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All-State Flute Excerpts are Recorded and Posted

8/22/2013

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Thank you Mrs. Larsen. 

While I was off jousting with windmills, Beth was productive.  This is her voice on ALL of these excerpts.  Bravo and THANK you!!

So all of you out there in cyber-world, who "enjoy" my blog, AND utilize the Media pages of our website, please send a thank you email to:  B2Larsen@embarqmail.com. 

Bill
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Bill Burns an Abell

8/22/2013

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Okay, seriously, its been a long while since I blogged.  I thought that you all (all 3 of you) deserved an excuse for my negligence.  I have spent the last two months creating the video above.

Before anyone raises an objection, I LOVE MY ABELL FLUTES! 
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Missing in Action

6/29/2013

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Hello everyone!

I have been missing in action lately.  No blogs in a couple of weeks.  Its not like I didn't have anything to say.  But I have been very, very busy.

About a month and a half ago, our orchestra, the Southwest Florida Symphony reached a crisis point.  There are many boring factors at play, but let it be said that, it's health required my immediate and undivided attention.  In response to a cash flow problem, I started two fund raising projects.  You can visit one at:

http://www.gofundme.com/30k-30years-30days

GoFundMe just delivered about half of the monies generated so far.  In about 6 weeks, the site has attracted over 100 donors who have given in excess of $20K.  The goal of $30K in honor of my 30 years of service to the SWFSO is in easy reach, but the pace of donating has slowed significantly.  Take a look at the page and consider giving.  As one donor, when asked why she gave, put it, "Because the music should never die."

The other was a chamber ensemble concert on 6/26/2013.  Thirteen musicians from the SWFSO donated their talent, time and energy to produce an invitation only event for potential donors.  We performed short works or single movements from larger pieces to an audience of about 35 people.  They were also wined and dined by our board members.  The performance itself was informal.  There was some banter between the audience and musicians.  As one instrumentalist said, the "moat" between us was missing. 

Our Interim Artistic Advisor, Maestro Leif Bjaland attended.  He rerouted his return trip from Venezuela to Fort Myers in order that he could stand with us.  Leif had been working with "El Systema".  He spoke eloquently about his affection for our organization, musicians, board and staff members as well as his love for music. 

Our fundraising concert brought in $28K almost immediately, with the promise of much more funds to come.  I am proud of my involvement in these two events.  Certainly the financial situation for the SWFSO has been substantially alleviated.  But the most important outcome is that the orchestra has reconnected to its audience and donor base, the musicians, staff and board are working as a unit, and we gained some necessary public relationships.

Good things are happening. 

Bill
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Flute For Sale

4/22/2013

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Hello everyone,

We have the following flute for sale:

Brannen-Cooper
,  .018 (thick)  sterling silver body, French, offset G, A-442, Brogger Mekanik and Acoustic, C# trill, D# roller, B foot,  .016 sterling head with gold riser. 

The flute was produced in 2007.  The asking price is $12,500.   New price is $14,395.

This flute is in exceptional playing condition and has been scrupulously maintained by Clifford Tretick.

Serious buyers only, please email privately to;  Ramflute@embarqmail.com.
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The Larsens perform the Doppler "Andante and Rondo" with the Edison State College Wind Ensemble

4/13/2013

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Hello everyone,

Beth and I will be performing the Franz Doppler duo entitled "Andante and Rondo, Op. 25 for Two Flutes and Wind Ensemble".  The accompaniment is transcribed for wind group by Christopher Weait. 

The piece is a standard in the flute literature and quite fun to play, especially if you have an outstanding duet partner who knows your every inflection!

Please join us on April 21, 2013 at 7:30pm at the Barbara Mann Auditorium located on the Fort Myers, Florida Edison State College.  For more information, please view the ESC website at:


http://www.edison.edu/calendar/main.php?calendarid=default&view=event&eventid=1361196967129&timebegin=2013-04-21+00%3A00%3A00

Bill




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A Good Roasting by Jillian Larson and Victor Frumoff

3/18/2013

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The Roasting of Mr. Larsen at his 30th Season with the SWFSO Anniversary Dinner
February 27,  2013

By Victor Frumoff and Jillian Larson








Victor:  We have both had the pleasure of knowing Mr. Larsen for about 5 years, and one thing we have learned   
      without a doubt is-

Jillian:  He has no idea what he is talking about!

V:  Come’on Jill, he has taught us a lot!

J:  If by that you mean how to be a radical and to dissent on my government then yes, I learned a lot.

V:  Well it's not all political, what about all those great gardening tips? And he really knows how to get the most out of
      a car. Did you know his Honda has-

J&V in unison:  200,000 MILES!!

J:  But ask the man one little thing about repertoire or a piccolo fingering and suddenly it's "Let me ask Mrs. Larsen !"

V:  Yeah, speaking of which, did you notice who's not here tonight?

J:  I know! Because she has a performance tonight. Someone needs to put food on the table.

V:  Well, he is a democrat.

J:  Truth? ... I voted for Romney. - And hey! "Jill Larson, Bill Larsen," do you know how many times people think I'm
      his daughter, or his wife?

V:  Really?

J:  Yeah. There's one more reason I thank God I'm gay!

V:  Another weird thing, what's up with that wooden flute?

J:  Oh you mean his disease?

V:  Disease?

J:  Yes! Look at you!  (Victor has a wooden head joint on his flute).

V:  Oh God! It's contagious!

J:  I hope that's the only thing.

V:  All this talk about wooden flutes, gardening, and liberalism makes me think he really is kind of a hippie.

