Maharaj-Degavino Duo - Flute & Piano 10 th April 2025 In its final concert of the season the Society presented the duo partnership of flautist Meera Maharaj, and pianist Dominic Degavino in an exciting concert that included classical, contemporary classical and jazz repertoire. The concert began with a tuneful Sonata in D by Johann Hummel; Meera and Dominic’s fluid opening revealed a satisfying symbiosis between them. Here and throughout the concert Meera showed herself to be a very physical animated performer living and moving with the music, fully utilising the dynamic potential of her flute. From the delicately controlled opening Dominic judged perfectly the balance between the instruments, ensuring that the flute was never overpowered. The middle movement of the sonata was a beautifully contrasting D minor that was cleverly woven into the closing Rondo movement. Meera and Dominic took turns introducing pieces, engaging the audience through enthusiasm and charm respectively. The Gabriel Fauré Sonata No.1 in A , originally written for violin and piano, was music of great contrasts of intensity, tempo and mood – handled effortlessly by Meera and Dominic. Meera comfortably crafted long phrases in the opening movement. The second Andante movement was at times mysterious and at times meditative, Meera and Dominic maintaining a constant dialogue throughout, before taking the change to allegro in their stride. In part 2 of the concert, Meera and Dominic introduced the audience to interesting and exciting living composers, never before heard at the Society’s concerts. Blaž Pucihar’s Sonatina for flute and piano had a delightful rhythmic opening subsequently melting into a melodic largo. A lovely romantic Aria followed in which the piano largely accompanied whilst seemingly driving the music forward. A jolly Vivace suggesting a free-flying spirit provided a brilliant finish. The beautiful and imaginative The Butterfly and the Stone , by Grace-Evangaline Mason, was composed for the duo following a chance meeting at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The first section alternated between delicacy and a fuller sound. Of great interest, in the second movement the flute played into the open grand piano, the piano strings resonating in response; as the flute moved away - the piano played sombre chords whilst the flute remained poignant. The third and final phase was a reflective movement that suggested a quantum transformation, not merely the death of a butterfly. In Free Fall by Chick Corea & Steve Kajula, Dominic opened with a cocktail bar feel into which the flute entered – improvisatory and sultry, as if sounding out ideas. After a short piano solo Meera returned with more extraordinary playing. So the scene was set for two pieces by Geoff Eales, first the gentle and reflective Remembrance in which the piano and flute pleasantly interchanged and blended to close on a lovely long note from the flute. In the Pocket had a very fast flute part – the listener was carried along on a bow-wave of sound to the finish. A sublime ending to the evening was provided by Florence Price’s Adoration . IM