Lakeland Civic Flute Choir
The newest addition to the Arts at Lakeland family is the Lakeland Civic Flute Choir, under the direction of Judith Elias. Composed of 20 musicians playing flute and related instruments, the choir meets for a unique-to-Lakeland weekday morning rehearsal and features music composed and arranged specifically for this fascinating ensemble.
Lakeland students and community members are encouraged to audition for the Lakeland Civic Flute Choir.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE: All college students and community adults.
WHEN: During the fall and spring semesters, the civic flute choir holds rehearsals every Thursday morning from 8:45-10:45 a.m.
WHERE: Rehearsals are typically in the Fletcher Music Room, C-Building, Room C-1078.
REQUIREMENTS: All performers must have sight-reading skills, have had prior ensemble performance experience (at least two years at the high school level), and be able to commit to Thursday morning rehearsals and two to three performances during each semester. Most performers must provide their own instruments.
CRITERIA: Acceptance into the Lakeland Flute Choir is by audition. Please contact Lakeland's Civic Flute Choir Director for more information.
INSTRUMENTS: The flute choir welcomes all orchestral flutes (C flute, piccolo, alto, bass and contrabass flutes). The flute choir also occasionally collaborates with other musicians.
The Lakeland Civic Flute Choir consists of many members of the previous Lake Erie College Flute Choir, which was in existence from 2001-2017, originated by Judith Elias, now director of the Lakeland Civic Flute Choir. While at Lake Erie College, the flute choir frequently collaborated with The Lake Erie College Community Chorus. In the fall of 2017, the flute choir decided to become separate from Lake Erie College and became The Hildegarden Flute Choir, as they were invited to rehearse and perform at The Hildegarden in Fairport Harbor, Ohio. The Hildegarden Flute Choir was able to add other instruments such as a mandolin, acoustic guitar, guitarrón, piano and percussion instruments on some of their music. When the Hildegarden closed in the spring of 2018, they became The Lake Flute Choir, rehearsing on the campus of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Painesville, Ohio, where they had performed on several occasions. In the spring of 2020, they were invited by Music Department Chair, Dr. Matthew Saunders and the Dean for Arts and Sciences Division to be in residence at Lakeland Community College to provide a daytime ensemble that could include Lakeland students and additional community members.
Judith Elias has a B.M.E. from Youngstown State University and did graduate study at Kent State University with Raymond DeMattia, with extensive additional studies under Maurice Sharp. She is on the faculty of The Fine Arts Association in Willoughby. Elias has appeared as soloist with the Lakeland Civic Orchestra in which she is principal flutist and performs extensively as a member of many fine chamber ensembles in the area. Elias was adjunct instructor in flute and director of the Lake Erie College Flute Choir from 2001-2017. She is currently the director of the Lakeland Civic Flute Choir. She is a member of the Fine Arts Woodwind Quintet.
