of the Premiere Performance!

https://youtu.be/qTc-ic1vFsM

Linda Robbins Coleman, Rose Bishop, and Robert McConnell

LINDA ROBBINS COLEMAN

Diversions for one soloist/three flutes and orchestra

The music: Diversions is not your normal flute concerto by any means. It is a lighthearted entertainment that explores the ranges, tonal flavors, and individual characters of three different flutes. While each movement can easily exist as a standalone piece, the three complement each other using stylistic and thematic traits, the interplay between the soloist and other instruments, and the overall mood. My love of classic movies provided inspiration, my travels and experiences with other cultures provided the settings, and my jazz, pop, and theatre background provided the stylistic and tonal palette. In truth, Diversions emerged from a dream, or rather, a series of dreams. Of course, getting it down on paper and ready for performance wasn’t as easy as a dream, especially when you add a pandemic into the mix. However, the delay of the original world premiere due to COVID had the odd benefit of providing me the opportunity to have another dream and add a movement showcasing the concert flute.  

Each movement is like a scene in a movie, set in three exotic locations. L’avventura (The Adventure) showcases the soft and silky tones of the alto flute. It begins with the flute and snare, not your normal choice for a duet, adding instruments and textures along the way. Is this a mystery, a caper story, or an action movie? What daring adventures do our characters have? And what is that crazy little tango all about? It’s up to you to decide. As we come to the end of the adventure, our characters glance at you with a wink and a smile, then gaze over your shoulder beyond your view. You turn away, straining to see what they are looking at. When you turn back, they have disappeared. Off to another adventure?

Le Petit Rendezvous (The Little Rendezvous) is a lighthearted and sophisticated love story, this time showcasing the more familiar concert flute. Imagine a person just walking along a street, apparently minding their own business. Then, ding! Someone appears around the corner. Their eyes meet. The snare begins the flirtation. It’s smooth and sexy, using brushes instead of sticks. The flute reciprocates with a wink and a smile. Another smile, and we’re on our way with a jazzy waltz. Is this a chance encounter or a planned meeting? What will result from our little rendezvous? Will they dance off together or go their separate ways? 

What better way to wrap up Diversions than with a celebration! This time our piccolo is the star of the scene. Someone asks, “Shall we?” The answer is a resounding YES! So much to do! Invitations, food, and of course ¡La Fiesta! (The Party!) must have music! But wait! Is this just a party, or could it be something more? The big day arrives, and everyone joins in the festivities. Glasses are raised, toasts are made, jokes are told, and revelries abound. A good time is had by all. Enjoy!

The commission: When, in July 2019, Bob McConnell asked me if I would be interested in composing a concerto to showcase Rose Bishop on the alto and piccolo flutes, I stalled for a week to give it serious thought. I was already up to my eardrums in work, thanks, in part, to the 19th Amendment centennial and the ensuing interest in music by women composers. I also knew that writing a concerto would be a LOT of work, so I wanted to make sure it was something that I could accomplish within the short deadline. On the other hand, I was intrigued by the parameters of Bob’s request, but I still wasn’t sure. And then, like magic, I dreamed the first minute of the music and I was hooked. Throwing caution to the winds, I accepted the commission. Of course, the rest of the music didn’t come nearly as easily as that first minute, but eventually it all came together, and Diversions was born. 

But not so fast! On March 13, 2020, the very day that my music arrived at the SEISO offices to be distributed to the performers for the April premiere, the world closed down due to a pandemic named COVID. Sigh. 

 

But wait, there’s more! More music, more flutes, and more Diversions! You see, I always felt that the original two-movement piece was not complete. I longed for a third movement that would showcase the concert flute in addition to the alto and piccolo flutes. To go from low to medium to high just seemed more satisfying to me. So after Bob McConnell called me in July 2021 to discuss the new premiere date and concert program, I had another dream. The rest, as they say, is history.

I would like to extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation to Robert McConnell, Rose Bishop, and everyone with the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra for this wonderful adventure. Commissions and performances of music by living composers are what keeps our art form alive. The SEISO is a real treasure for Iowa. Thank you!

Diversions

by

Linda Robbins Coleman

for

one soloist

Three Flutes

alto flute, concert flute, and piccolo

and Orchestra

Duration: Approximately 19 minutes

Please note that each movement can be performed as a standalone piece.

Instrumentation  

2 Flutes / 2 Oboes  / 2 Clarinets in B flat  / 2 Bassoons 

4 Horns in F   / 3 Trumpets in C 

3 Trombones (3rd Trombone is bass trombone) / Tuba 

Timpani plus 3 or 4 Percussion 

Strings

Percussion Instruments 

3 or 4 Percussions Players 

(in addition to the Timpani)

Snare Drum / Triangle  / Xylophone / Suspended Cymbals and Crash Cymbals

      Tambourine / Claves / Congas (2) / Maracas (Gourd) (depending on your maracas, 4 might be better than two)

Please note that you will probably want one player on the snare drum for all three movements. After the soloist, the snare and the triangle are the most predominant instruments in the suite. Please make sure that you have a good triangle.

Movement 2: Le Petit Rendezvous is for ONLY snare drum (brushes) and triangle. 

