The closing concert of the International Flute and Piccolo Festival became a party attended by all the flute players who participated in the festival held from April 25 to May 1. The Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela played accompanied by soloists Raimundo Pineda, Philippe Bernold, Jean Louis Beaumadier and Davide Formisano. The venue was the Center for Social Action through Music.

Philippe Bernold opened the concert performing as soloist and conductor in François Devienne’s Concerto for flute and Orchestra No. 7. The work by the composer known as the “French Mozart” –who wrote original flute methods by the end of the 17th century— was performed gracefully by Beaumadier, who surprised the audience by conducting the orchestra and playing the flute simultaneously.

The concert continued with the performance of the Italian flutist Davide Formisano, who played as soloist in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Flute concerto in D major. The festive spirit, charisma and sense of humor of Formisano captivated the audience. “This is a beautiful and melodious concert. It is a pleasure to play it for this sensational Venezuelan audience, especially because I do it under the baton of Philippe Bernold, a musician I admire and respect," said Formisano.

Mozart’s Flute concerto in D major was followed by the world premiere of Concerto No. 3 for piccolo and orchestra, which was played by its own composer, the Venezuelan Raimundo Pineda. From the first note both musicians and the audience moved to the beat of the music. Bravo! Shouted the audience, who gave Pineda a standing ovation.

What came next was the premiere in Venezuela of Lowell Liebermann’s Concerto for piccolo and orchestra. Raimundo Pineda led the work and Jean Louis Beaumadier played the piccolo, as soloist. The French musician had to repeat the last movement, as an encore, to please the audience.

"Now, to close the concert, the piece we are going to play will demonstrate the high standard of the flute section of this orchestra," said Philippe Bernold before leading the orchestra in Claude Debussy’s Prelude to the afternoon of a faun, a perfect finish to an event where the flute was the featured instrument.

The musicians bowed for ten minutes as the audience and their students clapped and praised their performance.