Fluting with the Stars In Person with Alberto Almarza

Sunday, April 4, 2027

(5:00 - 7:30 PM CT)

Fluting with the Stars Series

In-Person at DePaul University

(location details coming soon)

Lectures and Masterclass

Alberto Almarza is Associate Professor of Flute at Carnegie Mellon University and founder and Artistic Director of The Consummate Flutist. The flute is one of the most varied and widespread instruments in the world, going back tens of thousands of years in many societies. As a result of the multiple types of flutes and the diversity of their musical and social role throughout the world, an amazing repertoire of timbres and playing techniques has been developed, preserved by flute players of native cultures. Many of these techniques arose from the desire to evoke nature, imitating birdsongs, wind, and water. Others came into being as an attempt to produce sounds that would have healing powers and communicate with sacred spirits. In this lecture demonstration, using his large collection of instruments, Alberto Almarza will introduce us to the fascinating world of traditional flutes, their performance practice, and the ubiquitous utilization of “extended techniques” in the traditional repertoire.

A Path from Duty to Beauty explores practical and effective strategies for accelerating artistic and technical growth. In this engaging lecture, Alberto Almarza examines the purpose of practicing, the role of habits and motivation in sustaining progress, and methods for organizing practice sessions with greater intention and efficiency. Participants will learn a framework for navigating the analytical, artistic, and execution phases of practice, gaining tools to transform daily work from a routine obligation into a meaningful path toward expressive and confident performance.