Jazz Concertino for Flute and Piano

Written for Jim Walker and the Los Angeles Flute Orchestra, this heavily jazz-influenced piece was premiered by them in 2018. Scored for a soloist accompanied by piccolo, four C flutes, two altos, a bass and contrabass, it opens with a virtuosic cadenza, to which the accompanying parts gradually add chords. It then moves with more energy through a series of sections in different jazzy styles - the ensemble parts are mostly in rhythmic unison with each other, whilst they interplay with the soloist. the solo part definitely requires an advanced (post-Grade 8) player who is comfortable with fast fingerwork. The ensemble parts could be comfortably played by Grade 5-ish players and the low flute parts in particular are very straightforward (but need to be really secure to provide a solid harmonic and rhythmic foundation). Learning this piece would be a great opportunity for a flute ensemble to practise working together in an accompanying role - there needs to be really good communication between the soloist and the group (it would be quite a challenge to play unconducted but would definitely build listening and watching skills!). It's quite approachable for non-jazz specialists, even the solo part, but the style does rely on precision in syncopated rhythms, tightly coordinated within the ensemble. At the time of writing there's one recording of this on YouTube, which is worth a listen - it's a fun and exhilarating piece.