Lois Bliss Herbine

Chamber Recording Reviews

LOIS HERBINE WAS THE FOUNDER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF CONCERTS AT CARMEL, A CLASSICAL CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA FROM 1999 TO 2009. FOR CONCERTS AT CARMEL’S TENTH ANNIVERSARY, A CELEBRATORY CD WITH CONCERT HIGHLIGHTS WAS RELEASED WHICH RECEIVED STELLAR REVIEWS.

Illuminations (title track and premiere recording) a song cycle for soprano, piccolo and harp (2001) (settings by Stephen Mager).Janice Fiore, soprano; Lois Bliss Herbine, piccolo; Sophie Bruno Labiner, harp. Recorded live at Carmel Presbyterian Church, Glenside, Pa. DTR/Direct-to-Tape Recording Co. DTR6050. 

 "The other discs are most notable for their individual participants. The Kennedy Center's is masterminded by pianist Lambert Orkis, whose restless intelligence always commands attention... Among clarinetists, the Philadelphia Orchestra's Ricardo Morales (heard with the excellent Wister Quartet) is in a class by himself... the piccolo and harp contributions by Lois Bliss Herbine and Sophie Bruno Labiner are models of color-driven expression." 
- David Patrick Stearns, Philadelphia Inquirer, record review (3.5 out of 4 stars)

"...All of the performers here are first-rate; the live performances are highly satisfying. The Tocata Joyeuse (1993) of Daniel Barta is a well-structured multisectional work for organ, contrasting lyricism with pyrotechnics, tellingly performed here by Michael Stairs. Johannes Brahms’s late, ravishingly beautiful Quartet in B Minor, Op. 115, for clarinet and string quartet receives a warm, sensitive, engaging, and elegant reading by Mr. Morales and the Wister Quartet. Perhaps the most intriguing work on the program is Illuminations, a song cycle for soprano, piccolo and harp (2001) by Stephen Mager. The six pieces of the cycle are settings of medieval manuscripts in Middle English and French touching on themes of love, absence, loss and resignation. The music combines medieval forms, rhythms, and melodic formulas with pleasantly modern harmonies, including polytonality. The three performers demonstrate loving and confident commitment to the score in this alluring performance. Organist Nathan Laube concludes the program with a brilliant performance of Messiaen’s “Transports de joie” from L’Ascension. Philadelphians have good reason to be proud of this distinguished series and the artistic excellence it represents." -The American Organist, November 2009

"This CD, one hopes, will serve to further increase the visibility of Concerts at Carmel, which has just completed its tenth season at Glenside's Carmel Presbyterian Church. The four live performances offered here - three from the 2006-2007 season and one, from 2000 - well represent the breadth of repertoire and high level of musicianship that characterize the Montgomery County concert series…. There's not a musician appearing on this program who isn't operating at the highest level, but the stars of the show are the two woodwind players. Ricardo Morales, principal clarinetist for the Philadelphia Orchestra since 2002 (he held the same position at the Metropolitan Opera previously) is joined by the four Orchestra members comprising the Wistar Quartet for a luminous performance of Brahms' Op. 115 Clarinet Quintet. Morales possesses a warm and even tone, a fluent technique, and sure musical instincts. The second movement Adagio features one of those lovely Brahms melodies that's at once tender and noble: Morales spins out seemingly endless, perfectly shaped lines to create a meltingly beautiful reverie. Interpretively, the Wistar is with him every step of the way.   

For Illuminations, from which the CD gets its title, St. Louis-based composer Stephen Mager sets texts drawn from 14th to 16th century Middle English sources, including Chaucer and Charles d'Orleans. The composer describes his song as "a series of musical tableaux suggesting the lavish illustrations of medieval manuscripts" and the harp part, neatly executed by Sophie Bruno Labiner, creates an apt lute-like sonority. Soprano Janice Fiore has extensive experience with new music, having participated in over thirty first performances, and she's clearly comfortable with the composer's idiom. Fiore never overwhelms these small pieces, scaling her voice back for the intimately communicative lyrics. Lois Bliss Herbine's piccolo is a second vocal participant, intertwining her song-like lines around the soprano's. Herbine produces a full and richly colored tone on her tiny instrument that, in lesser hands, can become wearyingly fife-like. A lighter-than-air Saltarello movement for piccolo and harp alone gives center stage to Herbine's virtuosity as she effortlessly shifts between passages of flutter- tonguing and regular articulation in the course of the movement... aurally as well as musically, this release is a winner - one that should get all of us to Glenside for Concerts at Carmel's 11th season." 
- Philadelphia Music Makers CD review by Andrew Quint