1. L’avventura (The Adventure)

Snare Drum   Triangle

Xylophone Tambourine

Suspended Cymbal   Crash Cymbal

 2. Le Petit Rendezvous (The Little Rendezvous)
Snare Drum - (Brushes throughout. This is a jazz waltz)

Triangle 

3. ¡La Fiesta! (The Party)

Snare Drum     Triangle

Crash Cymbals    Suspended Cymbal

Maracas - (2 pairs are better than one)

Claves       Congas (2 conga drums) 

Copyright © 2019, 2021, 2022 by Linda Robbins Coleman. 

All rights of performance and broadcast are strictly reserved. 

This music is licensed through Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI).

Published by Linda Robbins Coleman

Review: SEISO brings a brave new world of music with 'Iowa Roots'

Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra homers with Dvorak

and world premiere of new composition by Linda Robbins Coleman

Bob Saar for The Hawk Eye

Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra director Robert McConnell has more panache and spirit in his baton thumb than many symphony conductors have in their entire lives.

     SEISO presented "Iowa Roots," the first concert in this season's Masterworks Series last weekend in Burlington's Capitol Theater. The concert included the world premiere of a flute concerto, "Diversions" by Iowa composer Linda Robbins Coleman, who is celebrating her 30th year as an orchestral composer.

      "Diversions" featured principal SEISO flautist Rose Bishop as the soloist in the culmination of her term as SEISO Artist-in-Residence. Bishop was also featured on "Concertino in D Major" by Cecile Chaminade.

     The concert continued the SEISO theme of honoring the anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment allowing women the right to vote by featuring female composers and soloists.

     They began with "New World Symphony" and showed everyone that McConnell and his SEISO team have not lost their touch during the long pandemic dearth of concert appearances.

     "It's a powerhouse symphony," McConnell said of the Dvorak masterpiece, and SEISO mastered it powerfully.

     "This symphony is unique because of how much activity the tympani had throughout the entire symphony," tympanist Scott Teater said after the concert.

     After a standing O and intermission, McConnell walked out with Bishop, and she jumped right into "Concertino" with no tuneup. Bishop's flute work is impeccable, and she made her trills and arpeggios look and sound effortless.

   "Concertino" could serve as the soundtrack to a movie western starring Jimmy Stewart, Yul Brynner and Matt Damon, if that were possible.

   Bishop wore a purple-blue pleated full-length skirt with a gold sequined top; the concert's purple, white and gold theme represented the women's movement.

   During her long solo in "Concertino" Bishop coaxed a Japanese-style effect by glissing up to key notes.

   "The woman who wrote that piece was told she could never be a composer," McConnell told the audience.

    McConnell has a knack for choosing compositions that encourage storybooks in the listener's mind, and "Ravish and Mayhem" did just that, but it's a complex piece better listened to than read about.

Saint Louis composer Stephanie Berg's "Ravish and Mayhem" was inspired by an Arabian street festival.

    "It's fun to play, fun to listen to — and it's a little hair-raising from our side of things," McConnell said.

    Percussionist John Flannery took over the piano — the scheduled pianist was unable to attend — and handled the full, rich chording with polish.

     McConnell introduced composer Linda Robbins Coleman before SEISO debuted the world premiere of Coleman's "Diversions" spotlighting Bishop on alto flute, flute and piccolo.

   "There are no other works like this, I can assure you," McConnell said. '"It has a lot of kind of jazz background in it; some Henry Mancini-type stuff. Kind of a combination of jazz and pop music."

     Coleman left the audience to join McConnell onstage, and was quite animated as she described her composition.

     Coleman pointed out that this is Iowa's 175th year of statehood.

     Coleman was the first Iowa woman to become Composer-in-Residence with any orchestra, serving with the Cedar Rapids Symphony Orchestra 1994-96 and 2001-02. During her 20 years as Drake Theatre's resident composer, she scored 35 plays.

     At times the music sounded like a big-top circus band was playing. 

    "Chopsticks" made a brief appearance in the third movement, and suddenly the concert was over.

     Afterwards, Coleman was walking on the moon.

     "I adore working with Bob and Rose," she said. "It's been an absolute joy and a delight. This is a wonderful orchestra; it is really one of Iowa's great treasures. And Rose is a treasure in herself. She's a brilliant flute player.

     People like the Southeast Iowa Symphony, and especially Robert McConnell and Rose, they keep our art form and our culture alive by promoting these works."

     McConnell said Burlington's having the world premiere of Coleman's composition was due to the orchestra's funding.

     "We're happy we had a local state composer to do it," he said.

     Bishop said the concert was the highlight of her career.

     "It's definitely the biggest thing I've ever done, and I'm so lucky I got to do this," she said. "This is a dream come true. Bob's great, and I'm so lucky to work with him."

    "Several musicians came up to me and said, 'This is a really fun program'," McConnell said as he pointed out a man who was talking to Bishop and Coleman. "This is the first orchestra concert this gentleman has ever been to."

I     ndeed: Andy Bedard came down from Waterloo to see his wife's brother's fiance — that's Rose Bishop — perform.

    "I would definitely go see another symphony; it was more than I thought it would be," Bedard said. "Rose is great on the flute."

As was McConnell on the podium.

SEISO repeated "Iowa Roots" on Sunday in Ottumwa and Mount Pleasant.