James Hall

American flutist James Hall returns to FEU, joined by Namibian pianist Willem Van Schalkwyk for a program of predominantly French and American works. Program includes Gaubert’s Nocturne et allegro scherzando, Poulenc’s Flute & Piano Sonata, Samuel Barber’s Canzone, Franck’s Sonata in A Major and Karg-Elert’s Sinfonische Kanzone.

Program

Philippe Gaubert (1879-1941)
Nocturne et allegro scherzando

Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933)
Sinfonische Kanzone

Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
Sonata Allegretto malincolico
Cantilena Presto giocoso

Intermission

Samuel Barber (1910-1981)
Canzone

César Franck (1822-1890)
Sonata in A Major
1. Allegro ben moderato
2. Allegro Ben moderato
3. Allegretto poco mosso

Biographies

Flutist James Hall has enjoyed a varied and impressive career as an international soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, and teacher. He has performed with Joshua Roman, Eileen Eivers, Jennifer Koh, Paquito D’Rivera, Benny Kim, Carol Wincenc, Allan Vogel, Robert Weirich, Jim Walker, Art Garfunkel, Pink Martini, Carter Enyeart, Catalyst Quartet, Boulder Bach Festival, and the Colorado Symphony. The Kansas City Star called him “red-hot” and the Denver Musical Weekly called his performance “…the best flute performance I have witnessed in my life.” As a concerto soloist, James has played with the Orquesta Nacional del Paraguay, Kansas City Civic Orchestra, Greeley Philharmonic, Orquesta Nacional de Panamá, Orquesta del Congresso Nacional del Paraguay, and the Southeast Kansas Symphony. After giving his Carnegie Hall debut recital as a winner of Artists International in 2004, James began to receive invitations to perform as a recitalist, and has since played across North, Central, and South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. He is half of Duo 1610, with pianist Willem Van Schalkwyk, and the two tour the world performing flute and piano works from the baroque to the contemporary. Hall was founder, flutist, and artistic director of the Chamber Music Society of Kansas City, which opened its debut season to critical acclaim. This group brought together musicians with international profiles, living and working in Kansas City, to give world-class performances of chamber music repertoire for mixed instrumentation. Performing in non-standard concert spaces, such as art galleries, design firms, and patrons’ homes, the CMSKC brought a much needed musical art form to Kansas City audiences, and the concerts were received with great enthusiasm in sold-out performances. James has been invited to play for chamber music concerts with Loon Lake Live!, the New York based Vail International Dance Festival, the Colorado Symphony’s Beethoven and Brews series, the Pittsburg Solo and Chamber Series, and the Dordt Artist Series. He has also performed and taught at music festivals in the U.S. and in Central and South America. James has been invited to perform as a guest principal flutist with the Boulder Philharmonic, Greeley Philharmonic, Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, and Southeast Kansas Symphony, and has held principal flute positions with the Topeka Symphony and the Missouri Symphony. As an educator, Hall has been invited to give master classes at national conservatories and music schools throughout the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, South Africa, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Thailand, and Switzerland.  Since 2009, he has been the professor of flute at the University of Northern Colorado where he has had the great fortune to work with many talented young musicians. James is a performing artist for Burkart Flutes and performs exclusively on his handmade 10k gold Burkart Elite flute with platinum head joint.

Applauded by the Salt Lake City Tribune for “maturity beyond his years” and “dizzying technical facility,” Namibian pianist Willem van Schalkwyk made his debut with the Namibia National Symphony Orchestra at age fourteen, and by the time he was sixteen he won his first international piano competition in France. Willem has appeared in concert throughout the United States, Europe, and Southern Africa. Appearances with orchestra include Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto in Namibia, as well as Mozart’s Concertos for two and three pianos in Utah. A regular recitalist, recent highlights include performing at the Greyton Music Festival in South Africa, and presenting a solo recital as part of the National Theatre of Namibia’s 25-year anniversary. As collaborative artist Dr. Van Schalkwyk has performed with many esteemed artists, including instrumentalists from the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and the Utah Symphony Orchestra. In 2015 he went on a concert tour to Argentina and Uruguay with James Hall. Dr. Van Schalkwyk holds a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from Brigham Young University, and he graduated from the University of North Texas with his Doctorate in Piano Performance in 2009. At UNT his primary instructors were Joseph Banowetz, Elvia Puccinelli, and Adam Wodnicki. While pursuing his graduate degrees he was the First Prize winner of the Scionti Piano Competition, and was awarded the Audience Prize at the Louisiana International Piano Competition. As a vocal coach and pianist Willem has served on the music staff of the Santa Fe Opera, the Opera in the Ozarks, and the American Institute of Musical Studies’ summer program for singers in Austria, and he recently returned to the Utah Opera as guest pianist and coach for Le nozze di Figaro.

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