A duo of Kenai Peninsula locals, flautist Tomoko Raften and pianist Maria Allison, pieced together an electric performance inside the Christ Lutheran Church of Soldotna’s chancel Thursday evening.
During the rise and fall of the movements, sampled from pieces by John Sebastian Bach, Sergei Prokoiev and Claude Debussy the church pews, packed with an attentive audience, were silent.
Raften and Allison are members of the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra. Allison has been performing around the peninsula since her arrival in 1979.
The late evening Flute and Piano Recital was free to the public, with requested donation to the church. Six pieces filled the span of two hours, separated by a short intermission where attendees mingled and chatted with friends and family.
Following the intermission, Raften performed a mournful, mellow solo piece. Her head bobbed and cut forward as she accentuated the high staccato notes, and rolled and swayed when extending whole notes.
Raften’s concentration was unrelenting during her performance. The clicking high-pitched whir of cameras, the whispers of audience members and late comers entering through the open door didn’t result in
The pair thanked the full house for coming to watch, and Raften exited the room with a wide grin, her floor length purple gown flowing behind her.
Reach Kelly Sullivan at kelly.sullivan@peninsulaclarion.com
