The Silverwind Duo of clarinetist Dr. Andrew Seigel and flutist Dr. Nicole McPherson of the Fredonia School of Music will perform and teach during Thanksgiving week on the campus of New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi.
The duo will travel 18 hours on the first leg of their adventure.
Their host, Dr. Matthew Quayle, is a friend from their mutual time together teaching at the New England Music Camp. They spent about 12 summers teaching together in Maine, where the three had the chance to play together in concerts, and on the tennis court. It will be a reunion of sorts since it’s been about two and a half years since their last meeting.
Dr. Quayle invited the duo to come to Abu Dhabi and perform, to record both one of Quayle’s new works and his Variations for Flute Clarinet and Piano, and to do some teaching. The duo will be working with Quayle’s composition students, talking about aspects of flute and clarinet for composing, and they may do some applied teaching with flute and clarinet students on campus.
Works to be performed, in addition to the Variations, a scherzo for flute and two clarinets, and the new work, include Michael Webster's arrangement of Claude Debussy's "Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun" for flute, clarinet and piano; three short duos by Robert Muczinski for flute and clarinet; Jennifer Higdon's "Lullaby" for flute, clarinet and piano, and Florent Schmitt's "Sonatine" for flute, clarinet and piano. Quayle’s wife, Kate Forman Quayle, will also perform in the scherzo.
Seigel is an associate professor of clarinet in the School of Music, and joined the faculty of Fredonia following positions at Southeastern Louisiana University, Michigan State University, Albion College, and Spring Arbor University. His scholarly and musical pursuits have taken him around the world. He studied with Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr at Michigan State University as a Distinguished Fellow. Two years as a Fulbright Scholar in Budapest allowed him to attend Hungary’s Franz Liszt Academy of Music, where he worked with clarinetists Tibor Dittrich and Jozsef Balogh and composer Istvan Lang. Originally from California, Seigel received degrees from California State University - Fresno, where he studied with Miles Ishigaki. Additionally, he has had the privilege of working with Australian clarinetist Peter Jenkin, British scholar Colin Lawson and American virtuosi Charles Neidich and Ted Oien.
Seigel currently serves as the clarinetist of the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, and also plays with the Erie Philharmonic. Prior to arriving in New York, he performed in orchestras throughout the country. Most recently, he held chairs in the Baton Rouge and Gulf Coast Symphonies. Seigel has performed recitals throughout the U.S. and in Hungary, Germany, and Romania. He has appeared as a soloist with ensembles in New York, California, Michigan and Louisiana, and was a featured performer at the 1998 Fulbright Musical Gala in Berlin, Germany. As a chamber musician, Seigel also plays in the Fredonia Woodwind Quintet and the Buffalo Chamber Players. He also is an active clinician and adjudicator, and has given clinics at New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Winter Conferences and the College Music Society’s Regional Conference. He performed and presented research at the International Clarinet Association’s ClarinetFests in 2008, 2010 and 2011.
McPherson is currently the flute methods teacher in the School of Music and an adjunct professor of flute at Canisius College. As a devoted chamber and orchestral musician, McPherson currently performs with the Erie Chamber Orchestra, the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, the Erie Philharmonic, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and is principal flute in the Orchard Park Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, she has played in orchestras throughout Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Michigan. She has been a soloist with the Michigan State University Symphony Orchestra and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. McPherson has performed for live solo radio performances and for public television broadcasting, as well as on many award-winning and GRAMMY-nominated recordings. She was invited to perform at the 2011 and 2001 National Flute Association Convention and the Global Flute Workshop in New York City. McPherson has published articles in the International Alliance for Women in Music journal. She holds a holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree and a Master of Music degree from Michigan State University, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Ithaca College.
