Education and Performances
Flautist and composer Colleen Muriel, A.R.C.T., Bachelor of Music, F.T.C.L., (F.R.S.M. and M.A. in music - near completion) has been performing in public for over three decades. She directed her own concert series at Holy Rosary Cathedral, Vancouver, B.C. (2001-2006), and is the founder and leader of the CCD Trio/Chamber Ensemble. Colleen has studied and performed in Great Britain, Canada and the United States; has been broadcast in Canada on, CITR FM, and CBC Radio, and Brooklands FM in the UK. In July 2005 she performed Le Merle Noir by Messiaen and Kurt Weill's violin concerto No. 12. at the Aberystwyth music festival in Wales.
She played in her own concert series at St. John's Waterloo (2007- ongoing), St. Margaret's Barking with Manuel Villet (2010-2011), and the All Hallows By the Tower (Concerts for Children) 2012. She has also performed in other concerts at various London City Churches as well as Telford International Centre, Telford; Regent Theatre, Ipswich and The Royal Albert Hall, London. These concerts include a wide range of musical styles and include pieces such as Concierto Pastoral by Joaquin Rodrigo, Sonatine by Pierre Boulez, and Sonatas by Rene Leibowitz and Francois Poulenc.
Currently she is a member of Women in Music U.K.; the Canadian League of Composers; British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors; Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada; the National Flute Association, British Flute Society, the All Souls Orchestra, London (www.allsoulsorchestra.org); and the Kingston Philharmonia (deputy). She is also listed in the British Yearbook and the European Yearbook of Contempory Women Composers (Italy). Her church music is represented by Christian Copyright Licencing International (CCLI) and her hymns are sung by various congregations within the London area. Some of her compositions and performances can be heard on her 11 CDs produced by El Flauto Records as well as downloads from CD Baby and Academy Records – Orchard Label.
Recording
Colleen's independent recording label Elflauto Records has released 11 CDs (Just As I Am, A cappella, London in the Afternoon, Just As We Were, The Waterloo Recording Session, Welcoming The Christ Child, To Boulez and Beyond, Graeme and Colleen at Covent Garden, Anarchy, Hymns and Spiritual Songs and Anarja), and a DVD (Fantasia and Ricercare). These recordings vary in style from simple hymn tunes to the Avant-gard. Her recordings, are in the National Library of Canada, The British Library, London, CD Baby, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, IndieRhythm , as well as in various music shops in Seattle, Washington, Vancouver, Canada and London, England.
Just As I Am [ELFLAUTO1] is filled with well known hymns performed live on solo flute at Holy Rosary Cathedral, Vancouver, Canada, A cappella [ELFLAUTO2] by contrast is a studio based CD featuring some new music and some Christmas favourites performed by a flute choir. London in the Afternoon [ELFLAUTO4] is again different and unique. It is filled with jazz arrangements for flute and piano of well known tunes such as Edelweiss, When I Grow Too Old to Dream and many others (Gareth George - piano, Colleen Muriel- flute). Just As We Were [ELFLAUTO5], another live piano and flute recording includes favourites such as Meditation by Massenet, Panis Angelicus by Franck, Fantasie Opus 79 by Faure, as well as Le Merle Noir by Messiaen and a new work for flute and piano War and Heartbreak composed by Colleen Muriel. The Waterloo Recording Session [ELFLAUTO7] is filled with Colleen’s flute arrangements of well known hymns. It also features Graeme Thewlis (piano). This CD was recorded live at St. John's Waterloo, April 17, 2009. Included on this CD are Fugues 1 and 2, Simons Theme, Rainfall and Vancouver Rain all composed by Colleen Muriel.
Fantasia and Ricercare [ELFLAUTO3] was recorded on DVD at the St. Peter and St. Paul Parish Church of Bromley, Kent (England) by Dr. Wilbur Hughes (September 30, 2006). Dr. Hughes also performed this piece at St. Andrews Cathedral in Sydney Australia in August 6, 2004 and again on August 25, 2006.
CD's released in late 2009 include "Welcoming the Christ Child" [ELFLAUTO6] a recording of a live a cappella flute performance given on December 27, 2008 at Holy Rosary Cathedral, Vancouver, B.C., To Boulez and Beyond [ELFLAUTO8], recorded at St. Martins-within-Ludgate, London on March 25, 2009. Included on this flute and piano CD are Amazing Grace/Ode to Joy, The Swan by Camille Saint-Saens, Sonatine by Pierre Boulez, Edelweiss, The Sound of Music, Ave Maria, Concierto Pastoral (adagio) by Rodrigo as well as Simons Theme, Rainfall and Vancouver Rain (three piano pieces by Colleen Muriel).
2010 has seen the arrival of and Graeme and Colleen/Colleen and Grame at St. Paul's Covent Garden [ELFLAUTO13]. This CD contains the same music as El Flauto 7 but in now performed in the historic actor’s church in the Covent Gardens Market Place. El Flauto 12 'Hymns and Spiritual Songs' also released in 2010 is a recording of a cappella flute music at St. John's Waterloo on October 25, 2009. It is a beautiful CD of solo flute music focusing on Classical favourites as well as Hymns and Spiritual Songs, as its title suggests.
Anarchy [EL FLAUTO 10] recorded in July, 2009 at Arts Ed, Chisick, is an extemporized avant-garde recording of flute and piano music utilizing the joint talents of John Boswell Maver and Colleen Muriel. This CD is comprised of only three pieces of music. Grand Tango after Piazzolla, Sonata, and The Decline and Fall of Salome.
Anarja EL FLAUTO 14 recorded in 2010 (released in 2011) is a combination of jazz and avant gard piano and flute music utilizing the talents of Gareth George and John Boswell Maver.
