“Lawler’s flawless playing, particularly her colors, sound effects and snappy rhythms, was the high point of the evening.”
—Washington Post“The waning concert season was given a powerful boost by the New York recital debut of flutist Zara Lawler…a splendid flutist, with a virtuoso’s effortless, brilliant fluency and breath-control, … Ms. Lawler played [Bizet’s Carmen Fantasy] to the hilt with stunning virtuosity, charm and humor, bringing the house down.”
— New York Concert Review“Lawler was an engaging, fluent, mellifluous soloist.”
— Houston Chronicle“Her performance of the Chaminade Concertino’s brilliant runs and thrilling trills brought the audience to its feet for a standing ovation.”
— Rockland Journal-News
PRESS
New York Concert Review
Vol. 8, No. 2, Summer 2001
By Edith Eisler
Zara Lawler, flute
Margaret Kampmeier, piano
Mary Ellen Callahan, soprano
And members of Tales & Scales:
Deborah Sunya Moore, percussion
Christopher Grymes, clarinet
C. Neil Parsons, trombone
Merkin Concert Hall - June 3, 2001
The waning concert season was given a powerful boost by the New York recital debut of flutist Zara Lawler. She was assisted by Margaret Kampmeier, who provided sensitive, discreet support and strong leadership, soprano Mary Ellen Callahan, in whose New York debut she had participated last year, and three colleagues from her Indiana-based group “Tales & Scales,” which annually presents over 200 programs combining music and movement for children and family audiences across the country. Her daringly innovative, mostly 20th-century program included two world premieres and offered a heady mix of musical seriousness and fun, instrumental fireworks, and mixed media, all honed to perfection and presented with technical and stylistic flair and aplomb.
Zara Lawler is a splendid flutist, with a virtuoso’s effortless, brilliant fluency and breath-control, and a round, full tone. Her wide performing experience as given her a natural, poised stage presence that includes the ability to introduce unfamiliar works to the audience in simple, informative, often humorous terms, and the courage to play them all from memory with total control and security. A student of Carol Wincenc, she earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Barnard College and her Master’s at the Juilliard School. She was assistant principal flutist of the Hong Kong Philharmonic for three years, has appeared at various summer festivals, and as recitalist and chamber musician in and around New York. She is the winner of several prizes and competitions, including Artists International, which presented her in this recital.
The only work from the standard repertoire was Bach’s E minor Sonata, which opened the program; the performance brought out its dark, somber character as well as its dynamic and expressive contrasts. Next came “Three American Pieces” by Lukas Foss, written shortly after he came to live in this country as a young man; they pay homage to his new home and do not conceal the influence of Aaron Copland. Though originally for violin, they lend themselves easily to the flute.
Ms. Lawler was joined by her “Tales & Scales” partners for Alla Borzova’s “Moon Mourning” from “The Animal That Drank Up Sound.” Based on William Stafford’s poem about a world drained of sound but saved by a brave cricket that escaped, the music calls for alto flute and a hand-held drum, both played in an improvisatory style; the clarinetist and trombonist did not play, but added some narration and miming. The total effect was quite mesmerizing, visually and musically.
Mark Zuckerman wrote a song about a giant ant for soprano and flute on a nonsense poem by Robert Desnos for Mary Ellen Callahan’s debut; at the two artists’ request, he added five more songs for this recital, all describing various animals in poetic and humorous ways. The performance, a world premiere, captured their charm, wit and quirkiness perfectly.
Ruth Crawford’s “Diaphonic Suite” for solo flute explored the use of unresolved dissonance and contrast, and the program ended with another world premiere: Francois Borne’s “Fantaisie Brillante” on themes from Bizet’s “Carmen,” arranged by Christopher Grymes, the group’s clarinetist. It is a bravura display piece, like all “Carmen” fantasies, but it is much longer, because, at Ms. Lawler’s request, it includes not only the most familiar, popular tunes from the opera, but some of her own favorites as well. It also introduced a unique element: employing all the guest artists on hand, it had the soprano join in the Habanera and added the three instruments at strategic moments for a brilliant, happy end. Apart from some jarringly abrupt key-changes, it is extremely effective and grand fun; Ms. Lawler played it to the hilt with stunning virtuosity, charm and humor, bringing the house down and the near-capacity audience cheering to its feet. Her encore was a quiet, impressionistic “Nocturne” by Lili Boulanger, sister of the more famous Nadia.
Washington Post - 11 July 2008
‘Classics on the Rocks’ - by Robert Battey
Intrepid music lovers making their way to the “Classics on the Rocks” concert on the Strathmore lawn Wednesday evening knew they were rolling the dice, as the weather had been threatening all day. And indeed, just before concert time the threat was carried out, forcing a hasty relocation to the ornate music room of the mansion, where about 80 patrons sat on blankets meant for the lawn, or squeezed in along the sides. The program was truncated, as one of the larger instruments could not be safely brought in from the gazebo in the rain, but what remained still provided a good measure of enjoyment.
The opening work was Dvorak’s glowing Piano Quintet, Op. 81, played by young area musicians completing their advanced studies and looking to move into professional careers. The musicmaking was fervent and sincere, though it gave evidence of hasty preparation; the pianist misread his rhythms in the closing of the slow movement, and there were numerous ensemble problems and missed entrances in the scherzo. But each musician showed individuality and promise, particularly cellist Lars Kirvan.
Next came a group of pieces played by seasoned professionals Paul Fadoul, marimba, and Zara Lawler, flute. Fadoul deftly handled the keyboard part of a Bach flute sonata, a feat comparable to playing the piano using only the thumb and pinky of each hand. Lawler’s flawless playing, particularly her colors, sound effects and snappy rhythms in two Astor Piazzolla tangos, was the high point of the evening.
HOMEGROWN PRESS
The following pieces were inspired by Lawler's March 7, 2009 recital at the South Nyack Recital Series:
1.
Bizet’s CarmenSounding waves of elation and fire
A rapture, a questing desire
Seduction and passion's plea
Longing now and in reverie.
by: Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate, Soiree Society of the Arts
2. A "Cracked" History of the Flute (pdf)
zara@zaralawler.com / 812-604-5363
