Desert Echoes Flute Project (DEFproject) is Arizona’s premiere flute ensemble organization. The original ensemble is the flute choir or orchestra (the terms are used interchangeably) that is known as DEFproject. It was founded in 2006 by artistic director Christina Steffen and has become a nationally recognized flutechoir that has been invited to perform at the National Flute Association Conventions, The San Francisco International Flute Festival, the renowned Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix,and the International Low Flutes Festival.
Desert Echoes Flute Project (DEF Project)'s musical journey at our winter concert on Saturday, December 10th. Highlights are Community Flute Choir playing Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda's beautiful new four-movement work, A Lantern Lit with Borrowed Light, Christmas Medley (Four Carols with Variations) by David Taubner, and the lovely Winter's Journey by Lewis A. Kocher. DEFproject will perform the Suite Op. 69 by Christopher Steel, the Benedictus from Christmas Oratorio by Camille Saint-Saens, arranged by Martin Melicharek and featuring soloists Alicia Wardell and Alan J. Tomasetti, the very delightful composition by Charles Fernandez with the wonderful title, A Quiet House and a Mouse (look closely at our concert artwork), and I am happy that we get to play a very new work for flute choir by Nancy Galbraith titled Other Sun. This piece was premiered by the NFA High School Flute Choir in Chicago last August and I wasn't permitted to record the concert so hopefully we get a good recording at this concert for a terrific piece! The DEF Chamber Choir is opening the program with the Christmas Concerto by Francesco Manfredini.