Ken Dover - Piano

As we travel through life many of the paths we take will ultimately return us back to those things that are important. While I have taken many detours and turns, I have always been able to find the peace and solitude when I immerse myself in music.

There are so many stories that my mother loves to share regarding my interest in music as a toddler. My babysitter for several years was our church organist, Anna Mae Buchanan. I fondly remember staring more at her feet playing the pedals than at the keyboard.

I started learning the fundamentals of music through the Yamaha School of Music when I was three years old. While I adored my teacher, I can only remember calling her Ms. Susan. She has always had a profound impact on my life and I carry some fond memories from class. I wish she could see the love of music that she nurtured.

"I started taking my first private piano lessons at the age of five. While my mother reminds me that I was one of my new teacher’s youngest students, Marguerite Stiegmeyer and I stayed together for many years. I again hear the story where I would fidget around so much during the lesson that the piano bench cover would be in the floor. Every year I participated in the National Piano Players Auditions and was awarded the Paderewski Medal for completing the 12 year program. In all levels of my primary schooling I played in either the orchestra, accompanied or sang in the choir.

After graduation, I attended Southwest Missouri State University and after two years I was able to audition and be chosen as the accompanist for two choral groups. Additionally, I was invited to sing with the Chamber Singers under the direction of Dr. Guy Webb. Shortly before I left school to take my first professional job in Florida, I was asked to accompany the combined choruses for the performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah.

Upon moving to Florida, I didn’t have a piano, however I was never too far from music. For example, I was the director for 2 seasons of a renaissance troupe Dragonsfaire. I also sang in an early music ensemble Laudate at my local church.

Again, as life takes us down different paths, after almost 8 years, I found myself in Dallas, Texas. Here is where I met Vince and was able to become re-acquainted with my old friend, the piano and thus, the beginning of fluteandpianoguys.

Most recently, I accepted the invitation of The Women’s Chorus of Dallas to become the director of one of their small ensembles, Cantabile. This group of ten ladies has done a wonderful job learning more difficult music for each performance. I was invited to return as this ensembles director for the 2006 – 2007 season and look forward to working with these talented singers.

Vince Gregory - Flute

Mr. Gregory began playing the flute at the age of 12. Vince always had a fondness for wind instruments, in particular the flute. He remembers listening to a variety of music as a youngster. His parents loved music, and with an older brother who played guitar and trombone, Vince was exposed to a wide variety of styles.

After his family moved to small town in Arkansas he found it very difficult beginning his study of the flute. The mindset was, the flute was a girl’s instrument. Throughout Vince’s junior high and high school days he battled the stigma of a guy playing the flute, but persisted, and discovered the notoriety he brought to the small school district finally gained him respect among some of his fellow students.

After his first year in band, his director urged him and his parents to seek private instruction with Major Marybelle Nissly. Major Nissly was a tremendous influence in his early days of flute playing. She stressed musicality and the beauty of an instrument’s tone.

The high school band director suggested he study with Richard Rath, an oboist with the Arkansas Symphony, who became a huge influence in Vince’s life. Mr. Rath suggested he apply to music schools outside the Little Rock area even though Vince was offered scholarships locally and in Mississippi. At the suggestion of his teacher, Vince was advised to consider a new flute. Mr. Rath recommended a Muramatsu flute that was hand picked by his colleague. While a difficult purchase for Vince’s family his parents realized it was a warranted investment.

During junior high and high school Vince won numerous awards and competitions regionally and state-wide. He was in the Arkansas Allstate First Band for two consecutive years and principal flutist in the tri-state band competition. Vince was a member of the Little Rock Community Band and Little Rock Youth Orchestra. As a member of the Youth Orchestra, Vince performed the first movement as the featured soloist of the Concerto in G Major by Mozart. Further, he was awarded the John Phillip Sousa Award and is listed in Who’s Who among Music Students in American High Schools. Vince also performed in the Arkansas Repertory Theatre pit orchestra for several productions at the request of a wonderful friend, mentor, and fellow flutist, Gwenn Higginbotham. They performed the Telemann Double Concerto for Two Flutes at a recital in 1987. Vince is thrilled to have recently rekindled his friendship with Gwenn, who teaches at UALR and part of the Flute and Harp Duo Suite Elegante.

Mr. Gregory feels that no one person was more influential than another. Upon reflection, there was a natural succession from teacher to teacher, which led him to The Boston Conservatory of Music. There he studied with Phillip Kaplan and recording artist Paul Fried. Although their teaching styles were quite different, Vince looks back with great respect for both of these wonderful flutists.

After deciding to make Boston his home, he accepted a position at Emerson College in the Registrar’s Office. While there, he gave a recital with friends from the Conservatory in the Mahogany Room and at a local church in The Fenway. Vince was asked by a musician friend from Little Rock to play together in a recital in New York.

After moving back to Little Rock from Boston, Vince performed in several recitals at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He noticed several people in the audience at a dress rehearsal, one of them being Major Nissly. He was thrilled to see her again after many years. She was anxious to hear of his travels and enjoyed seeing the “fine flutist” he had become.

Life is full of twists and turns. Vince took a break from playing for a while but knew in his heart the flute would be back in his life—not realizing at that point what life had in store. Meeting Ken and sharing their music has been a tremendous blessing for both of them.

Vince has been guest soloist with the hand bell ensembles at Unity Church of Dallas and Brookhaven College.

fluteandpianoguys

After Vince and Ken met they immediately began sharing their love of music. They were invited to be musicians at a small local church, Faith Community Church of Dallas. This was their church home for almost three years. With great support from their friends, and family their website fluteandpianoguys.com was created. They both shared a secret dream to produce a CD with a variety of musical styles. Serendipity was born out of such desire.
fluteandpianoguys have been featured artists at local and out of state churches and performed for weddings and private parties.