in 1973 in Indiana.[3] The first administrative role was established in 1977. Past presidents, program chairs, and committee chairs have included principal flautists of American orchestras, soloists, chamber musicians, and professors at conservatories & universities. Notable members include Sir James Galway and Ian Anderson.[4] Jennifer Grim[5] is President of the Board for 2024-2026, with Francesca Arnone[5] serving Vice-President for 2024-2026.
On the Executive Staff, Jennifer Clarke was named the Executive Director in January 2021.
Founding Board
editIn 1973, an ad-hoc committee was created to help plan a convention of flutists. The group became the members of the first Board of Directors.[6] Their names and roles are as followed:
Mark Thomas, President
James Pellerite, Vice-President
Philip Swanson, Treasurer
Walfrid Kujala, Secretary
Other founding members present in the committee were Robert Cole, Bernard Goldberg, Harry Moskovitz, Alexander Murray, Roger Stevens, Albert Tipton, and David Van Fleet.[6]
Annual Conventions
editThe NFA Convention is the largest annual flute convention in the world, with more than 3,000 attendees and 80 exhibitors each year. The four-day event includes a numerous amount of workshops, masterclasses, competitions, and performances from flute players based all around the world. Conventions are held in cities across the United States. The very first convention was held in 1973 located in Anaheim, California with around 77 attendees. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020, the convention that was supposed to be held in Dallas, Texas was instead held virtually, the first time there was no in-person convention since it's conception. 2020's virtual convention marked the return of convention titles, affectionately dubbed the "Summer Series", and was an extended length from the usual 4 days in August to "a month and a half of dynamic, interactive programming for flutists around the world. While it can't replace the convention, the Summer Series is an opportunity for more of us than ever to connect through our shared love of flute.".[7] The following year, 2021, was also virtual, but the length was returned to the typical 4 day convention. The In-Person Convention returned in 2022 in Chicago, Illinois, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the NFA.
The first NFA convention was held at the Royal Inn in Anaheim, California on August 10, 1973. Below are the 77 adult charter members who were in attendance.[6]
| Paul Beatty | Almeda Boatright | Bertil van Boer | Israel Borouchoff |
| Carol van Bronkhorst | Beatrice Chauncey | James Christensen | Karen Christensen |
| Donna Clarke | Wayne Combs | Tinalee Cover | Jean Cunningham |
| Darlene Dugan | Philip Dunigan | Andrew Emery | Ray Fabrizio |
| Raoul Fajardo | Claude Fouse | Sarah Baird Fouse | Laura George |
| Bernard Goldberg | Susan Greenberg | Don Griffis | James Grine |
| Monti Gturzmaker | Paige Guertin | Rosalie Hamm | Jean Harling |
| Henry Henstell | John Hicks | Arthur Hoberman | Ina Mae Holt |
| Carolyn Hoyer | Diane Kern | Walfrid Kujala | Jane Longley |
| Betty Bang Mather | Peter Middleton | George Morey | Mrs. Jaques Moe |
| Harry Moskovitz | Alexander Murray | Louise Del Negro | Charles Osbourne |
| Joseph Osley | Jay Peitzer | Althea Pena | Judy Phillips |
| Lillian Porter | Martha Rearick | Karlin Rhees | Janet Scott |
| Gretel Shanley | Rosamond Shelton | Ken Sherman | Mary Jean Simpson |
| Christine Smith | Libby Jo Snyder | Roger Stevens | Sheridan Stokes |
| Mrs. Norton Strand | Barbara Suetholz | Frank Suetholz | James Swain |
| Philip Swanson | Sue Swilley | Linda Tauber | Judith Thomas |
| Mark Thomas | Eleanor Tibbals | Albert Tipton | George Waln |
| Erick Wand | J.M. Washburn | Billy Watt | Robert Willoughby |
| Miriam Winters |
Location and Dates
edit| No. | Dates | Location | Title | Program Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | August 10, 1973 | Royal Inn in Anaheim, California | ||
| 3. | August, 1983 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | ||
| 34. | August 10–13, 2006 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | "ICONS" | Program Book |
| 35. | August 9–12, 2007 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | "¡VIVA LA FLAUTA!" | Program Book |
| 36. | August 7–10, 2008 | Kansas City, Missouri | "F6 Flute, High Winds" | Program Book |
| 37. | August 13–16, 2009 | New York City, New York | "Bright Flutes, Big City" | Program Book |
| 38. | August 12–15, 2010 | Anaheim, California | "Illuminating Traditions" | Program Book |
| 39. | August 11–14, 2011 | Charlotte, North Carolina | "Unity Through Diversity: Many Flutists, One World" | Program Book |
| 40. | August 9–12, 2012 | Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada | "Rubies!" | Program Book |
| 41. | August 8–11, 2013 | New Orleans, Louisiana | "Confluence of Cultures & Perseverance of Spirit" | Program Book |
| 42. | August 7–10, 2014 | Chicago, Illinois | "Preform, Inspire, Educate!" | Program Book |
| 43. | August 13–16, 2015 | Washington, D.C. | "Out Of Many, ONE" | Program Book |
| 44. | August 11–14, 2016 | San Diego, California | First year with no distinct title. | Program Book |
| 45. | August 10–13, 2017 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Program Book | |
| 46. | August 9–12, 2018 | Orlando, Florida | Program Book | |
| 47. | August 1–4, 2019 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Program Book | |
| 48. | July 6-August 14, 2020 | Originally supposed to be held in Dallas, Texas. Virtual, due to Covid-19 Pandemic | "Summer Series" | Program Book |
| 49. | August 12–15, 2021 | Virtual | "Variations on a Dream" | Program Book |
| 50. | August 11—14, 2022 | Chicago, Illinois | "50th Anniversary" | Program Book |
| 51. | August 3–6, 2023 | Phoenix, Arizona | "Beyond Borders" | Program Book |
| 52. | August 1–4, 2024 | San Antonio, Texas | "Flauta Mundi: Global Voices of the Flute" | Program Book |
| 53. | August 7–10, 2025 | Atlanta, Georgia | "Unity & Universal Oneness" | |
| 54. | August 6–9, 2026 | Portland, Oregon | "Origins: Celebrating Trailblazing and Discovery" |
Committees
editNFA members have established committees that focus on individual components of the organization and the concerns of the wider flute community, including highlighting less prominent areas of flute musicianship, such as low and Baroque flute, reaching out to underserved communities, and providing pedagogical guidance, among other initiatives. These committees helped establish the NFA’s music commission program, create scholarships and competitions, and collect pedagogical materials aimed at young flutists.
