When he speaks of his international career as soloist, collaborative artist, member of the Göteborg Wind Orchestra, and teacher, it is clear that Swedish flutist Göran Marcusson makes no distinction between the art of music and the art of friendship. His upcoming visit to Rochester will be a case in point. On Friday, November 9, Marcusson and his collaborative partner, British pianist Tim Carey, will present a solo recital of known and not-so-well-known flute music. Then on Saturday, November 10, the pair will spend a day interacting with Upstate New York flute enthusiasts, offering warm-up sessions, master classes, and workshops as part of the Rochester Flute Association's annual Flute Fair at Bay Trail Middle School in Penfield.

One of the finest flutists of his generation, Marcusson earned a soloist's diploma from the University of Göteborg, and has won international competitions in the United States, Finland, Germany, and Austria. He has premiered new works with major orchestras in Asia and the United States, and produced several CDs. Collaborative pianist Tim Carey is a soloist, too, having worked with the London Symphony, the Philharmonia, and the Ulster Symphony Orchestra.

Rochester flutist Tina Beaton studied with Marcusson and Carey at the Wildacres Flute Retreat in Ashville, North Carolina, and helped bring the duo to town as guest artists for this year's Flute Fair. "Göran and Tim are so personable," she says. "After just a brief conversation, you feel as though you've known them forever." In the potentially intimidating master class situation, Beaton reports that, "As a teacher, Göran is patient and humorous, and Tim's style matches Göran's perfectly. They make the performer feel safe and professional, as though you are all just working together to create beautiful music."

Marcusson's amiability extends to formal performance contexts, too. "To meet a new audience in a new place is very stimulating," he says. "It's like meeting a new friend for the first time. You are polite, you introduce yourself and shake hands; you say nice things, smile, and try to make a good impression. Later the conversation gets easier and you can tell jokes and share a laugh. After a while you dare to say the unexpected, and then the conversation goes deeper. A friendship begins, and you want to spend more time together." 

In the recital hall, Marcusson believes, the interactive process is the same. "My ideal audience wants to find out what I have to offer them. I start with some formal works they know and love, and I play them as they expect to hear them. Later in the program, I present pieces they maybe haven't heard yet, works from my part of the world that I love a lot. These might be unexpectedly beautiful, or tell a good story that will make them laugh. When we leave the concert hall we know we want to meet again, sharing more good music next time."

Marcusson's upcoming recital program reflects this philosophy. He will begin with music by two French composers familiar to flutists everywhere, Phillippe Gaubert's "Sonata in A Major for Flute and Piano" (1917) and an arrangement of Claude Debussy's "Afternoon of a Faun" (1894). The introduction of the "unexpected" comes at the end of the first half of the program, with Georgian composer Otar Taktakishvili's "Sonata for Flute and Piano" (1968). The second half is devoted entirely to works by Scandinavian composers, which Marcusson believes will be both unfamiliar and delightful to his new Rochester friends.

"All these pieces give a good picture of the late Romantic style in Scandinavia," he says. "They are excellent music for the flute, too, rich in melody and technically demanding passages." The "Tango Fantasia," by Danish composer Jacob Gade (arranged by Toke Lund-Christiansen) is based on Gade's famous "Jealousy Tango," a mega-hit in the United States some 50 years ago. "But it is a tango in the Finnish style," says Marcusson, "very different from the Latin American type."

Also included on the program is an arrangement of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius' "Scaramouche" (1913, originally music for a tragic pantomime). Works by three Swedish composers conclude the program: Wilhelm Stenhammer's "Two Sentimental Romances" (1910, originally for violin and orchestra), selections from Wilhelm Peterson-Berger's "Frösöblomster, Op. 16," (1896, originally for piano) and Hugo Alfvén's "Herdsmaiden's Dance" (c. 1916, arranged from the ballet-pantomime Bergakungen).

"I'm lucky to have the life I have," says Marcusson, "doing all the things I love. And Tim Carey is the ultimate partner to tour with. His playing is perfect, of course, but also he is just so passionate about life. Eating, drinking, flying - he is a pilot! - talking, discussing and everything. He is such a good friend." 

Göran Marcusson, flute, w/Tim Carey, piano

Hochstein School of Music, 50 N Plymouth Ave

Friday, November 9

7:30 p.m. | $8-$10 | rfaonline.org