Photo submitted to Times Observer Silver Winds Flute Choir, from left, in front, includes Emily Rose, Rebecca Darbee, Mary Margaret Fogarty, Nancy Scott, Laura Whitten and, in back, Penny Chaffee, Pat Murphy, and Betty Fitzgerald.

The Silver Winds Flute Choir presents its annual holiday concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, at Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church, 444 PA Ave. West in Warren.

The concert includes a collection of classical, contemporary, Christmas and seasonal selections that reflect the traditions and values of the season. Selections on the program include a contemporary piece by Deborah Anderson, Uncharted Paths, which offers a musical journey on two levels: an individual on an adventure or a spiritual seeker searching for intangibles. The three movement piece includes Night Flight, Encounter, and Reflection.

Ave Maria, a movement from Four Renaissance Motets arranged for flute choir, mimics voices in an ancient abbey. This piece is paired with Hail Mother Mary by Carl Riley, a piece based on Giulio Caccini’s (1546-1618) Ave Maria. This is unique in the inclusion of a jazz counter melody. The Ave Maria can be detected throughout this piece The program also includes Symphony No. 1 by William Boyce arranged by Bruce Behnke and Sarabande by Debussy, as well as popular seasonal favorites.

The familiar seasonal and Christmas selections will be audience pleasers. Two pieces from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker will be performed (Miniature Overture and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies) followed by seasonal favorites: Ding Dong Merrily on High, Let It Snow, and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Flute choir favorites, A Renaissance Noel and A Lyric Noel selections–Good King Wenceslas, Angels We Have Heard on High, Pat a Pan, and Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella–are included in the program. The concert concludes with Let There Be Peace on Earth.

Silver Winds Flute Choir was formed in 2007 when they presented their first Christmas concert . The core group of five remains active in the group today. Membership fluctuates over time with as many as ten players performing on piccolo, C flute, alto and bass flutes. The current players include Penny Chaffee, Becky Darbee, Betty Fitzgerald, Mary Margaret Fogarty, Emily (Frederick) Rose, Nancy Scott, and Laura Whitten. Pat Murphy and Olivia Zapel are members on leave for this season.

Players are from a variety of backgrounds. Chaffee, employed as a human resource professional and as a fitness instructor, has been active in the Warren Philharmonic Orchestra since High School graduation. She has played individually for church and other events. Penny is a core member of the flute choir.

Darbee, a retired college teacher, coordinates SWFC. Along with Fitzgerald, she initiated the formation of the flute choir. Darbee performs with the Warren Philharmonic and is a member of the Presque Isle Flute Choir (formally Gannon Adult Flute choir). As a flute choir enthusiast, she performed with Atlanta Flute Choir and the Flute Choir of Atlanta. She is also a past member of Marietta Symphony on the Square. She has taught flute students and continues to perform with small ensembles. She is an active member of the Warren Philomel Club.

Fitzgerald, also a retiree, is active in her church music ministry as performer and leader. She has participated in Warren Philharmonic for many years along with Chaffee and Darbee. She has been a performer with the Warren Players Club theater orchestra . She also taught flute students and continues her teaching her granddaughter on line Fitzgerald is a core group member and founder.

Fogarty is the newest member of the group joining Silver Winds from Fredonia, NY. She is a retired high school Spanish teacher who has discovered the joy of flute choir. She is active in the New Horizons band in her community playing both piccolo and flute and she plays in small ensembles.

Emily (Frederick) Rose is the youngest member of the group. Employed as an engineer and a swimming instructor (second job) Emily joined the group while still in high school while she was involved in marching band. Roses continued her involvement with SWFC through her college years and on beginning her professional life.

Scott, a member of the group since 2012, has degree in music and education from the University of Connecticut. She performed for ten years in the 94th army band in Connecticut and the 257th army band in Washington, DC. Now a nurse (a recently discovered calling) with the Cancer Care Center, Scott finds time to perform with Silver Winds Flute Choir and in her home church, Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church. Her family is a focus of her “free time”.

Whitten, a core group member, came to the group as an adult rediscovering her flute. As with many members, Whitten had been involved in the high school music program but played little after graduation. She has played with SWFC, Light Strings and Air (with John Bowler) with the Warren Players Club theater orchestra, and for church services and events. She is employed with the state at Chapman Dam State Park and extends her musical involvement to work with soft rock group, Temple Grey as PR and sound coordinator.

Those attending a Silver Winds Flute Choir concert will see members playing a variety of instruments throughout the performance as well as a variety of parts. The goal of the group is to provide a positive musical experience for both the audience and the players. The audience hears different musical voices as each player expresses themself through the melody and the players experience the technical differences in playing melody versus harmony parts.

This free concert, presented on Sunday, Dec. 3, at 4 p.m., at Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church.

For more information call Becky Darbee 688-2054.