Erin Lesser

Tag: Erin Lesser

Lawrence Student Musicians Earn Top Honors at State Flute Competition

Lawrence University student musicians captured the top two places at the recent (3/8) 2014 Wisconsin Flute Festival Collegiate Competition hosted by UW-Oshkosh.

Caitlynn-Winkler_newsblog
Caitlynn Winkler ’15

Juniors Caitlynn Winkler, a flute performance and music education major from Sheboygan, and Sam Rolfe, a flute performance major from Boscobel, earned first- and second-place honors, respectively. They were among three finalists selected from an initial pool of nine entries. The competition is open to undergraduates enrolled in a Wisconsin college or university.

Each presented a 15-minute program in the finals. Winkler performed “Among Fireflies” by Elainie Lillios, “Image” by Eugene Bozza, and Movement III from Eldin Burton’s “Sonatina.”

Sam-Rolfe_newsblog
Sam Rolfe ’15

Rolfe performed “Cinq Incantacions pour Flute Seule” by Andre Jolivet, “Sonata for Flute and Piano in E Major” by Johann Sebastian Bach and the world premiere of “Clockwork Koan” a piece written by Lawrence senior Chris Harrity as part of the flute and composition studio flutist/composer collaboration project.

Winkler received $250 for her winning performance while Rolfe was awarded $100. Both study in the flute studio of Assistant Professor of Music Erin Lesser.

As part of the festival, senior Schuyler Thornton was selected to play a masterclass with guest artist Stephanie Mortimer. The Lawrence Flute Ensemble was one of three groups selected to open the day-long festival as part of a flute ensemble showcase, performing three works, including a new work by Lawrence Associate Professor of Music Joanne Metcalf.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Flutist Leo Sussman Wins State Competition

Lawrence University sophomore Leo Sussman earned first-place honors in the recent Wisconsin Flute Festival Young Artist Collegiate Competition in Madison.

Leo Sussman ’15

Sussman was one of three flutists who performed a 15-minute program of his choosing in the finals held at the Pyle Center at the University of Wisconsin. Finalists were selected based on a previously submitted unedited recording of two contrasting movements from John La Montaine’s “Sonata for Flute Solo, Op. 24.” Sussman received $300 for his winning performance.

This was his second competition win as a Lawrence student. Last July, he won the San Francisco Flute Festival in his hometown.

A double degree candidate pursuing majors in flute performance and physics, Sussman is a student in the studio of assistant professor of music Erin Lesser.

The Wisconsin Flute Festival, sponsored by the Madison Flute Club, is an annual flute event featuring competitions, workshops and performances by a variety of professional flutists.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.

Lawrence University Musician Wins Pair of Flute Competitions

For the second year in a row, Lawrence University flutist Sam Golter earned first-place honors in a regional competition sponsored by the Flute Society of Washington Inc.

Sam Golter ’13

Golter, a senior from Springfield, Va., won the Mann Orchestral Excerpt Competition held Feb. 16 in Reston, Va. He was selected as one of three finalists from audition tapes submitted by musicians who are from or attend college in the Mid-Atlantic states. Golter was the only undergraduate among the finalists.

In the live finals, he performed seven different flute solo excerpts from major orchestral pieces by composers ranging from Bach and Brahms to Mozart and Stravinsky. In addition to winning a first-place prize of $500, Golter also performed with Sarah Jackson, principal piccolo player with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, as part of a master class.

In 2012, Golter won the Flute Society of Washington’s Collegiate Soloist Competition.

Prior to the Mann Competition, Golter also earned first-place honors in the Flute Society of Kentucky Collegiate Competition conducted at Campbellsville University. Golter was one of three finalists selected from 19 undergraduate musicians from nine states who submitted preliminary round audition tapes. He performed C.P.E Bach’s “Sonata in A Minor” and Ian Clarke’s “The Great Train Race” in the finals.

A student in the flute studio of Erin Lesser, Golter received $250 for his winning performance and also played a recital as part of the 2013 Kentucky Flute Festival.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2013 and the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries. Follow Lawrence on Facebook.