This afternoon, I spent some time at Parc René-Lévesque recording my progress on the C-foot flute I acquired this month, playing from memory an excerpt of Maurice Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte. Since I’m only a beginner and started just a month ago, there is still so much to improve. But I’m deeply attached to this instrument — for its beautiful timbre and the textures written for it by so many French Impressionist composers, especially Ravel — not to mention its

I am so drawn to this piece today, and especially to its final four measures — first in 2/8, then in 3/8 — of Louis Durey’s Romance sans...

Photo: Ned Rorem and former CSO Composer-in-Residence John Corigliano give a pre-concert conversation in Orchestra Hall’s ballroom on...