Flute cabaret brings international music to Marion

Jul 29, 2012

In general, flutists aren’t known for their flamboyance. Instead, we usually imagine them as mousy musicians playing wispy classical music.

But this does not describe the musicians of the World Flutes Cabaret who are set to bring their international, genre-busting music to Marion and Las Vegas

“It’s unique partly because the repertoire is unique,” said flutist Wendy Rolfe. “I don’t know of other groups who are doing a wide range of world music with flute and rhythm section. We’re trying to create a new repertoire, something that no one has done before.”

Rolfe, a Marion resident and professor at Boston’s Berklee College of Music formed the World Flutes Cabaret two years ago with one of her students.

“We wanted to reflect the international flavor of the Berklee student body,” said Rolfe.

The current group is a mixture of Berklee students and alumni who come from Japan, Turkey, India, Brazil and America who arrange and compose their own pieces.

“We want to bring some of the wonderful folk traditions in so many of the countries that our members represent and that our colleagues come from,” said Rolfe.

Rolfe said the group’s repertoire has something for every musical palate.

“We’ll have some melodic numbers where people can close their eyes and listen and others where it’s swinging,” said Rolfe.

Pieces include everything from lively Turkish rhythms to Argentinean ballads, a song about a famous Brazilian football game to jazz tunes played on flutes that range from the high-pitched piccolo to the deeper bass flute.

A percussionist and guitarist round out the group.

Their Marion debut on Sunday, August 5, at the First Congregational Church will feature these songs and also help the group raise money for their upcoming trip to the National Flute Convention in Las Vegas in August.

Rolfe said the event will have at least 3,000 flute players and could be a boon to the young musicians, who will play their original pieces before accomplished flutists from around the country.

“The alumni are just starting out in their careers, trying to make it in New York, Los Angeles and Boston. It’s a big venture for them.”

The Cabaret was chosen as one of a select number who will perform at the conference as well as offer workshops during their week.

Wolfe said she is thankful for the First Congregational Church’s generosity in letting the group perform in its sanctuary, a place Wolfe herself has played many times over the years.

Proceeds from the concert will help fund the airfares, hotel and convention registration for the student and alumni, said Wolfe, and the audience can know they are helping promote talented young musicians.

Ticket are $15 for adults and $10 for students. They are available for purchase at the Bookstall on Front Street and will be for sale at the door. The performance begins at 4 p.m. on Sunday August 5 at the First Congregational Church, located at the corner of Front Street and Main Street in Marion.

For more information and reservations, call 508-748-1734.