Solo Performance Reviews

Philadelphia Portraits: A Spiritual Journey: “This wonderful five-movement work by Cynthia Folio for piccolo and piano was commissioned by and dedicated to respected piccolo artist Lois Herbine, who premiered the work at the 2011 annual NFA convention in Charlotte. In the program notes, the composer states that Herbine suggested the theme and provided feedback on drafts. It was truly a collaborative process, and the recording that I heard of Herbine performing the work reinforces that sense of shared joy in the creation and performance of a new composition"- Andrea Loewy, The Flutist Quarterly, 2013

"When piccoloist Lois Herbine commissioned "Tweet" as part of her 2011 NFA performance program, composer Daniel Dorff turned to the birdsong outside his window for inspiration. I was able to hear the premiere at the NFA convention in Charlotte, and the performance has influenced this review... Herbine brought the work to life by bringing out different characters within what is, at first glance, a less varied texture, especially in the aforementioned arpeggiated sections. By giving these characters a voice and turning "Tweet" truly into a conversation between birds, the performance was engaging and truly enjoyable, with fluid phrasing and virtuosic technique. Herbine's thoughtful interpretation could help inform anyone preparing the work. Though she took some liberties with tempo not indicated by the composer, the results were excellent. " 
- Rebecca Johnson The Flutist Quarterly published music review

Putting her own dynamic range and expression to the test in an evening recital, Lois presented a combined programme of original and transcribed works. In our constant quest for new original material, it was lovely to hear her musical interpretations of the undeservedly forgotten Fantasy by Willard Elliott and Bernard Rogers' Study in company with Joseph Hallman's 2008 Sonata and her excellent rendering of Tilmann Dehnhard's "Wake Up!" . Along with works by Daugherty and Mower were two beautifully phrased borrowings from other instruments: Massenet's Meditation and Maria Theresa von Paradies' Sicilienne. 
- International Piccolo Symposium musicality lecture and recital, Nancy Nourse Flute Focus magazine, New Zealand

"The concert on Sunday, July 26, was sold-out, and even ominous weather predictions couldn't keep people away. Scheible called upon Lois Herbine and her piccolo to give a proper divertissement. She was impressive playing "Salterello," by long ago Music Pier orchestra conductor Joseph La Monaca..."
- Ed Wismer, Ocean City Pop's 'Three Tenors' continues tradition of outstanding music, Ocean City Sentinel

"In the Piccolo and other Headliners concert on Saturday afternoon Herbine performed Fantasy by the late Willard Elliot, former principal bassoon of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. This eight-minute, one-movement work for piccolo and piano primarily uses the low and middle registers and has the feel of a dreamscape. The soaring runs and quick flourishes contrast with the melody and the final angry, articulated section."  - Diane Boyd Schultz, Flute Talk Magazine, "2003 Convention Highlights" 

SOLO CD Comments

"Your recording is EXCELLENT! Good music, extremely fine piccolo playing, and good recording quality. Congratulations. It will be good to get it out." 
- Peter Christ, President of Crystal Records

"Lois is a great player" 
- Brian Levine, President of Dorian Records

"(Your CD) sounds great and your playing is fabulous!" 
- American "pop culture" composer Michael Daugherty

"She continues the performance excellence of the Great Philadelphians" 
- Leonard Garrison moderator, introduction to the National Flute Association's Piccolo Panel discussion

PERFORMANCE Comments

"The flute solo is fantastic" 
- Academy Award winning composer Tan Dun (regarding the flute solo in his Concerto for Pizzicato Piano and Ten Instruments with piano soloist Margaret Leng Tan)

"We've never heard a piccoloist play with so much contrast, both dynamic and tonal" 
- The National Symphony Orchestra audition committee 

"Your piccolo is ethereal" 
- Hollywood conductor William T. Stromberg conducting the back-up orchestra for the YES world tour.

