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May 4, 2009

Flute choir inspires

By Robb Murray

MANKATO — Unless its lowly cousin the piccolo is around, the flute is sort of the runt of the band. Oh sure, its sound is beautiful enough, but in the majesty of the full band — with the percussion crashing, trumpets wailing and tubas ... tuba-ing — sometimes the little flute gets lost.

But not in this band.

Here, everyone brandishes a flute. And together, they make mighty beautiful music.

Meet the Bethany Lutheran College Flute Choir, eight women who get together weekly to practice and play concerts for anyone who will have them.

They’ve played at nursing homes, at daily chapel service and other occasions. And last semester, they made it into the Honors Recital, a prestigious fete for an upstart choir.

“Bethany has never had a flute choir,” says leader Rachel Heck.

“That we know of,” another member chimes in.

Heck started the group last year.

Along with Heck the group consists of Sarah Riese, Carrie Gaul, Ashley Schwichtenberg, Rosanna Barker, Lorna Scott, Lila Siu and Anita Weimer.

Some are in the regular full band, but not all. One member is actually a French horn player, but because she can also play the flute, she joined.

It began last year with five flautists. Over the summer, Heck went on a quest to find more music and more challenging music for the band to play. She found out Bethany actually had a nice stash of flute choir music.

And so the choir grew.

“The worst part is keeping the flutes in tune,” Heck says. Before they play, she must go around and individually check each members flute. If it’s off, the flute must be adjusted so it sounds just right.

But when they do, the sound is divine. A group of flutes tends to have a joyous quality, and when on one recent day when the full choir played “The Entertainer,” it was clear what attracts these young women to this endeavor.

Anita Weimer, the French hornist, said playing with the flute choir is unique.

“We don’t have a director who stands up front,” she said, and that makes it a little more difficult.

The members said they’d be back next year for the choir. They also pointed out that, while there are no men in the flute choir, any who wish to join are welcome to come check it out.

And they’re open to any gigs that come along.

“Any place they schedule us,” Heck said, “we just go with it.”

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