On November 5, 2008, Colleen performed and recorded Cantata "Awake" for solo flute by Wilbur Hughes and Evening Pleasures, also for solo flute by Colleen Muriel at St. Peter's Church, in West Molesey, England.
Colleen has also given (January 25, 2008) the London premiere performance of Canadian composer Mark Armanini's piece for flute and piano "Nocturnal Spirits", written for and dedicated to her. She gave a second performance of this work at the St. Lawrence Jewry Festival (August, 2008) and will be recording it in the near future, as well as premiering the flute and string orchestra version of the work.
Compositions
The first two concerts of Colleen’s compositions were given in 1997 and 1998 at the Lutheran Campus Centre, Vancouver, Canada and St. Mark’s Church, Vancouver Canada. Since then her music has been performed in a number of countries including England, Australia, and the United States.
Commissions include:
Some of Colleen's compositions, Fantasia and Ricercare for organ, Transformed (soprano/piano), Vancouver Rain, Rainfall ,and Fugues 1 and 2 and Simons Theme for piano have been performed at St. Andrews Cathedral in Sydney, Australia, Holy Rosary Cathedral, Vancouver, the Silk Purse Arts Centre, West Vancouver, the University of Wales, Aberystwyth campus, St. John's Waterloo, All Hallows by The Tower, St. Martin-within-Ludgate, London, St. Paul’s Church, Covent Gardens and City United Reform Church, and the City Parish of St. John the Baptist, Cardiff, Wales; and St. Margarets Barking.
The premiere performance of 'Vancouver Rain' for solo piano was performed at the Sonic Boom Festival in Vancouver by Rachel Iwassa, in March 2006. It has also been performed by British pianist Graeme Thewlis at St. John's Waterloo, All Hallows by the Tower (of London), and St. Paul’s Church in Covent Garden, London. Her chant styled rendition of "Our Father in Heaven"(voice and piano), and new arrangements for voice and flute of "The Snowy Breasted Pearl" and "Down by the Salley Garden's" have been recently performed by baritone Keith Long at All Hallows by the Tower, London and by Alison Wheeler at St. Peters Church, West Molesey, England. These two pieces along with Colleen’s arrangement of The Huron Carol are being performed in Alabama and Flordia, U.S.A. in September and November, 2009 by singer John Baumer and flutist Christopher Petre. Currently a CD of Colleen’s vocal works is being produced and performed by Alison Wheeler.
On June 26, 2009 pianist Graeme Thewlis performed Rainfall and Vancouver Rain in a concert at St. Paul’s Church in Covent Garden, London. On this same day Eric Stevens performed Rainfall at St. Johns Waterloo.
On July 29, 2009 a set of four ballet pieces commissioned by Gayle Berg premiered at St. Martins-within Ludgate, London.
"Evening Pleasures" for solo flute have been performed on June 20, 2008 and February 13 , 2009 (St. John's Waterloo), and on June 28, 2008 (St. Peter's West Molesey). The June 20th program included the London premiere of two a cappella flute works "Peace," and "The Prayer of Mary Stuart". "War and Heartbreak", a musical drama for piano with flute has just been premiered in London at St. John's Waterloo on August 29, 2008 and on September 17, 2008 Keith Long gave the London premiere performance of "Nahe Des Geliebton" at St. Olaves, London. Keith has also recorded some of Colleen's vocal music including an a cappella vocal work called Holy, Holy, Holy which is dedicated with appreciation to Yueh Ding.
On December 21, 2008 pianist Gayle Berg performed three of Colleen's piano works, Fugues 1 and 2 and Rainfall at a concert at Bethel Lutheran, Edmonton, Canada. Also included on this program was Colleen's arrangement of Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming for flute and violin.
Since 2009 there have been ongoing performances of many of Colleens compositions and arrangments in both Canada and England.
Publishing
All Colleen’s books are in the National Library of Canada, The British Library and in The Library Fondazione Adkins Chiti: Donne in Musica Teatro Comunale Piazza Trento e Trieste 1 003014 Fiuggi Citta (FR) Italy.
El Flauto Records released in 2009 five books of music. They are as follows...
Songs for Magic Flutes, Violins and Recorders - second edition (2009 - Elflauto M4). A re-release of the first edition of this book.
In 2010 many of Colleen's compositions are featured in 9 books distributed by Tutti Classical Music (www.tutti.co.uk) and Tarnius Music(www.tarniusmusic.com) A list of these books is below.
In 2011 El Flauto Records published 19 new pieces of sheet music and four new music books. These scores can be purchased from Tutti Classical Music, Tarnius Music and All Flutes Plus. The music published in 2011 is as follows…..
Hymn Tunes for Solo Flute (El Flauto M8) Arranged by Colleen Muriel
Ballet Music for Piano (adages, plies, ronde de jambe a terre) El Flauto M7 Published, December, 2011
Three Spiritual Songs Music for Voice, Flute and Piano El Flauto M6 Published December, 2011
Sanctus and Benedictus (El Flauto M27) Text: traditional liturgy, with music composed by Colleen Muriel (3 versions)
Colleen's Philosophy of Music
Colleen feels that music has healing power....power beyond words in that it helps to express emotions that words fail to express. Music tells stories literally or metaphorically of our individual and collective journey through life. The flute especially, has a melancholy quality that expresses the moods of this age in which we live. Unlike many classically trained musicians, Colleen is also folk/jazz influenced. You can hear this influence when listening to some of my arrangements for flute.
The healing of the all creation is desperately needed right now and she believes this healing can be greatly aided by the power of music. Colleen's music is frequently (but not always), reflective and meditative. She believes that music, especially flute music uplifts the soul.