MagicFlutes
Flute Choirs

We are a 25-member flute ensemble, made up of piccolos, Eb flutes, concert flutes, alto flutes, and bass flutes. Our repertoire consists of original works for flute ensemble, transcriptions of orchestral works, and arrangements of jazz and popular music. We are particularly proud of our arrangement of melodies from My Fair Lady, which we commissioned from arranger BIll Holcombe, and premiered at our Spring 2004 concert.

Our ensemble has performed numerous concerts at Cañada College, Filoli Gardens, Piccolo Pavilion in Corte Madera, the Foster City Public Library concert series, and at St. Matthew's Catholic Church in San Mateo. In 2003, we were honored to perform at the National Flute Association annual convention in Las Vegas.

The evolution of the Magic Flutes flute ensemble began in 1980 while director Pamela Ravenelle was a graduate student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She joined the faculty at Cañada College to conduct the original group which was then a flute trio. The group grew to be a sextet and finally developed into a flute choir by the mid-1980's. In 2003, we relocated to the College of San Mateo, our current home base.

If you are interested in further information about joining or performance dates please contact pamelaflute@mac.com

About Pamela Ravenelle (bio)

"Magic Flutes" was formed in 1980 when Music Director Pamela Ravenelle joined the faculty of Canada College in Redwood City.  At that time, Ms. Ravenelle was still a student herself, completing her Master of Music Degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.  The group started as a flute trio and has grown to a group of 28 flutists.  "Magic Flutes" is made up of flutists of all ages and levels, and many different walks of life.  We are made up of teachers, a media consultant, managers, sales reps, a transcriptionist, an educational coordinator, students, moms, dads, grandmothers, a program manager, a graphic designer, a retired psychotherapist, an equity compensation manager, a clinical dietitian, a director of marketing, a protein chemist, an instrumental music teacher, a retired middle school band director, a secretary, a former Marine Band flutist, a marathon runner and a library assistant!  We are united by our love of the flute and our love of making music.  "Magic Flutes" rehearses once a week at The College of San Mateo, and performs regularly in the San Francisco Bay Area including the Filoli Mansion in Woodside, California and St. Matthew's Catholic Church in San Mateo, California.  "Magic Flutes" has also performed at the Morrison Planetarium in San Francisco, The Piccolo Pavilion in Corte Madera, and they were invited to perform at the National Flute Association's Convention in Las Vegas during August 2003.

Flutist and Musical Director Pamela Ravenelle received her master of Music Degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music majoring in Flute Performance.  She also holds a Community College Teaching Credential.  She has studied flute with Kem Martinez, Barbara Breeden, Marcel Moyse, Albert Tipton, Harold Bennett, Jim Walker and Paul Renzi.  She was also a Participant in the Master Classes of Julius Baker, Alain Marion and William Bennett.  She has been on the faculty of Canada College in Redwood City and St. Cecilia's School in San Francisco where she has conducted Flute Choirs, taught woodwinds and piano.  She currently teaches at the Crestmont Conservatory of Music in San Mateo and at The College in San Mateo.  Many of her private students hold positions in local Youth Orchestras and are award winners from various competitions. She is currently Music Director of "Magic Flutes", an award winning 28-piece flute orchestra.

Ms. Ravenelle has performed extensively in the San Francisco Bay Area with San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, Western Opera theater and Donald Pippin's Pocket Opera.  She has also performed in numerous musicals, solo-recitals and chamber music recitals including performing with The Amadeus Trio with Lawrence Granger, cellist and Priscilla Carter Granger, pianist in Edinburgh, Scotland.  She is a member of California Music Educators Association (C.M.E.A.) and The National Flute Association (N.F.A.)

Pamela lives on the Peninsula with her husband and two children. She is an active member of St. Bartholomew's Catholic Church in San Mateo and plays flute at two masses there every Sunday.

Click to view photos from the 2007 Bay Area Flute Fair at the San Francisco Conservatory taken by Robert Stronck of Pixel-Gym.

Photos © 2007 - Robert Stronck / Pixel-Gym (6/11/07)

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