On Sunday, September 28, patrons to the “Musical Belles” event held at the First Congressional Church of Marion were treated to a spirited performance by flutist Wendy Rolfe and Pianist Deborah DeWolf Emery.
Rolfe is one of the nation’s leading performers of both historic and modern flutes. Currently, she is a Professor of Flute at Berklee College of Music in New York and tours the globe, having performed in concert in Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Finland, and China.
Emery is a trained pianist soloist, having studied at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music in Ohio. Alongside being a prestigious soloist, she has also served as a pianist for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The duo’s program that Sunday night ranged from classical selections to lighter, more contemporary pieces, offering something for every listener. Beginning with Atrahente by Gonzaga and Songs Without Words by Delphine von Schauroth, the arrangement slowly drifted from the 1800s through the past century into more modern, like Frevo – Canção – Bossa by Aquino. The church’s rich acoustics carried each note beautifully, creating a sense of intimacy despite the full pews. Audience members were especially charmed by the interplay between the two musicians.
The concert was mainly a benefit for the church’s restoration. Each $25 ticket went towards the goal of $150,000 in funding for restoration work of the church’s clock tower. The original clock from 1860 was electrified in 1954 and needs much work some 70 years later to become operable again.
First Congressional Church of Marion ‘Musical Belles’
By Sam Bishop