J:  If by hippie you mean a senile degenerating old man, than sure, yeah, he's a hippie.

V:  Yeah, he tends to repeat himself. If I have to hear about his severe (word deleted to protect the innocent) allergy
      one more time ...

J:  And those Diagrams! Sometimes I think he draws stuff just because he's forgotten how to use words.
      ("Impression")

V:  Which never seems to be a problem if you have ever listened to one of his voicemails.

The rest of Victor and Jillian’s roasting of Mr. Larsen was ad libbed.   It was the highlight of the evening. 
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"If I Only Had a Reed"

3/6/2013

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If you are one of my oboe friends, obviously this does not apply to you!
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30 Years with the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra

2/28/2013

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Hello everyone,

Last night, Concertmaster Reiko Niiya and I were honored for our 30 years of service to the orchestra.  We were feted at the Royal Palm Yacht Club, roasted by Emcee Todd Betz  and given an exquisite piece of glass artwork as a remembrance.  Because the event ran long, Reiko and I did not have a chance to respond.  Here is my response.

30 years in the saddle.  

Frankly, it has not always been a smooth ride and I am glad to be able to have had my good friend Reiko for company.

My first paycheck from the orchestra reflected a $10 per rehearsal and $12 for concert per service wage.   We’ve come a long way since then. 

I want to thank my Mom.  Although we have not always or even often seen eye-to-eye, she did cart me to all those flute lessons and buy me my first professional handmade flute.  It was quite a stretch for her to believe in me with a career in music.  Can you blame her?  Who would have thought that I could make a living blowing on a tube and teaching others how to blow on a tube? 

Beth has been by my side in the orchestra for over 20 of these 30 years.  She taught me what a flute section could sound like.  She is an exceptional supportive team member and my equal in musicianship.  Equally important is how our love story evolved out of friendship and our association with the SWFSO. 

The birth of our son Connor brought new meaning to my life.   He just described me as his hero in his first power-point presentation.    Here are his words:  “Me and Bill are both kind and have played on stage and we both have flutes, but he is older than me and has a lot more experience than I do.  But most of all he has a job.”  He also described me as “brave”.

In addition to my tenure with the orchestra, I am fortunate enough to have a legacy of over 40 years of teaching. Many of these young people have gone on in music, others have found their way in different fields.   Students give back to their teachers.  They challenge us to think about what we do and to communicate a process effectively.   It has just been recently that some of my students have started to become colleagues.  That’s certainly a signal of some kind!  Thank you to Jillian and Victor for agreeing to perform today.   We have already started our long lived friendship!

Three teachers made a significant impact on my life.  They all share the same spirit of music, intellect and compassion.  I would like to thank my first flute teacher, Jose Corral who taught me to listen.  My last flute teacher, Peter Lloyd taught me how to breathe and be more musical.  My best teacher was Maestro Nadler.   The demands that he placed before us made me, and the rest of the orchestra, grow into better musicians.  I have missed him terribly.

It has been my good fortune to be a soloist with the orchestra upon 8 occasions.   The most recent was a commissioned work by composer Jim Stephenson, in honor of my then 25 years. I want to thank Fran Goldman for making that commission possible. 

The long -standing woodwind section, including “the Michaels”, “the Scotts”, Beth and most recently Dione are my musical family.  They too have taught me how to be a good musician through our discussions and by setting the example.  Our recent guest conductor dubbed us the “goodwinds”.

My brothers, Alex Albanese, Todd Betz,  Tom Kracmer and I have at times, held up our side of the orchestra when it seemed it might slip away either financially or musically.  A shout-out to you three.  Between us, we know where all the dead bodies are!

It would be only right to mention the name of my flute maker, Chris Abell.  He is an outstanding craftsman and human being.  It has been my good fortune to be able to collaborate with him on some elements of his design.  His flutes have become my voice.   

Many thanks to all that put together this event to honor me, and my good friend Reiko.  I’d like to consider this the celebration of our first thirty years.  For the next 30, my wish is that the orchestra becomes a stable force, that it moves forward with slow, steady growth, and that we find a path towards being more relevant to the lives of the citizens of this community.  And of course, another party at the end.

Lastly, I want to thank Maestro Bjaland for stepping in and being exactly the right person at exactly the right moment to help us out in our time of need.  Leif is an extraordinary gentleman and musician.  I am honored to be his friend.

Thanks to all of you for giving the musicians of the SWFSO a place to express our musicianship.  

Long live the SWFSO!
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Many thanks!

2/7/2013

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Hello everyone!

I have to renew my faith in the world of goodness out there and more in particular, my wonderful circle of friends and the general flute world.  My former student, Jillian Larson, mentioned in previous postings, was able to collect over $1300 from her fund raising efforts (http://gogetfunding.com/project/help-keep-my-music-alive).  I also want to thank those people who instituted the website called GoGetFunding.com that made it all possible to make Jillian's plight known and to make it simple for people to give her a hand.

There were also offers from the generous flute industry to help Jill purchase an instrument.  She has taken advantage of one, but the wonderful person helping us out has asked us for anonymity. 

Thank you to everyone,

Bill
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Pain and Physical Problems Associated with Playing Flute

2/7/2013

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New Download available on our website:  Understanding Contributing Factors and Optimizing Prevention and Management of Flute Playing-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders.  This is a comprehensive Doctoral Dissertation on pains and physical problems associated with playing the flute written by Karen Lonsdale.  Enjoy!


Lonsdale Dissertation
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