NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

3/14/2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES-Each journey to Slovakia and the Czech Republic yields new experiences for Northwestern State University faculty member Dr. Dennette McDermott.

McDermott, an associate professor of flute at NSU, recently returned from a trip to Bratislava, Slovakia, after helping organize the first Slovak Flute Convention. The trip and convention was funded with grants CEC International Partners, an organization which funds exchanges between American and Eastern European scholars and the Brannen Cooper Fund of Woburn, Mass.

The trip was highlighted by a concert in Bratislava featuring McDermott, Jaroslav Harvan, principal flutist of the Slovak Opera Company, Tomas Janosik, first flute of the Slovak Philharmonic, Dominika Haramiova, first flute of the Slovak Radio Orchestra, and the Bratislava Chamber Soloists.

McDermott also received assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Bratislava, which printed and distributed posters throughout the Slovakian capital. The performance was held in a 14th century church which is now used exclusively for concerts.

McDermott said the performance, which was a benefit for cancer research in Slovakia, filled the church. Having the opportunity to assist a worthy charity was meaningful.

"Cancer is something that affects people in every culture around the world," said McDermott. "It was a reminder to me of that impact and what is being done in other countries."

The flutists enjoyed the chance to perform together with an orchestra, said McDermott.

"It is not common to have four flutists performing together," she said. "It was unusual for both the flutists and the chamber orchestra which usually performs with string soloists. They seemed to enjoy it."

The chamber soloists performed a work by Mozart. McDermott programmed the remainder of the concert to include works by Americans Howard Hanson and Kent Kennan as well as Vivaldi and Frantisek Benda.

Hanson was a leading practitioner of American romanticism and was director of the Eastman School of Music for 40 years. Kennan was a student of Hanson who taught for decades at the University of Texas. In his career, Kennan received the Prix de Rome in composition and authored a highly praised text on music theory.

"I wanted to play pieces by composers who were important in the development of music in this country," said McDermott. "It was interesting to see them react to the music which was a different style than they had played."

While in Slovakia, McDermott was able to introduce two mutual friends who had never met, Janosik and Czech flutist Arnost Bourek. Both Janosik and Bourek have taught at NSU and hosted McDermott on visits, but had never been introduced.

"These are the two biggest figures in their respective countries on their instrument and they had never met," said McDermott. "I see the potential for many more positive things to happen as more people in the field meet and collaborate."

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