16th annual Flute Day in Peru to feature music from Atlanta-based flutist

The music of Atlanta-based flutist and composer Kelly Via will spotlight the 16th annual Flute Day scheduled 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at the First Congregational Church of Peru, 1431 Fourth St.

Flute Day is sponsored by Music Suite 408, Flute Authority and the Illinois Valley Flute Ensemble with support from North Central Illinois ARTworks.

The event is a day (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) of interactive workshops with guest clinicians, such as Kimberly Risinger of Illinois State University and Via. The Music Shoppe of Normal and Flute Authority also will be on site with instruments and other flute related items.

Flutists of all ages are welcome to attend the all-day workshops at the Congregational Church in Peru and can download registration materials at www.408fineartsfactory.com under the more caption or contact Sue Gillio, coordinator, at 815-223-4408 or email phloot1@aol.com.

The 5 p.m. concert featuring Via’s music will be performed by Flute Day participants and is sponsored by Miller Group Charitable Trust. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students kindergarten through college with ID, and they will be available at the door.

Via received the Bachelor of Music from Drake University and the Master of Music from East Carolina University. He is the piccoloist with the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra. A flute choir enthusiast and arranger, Via was selected to perform with the National Flute Association Professional Flute Choir each year from 2000 to 2016. He served as Flute Choirs Coordinator for the NFA from 2007 to 2012 and High School Flute Choir Coordinator from 2012 to 2014. He was chosen to conduct the NFA High School Flute Choir in 2008, Windy City Flute Orchestra to open the 2014 NFA Convention, NFA Collegiate Flute Choir in 2017 and the NFA Adult Amateur Flute Choir in 2022.

Via has appeared as guest conductor with flute choirs in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Canada. His arrangements and compositions for flute choir, available through Nourse Wind Publications, include winners in the NFA’s 2002 and 2013 Newly Published Music Competition and finalists in 2004 and 2022. He teaches flute at Mercer University and the Atlanta Music Academy and directs the Mercer University Flute Choir.

Risinger is principal flutist in the Illinois Symphony and Chamber Orchestras and the Heartland Festival Orchestra. In addition, she performs in the Linden Flute and Guitar Duo, and the Sonneries Woodwind Quintet. Risinger has given solo performances in most of the major concert halls in New York City, including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Merkin Recital Hall. An advocate of contemporary music, Risinger has played concerts throughout the United States, Europe and Canada, often presenting world premieres of new works written for and dedicated to her. Risinger’s two solo CDs (Songs of My Nights – The Flute Music of David Maslanka, and Sonata Fantasy – Contemporary American Pieces for Flute and Piano) are available on the CD Baby Record label and on the Albany Records label. Risinger is professor of flute at Illinois State University.

Music Suite 408 opened in 2012 with six educators and 80 students. The enrichment center of the Illinois Valley now includes the Westclox Fine Arts Factory, Paintbox Gallery, Music Suite Annex all under the 408 Fine Arts Factory umbrella, and has 26 educators, more than 500 students and 10,000 square-foot space offering music instruction, art lessons and group classes, Chess Club, Fly Tying Club, Boppin Tots (18 months to 4 years old), outreach master classes, camps and workshops. There also is a 2,200-foot multi-purpose space that can be rented for private classes and events. Go to www.408fineartsfactory.com for more information.