UNO’s Professor of Flute, Dr. Christine Beard did not apply to perform at the 2023 National Flute Association Convention, intending to only attend the conference held in Phoenix…but those plans were quickly overturned in March by multiple invitations to participate in various projects led by other flutists. Her unplanned NFA appearances included:

Performing as a member of the International SuperFlutes Collective on the Friday pre-gala concert (https://superflutes.wixsite.com/home);

Being drafted to fill a vacancy on the “Exploring Graphic Scores” concert hosted by the NFA’s New Music Advisory Committee;

Performing with the NFA’s LGBTQA+ flute choir; and

Performing a social justice comnposition entitled “The Highest Arm” (soundwalk version) for flute and electronics by Michael Genese on “The Future is Now: Flute Music Since 2020” (a concert featuring composer- and flutist-members of the Flute New Music Consortium). [Full video available of her live NFA performance at www.facebook.com/christiebeard/videos/667070818326571 ]

During the convention, Dr. Beard also met with student flutists for private lessons and mentoring sessions, as well as with composers to discuss future commissioning projects.

Visit www.christiebeard.net or Christie’s page on Facebook for photos from her 2023 NFA convention experience. [NOTE: Special thanks to Wyndhem Ennaemba for assisting Beard with the tech preparations for her performance of “The Highest Arm”].