One suggestion for last-minute duet ideas: "borrow" from the choir director and play SA arrangments. If the alto part goes below C1 (or B for the folks with low B foot joint), you can alter it however necessary. I haven't done this for Christmas, but another flutist and I did this once with an arrangement of "Amazing Grace", and it was beautiful! This can also be done if you have a solo with an accompanist. You may have to bounce back and forth between soprano and alto, but it's usually workable.
Dona Gilliam and Mizzy McCaskill always seem to come through with great flute arrangements,published by Mel Bay,with quite a few for younger students. This year is no exception, with Noels for Flute and Piano. This collection contains 15 Christmas carols, with several that aren't so run-of-the-mill, that would be great for a church service (such as Once in Royal David's City and The Holly and the Ivy). Click onto the Mel Bay site for some information on their other works for flute.
Karen Smithson also has some arrangements out for flute and Christmas, properly named Christmas Music for Two Flutes and More Christmas Music for Two Flutes. The arrangements are easy, but have quite a bit of underlying counterpoint that adds some spark to them. For information on the arrangements and retailers, click onto the Smithson family website.
Another suggestion: There are two collections sold by Music Makers, Inc. that are selling very well. They are 8 Christmas Carols for Flute Quartet arranged by Victoria Jicha and Christmas Duets for 2 Flutes, (with an optional clarinet part included),also arranged by Victoria Jicha.
Are you wanting to go secular? Try this arrangement of Rudolph by Calvin Cluster. It comes with a cassette accompaniment and features 1 Piccolo and 4 flute parts. If you don't want to use the tape accompaniment, it also has the piano, bass guitar and drum parts. The piccolo and 2nd flute parts both have written solos. It is published by CPP, Belwin, Inc.
So, where can you buy these and other flute arrangements? Try
FluteWorld
J.W. Pepper
Little Piper
Just Flutes
OK, the time for good intentions is nigh.........New Year's Resolutions. Next week will be Part I of Flute New Year's Resolutions and how to keep them. E-mail me with your ideal flute resolution, and I'll include it in one of the articles! Also, feel free to contribute to the new poll on resolutions.
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