"That's wonderful piccolo playing" 
- Vincent Persichetti conducting Persichetti's 7th Symphony

"Any conductor would love having her in his orchestra" 
- Donald Peck, Principal flute emeritus, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

"Bravissimo, Lois, on both the Daugherty and the Folio! Sherry and I were so delighted--thank you for your magnificent contribution to the 45th NFA convention"  - Walfrid Kujala, Solo piccolo emeritus, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Testimonials

From Rebecca Simon, Corresponding Secretary, Flute Society of Greater Philadelphia

Dear Lois, 

Thank you so much for headlining our Flute Fair this year.  Your concert and master class were simply amazing.  I know that all the students were thrilled to work with you and all the audience members learned so much from watching you teach.  It was such a busy day and I didn't get to see many events, but I was really fortunate to be able to catch the end of your master class.  You were able to get such quick results to help the student darken her sound.  

I only got to see a few minutes of your workshop, but I was happy to see how well attended it was.  I know that your presentation was very helpful to everyone.

We also really appreciate your adjudication of our Young Artist Competition.  We hope that you enjoyed their performances.

Thanks again for contributing so much to this year's Flute Fair and to the Flute Society as a whole throughout the year.  We are truly fortunate to have a performer and teacher like you living in our area.

Sincerely, Rebecca Simon

From Gary White, Music Director of the Philadelphia Sinfonia 

I wanted to thank you so much for playing with the orchestra. It was so special on so many levels! It was such fun for us to perform together and brought back so many wonderful memories of our time together at New School, the reunion and our short time together at Pottstown. It was also a fantastic experience for our students to work with you and learn from you in your master class. I have only heard wonderful things about the master class and performance at the Kimmel! So many people told me how much they loved the Vivaldi and had no idea that the piccolo could be played so beautifully. Of course you and I know that, but I am not surprised by this reaction. It is unusual to hear a solo piccolo and to hear a soloist play it so superbly. The phrasing, tone and articulations were wonderful and the largo movement to me was very special. When you did the repeat of the first half and played with that beautiful sotto voce sound, it was quite breath taking. My very best, Gary

From Leone Buyse, Professor of flute at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music and solo artist, addressing the audience in Hirsh Hall

"Thank you so much Lois for that beautiful, beautiful recital. It's so refreshing to hear a piccolo recital, isn't it? Especially when it sounds like that."

From Amy Porter, professor of flute at Michigan State University and solo artist

Hi Lois, Thank you for a wonderful class for SEMFA on Sunday and a great piccolo class for U of M yesterday. It was a pleasure hearing you teach and perform! 
Sincerely, Amy 

From Holly Clemans on behalf of the Southeast Michigan Flute Association

Lois, SEMFA would like to thank you for a fabulous class today! Your talk was informational and provided much valuable information, historical content and musical idea for the participants to try. Best of luck to you as you continue your lecture series and presentations.

From Suzanne Wray, President of the Flute Society of Greater Philadelphia

Dear Lois, On behalf of the Flute Society of Greater Philadelphia, I would like to thank you for your fabulous "Back to the Future" piccolo performance this past weekend. The musical selections you chose were delightful and your collaboration with Charlie was devine.

It was wonderful to have Christine Beard join you one this program, and so kind of her to present a pre-concert lecture on how to choose a piccolo. She is clearly an expert clinician and her handouts were much appreciated.

Thank you also for helping to arrange the piccolo sampling through Phil Unger (and the Flute Center of NY) - this was an added bonus. Overall a wonderful evening!

Sincerely, Suzanne

From John Sall, Artist Director, Music at Abington Concert Series

Dear Lois, Thank you and congratulations on a fine program here last month! I am still hearing from others how much they enjoyed your program and performance.

Your sensitive collaboration with Charles Abramovic was especially impressive. You are so responsive to one another, and you bring such a wide range of color and articulation to your respective instruments that you wove together a seamless tapestry of flute and piano expressions. In the Higdon and the Dorff pieces, in particular, your musical dialog was so free and intuitive that the sense of individual instruments and melodic and accompanying roles was replaced b a fluid conversation of musical ideas. Bravo!

The range of color and tone you express was also a delightful surprise. I enjoyed your rich and velvety sound which is expressive and engaging. However, your ability to express a tender, silvery shimmer and a muscular, stirring espressivo illuminated the surprisingly broad range of the flute in capable hands...

I hope you will be back to perform for us again...Following your successes here, I am very happy to recommend you and your program to others, as well!

With gratitude and best wishes,  John Sall