Competitions
editNFA competitions create opportunities for a variety of flautists from different skill levels and styles to compete, gain performance skills and audition experience. The Annual NFA Convention currently hosts 22 performance competitions in solo, flute choir, and masterclass categories. There are 18 performance competitions to select outstanding flutists to perform at the NFA convention.[8] There are also four non-performance competitions, which highlight new flute music, research, and entrepreneurship.[8]
Commissions
editThe NFA commissions original compositions for all members of the flute family. The New Music Advisory Committee, established in 1985, works with the NFA Board to create opportunities for flutists to interact with contemporary composers by playing their music and ensuring today's composers create substantial repertoire for flute players.
The NFA has commissioned more than 70 new works for both flute and piccolo.[9] Beginning in 1986, the NFA has commissioned a new piece to be used as repertoire in the Young Artist Competition each year. In 1989 a yearly commission for a new work for the High School Soloist Competition was added. The NFA also commissions a piece for the bi-annual Piccolo Artist Competition, as well as special project commissions. Composers include winners of the Pulitzer Prize, Prix de Rome, and other awards.
Scholarships
editThe NFA has established numerous scholarship programs for continuing education, including cultural outreach scholarships in 15 U.S. and non-U.S. cities. The NFA supports promising students with several scholarships named after flutists whose involvement in the organization helped shape its vision:
The annual Frances Blaisdell Scholarship, named for Frances Blaisdell, provides a U.S. high school or undergraduate student with the opportunity to receive complimentary registration for that year’s convention and take advantage of the many performances, workshops, and sessions being offered.
Every other year, the NFA offers the Myrna Brown Scholarship, which allows an international student to attend and present at the Annual Convention.
The NFA also offers several scholarship prizes at the convention.
The Geoffrey Gilbert Scholarship prize is awarded to the NFA High School Soloist Competition first-place winner for further flute study with any teacher who is a member of the NFA.
The Deveau Scholarship is awarded for the outstanding performance of the NFA High School Soloist Competition commissioned work.
Awards
editSince 1991 the National Flute Association has honored the best and the brightest of its colleagues with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The debut award went to Jean-Pierre Rampal. Other notable recipients include Julius Baker and Sir James Galway. The NFA also gives out the Distinguished Service Award, first given to John Solum in 1998.
The NFA Library
editThe NFA Library was established in 1973 when exhibiting publishers at the first convention were asked to donate copies of their music. The NFA holds the largest lending library of flute music internationally, with a catalog of more than 15,000 works, many of which are rare or out of print.[10] The library is located at the University of Arizona Fine Arts Library in Tucson, Arizona.
Publications
editNFA members create ongoing publications to communicate with the flute world and share valuable research, history, educational, and pedagogical resources.
The NFA’s member magazine, The Flutist Quarterly, is published each season and includes contributions from members, flute scholars, and other enthusiasts from around the world. The NFA also produces special publications, including The Flutist’s Handbook, Kindcaidiana, and historic recordings.
References
edit- ^ "National Flute Association". 2012-05-23.
- ^ "Flutist Thomas plays tonight". The Salt Lake Tribune. 1990-10-09. p. M9.
- ^ "About". Default. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ Howard Reich (1997-08-10). "High-end Musicians Drawn To The Flute". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
- ^ a b "About". Default. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ a b c "Founding Board and Charter Members - National Flute Association". Default. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ "2020 Summer Series - National Flute Association". Default. Retrieved 2024-11-28.
- ^ a b Gemolo, Matteo (2023-10-20), "A Contemporary Lesson from an Ancient Flute", Historical Performance and New Music, London: Routledge, pp. 95–105, ISBN 978-1-003-30022-9, retrieved 2024-11-28
- ^ "Commissions". www.nfaonline.org. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
- ^ "About the Library". www.nfaonline.org. Retrieved 2017-03-15.