Flute, Piano Recital Features Folk Music

Wife and husband, Andrea (flute) and Neil Di Maggio (piano), perform some of their favorite pieces during “A Tour Through the World of Concert Flute Music: Folk Music in Classical Repertoire” on Saturday, Feb. 9, at 8 p.m. in Westmont’s Deane Chapel. The concert is free and open to the public.

The performance includes Six Pieces for flute and piano by Fikret Amirov, “Variations on an Irish Theme: ‘The Last Rose of Summer’” by Friedrich Kuhlau, Sonatine for flute and piano by Henri Dutilleux, “Achat Sha’alti” by Paul Schoenfield and Sonata for flute and piano by Otar Taktakishvili.

Andrea says she chose pieces that represent the composer’s country of origin by directly quoting or referencing his own folk music or relying heavily on cultural traditions of the time.

“I have always been drawn to pieces that have a heavy folk music influence,” she says. “My goal is for the audience to get a feel for how folk music has made its way into the standard repertoire.”