Dennis Sizemore | Native American Flute Music

Imagine the plaintive sounds of the Native American flute merged with the timbre of modern orchestral and band instruments. Journey into the past and hear ancient spirit-songs interpreted on contemporary music-tools. Hear the music of tomorrow on instruments of Native American antiquity.

The music of White Elk calls upon a vibrant tribal history, uniquely blending Native American tradition with Classical and Jazz influences and sounds of other ethnic origins. This evocative soundscape reflects the fundamental elements of life—earth, water, fire, air, the cycle of seasons, and the origins and destiny of mankind.

White Elk is a dynamic and organic performance concept which features Dennis Sizemore playing a colorful variety of Native flutes from his extensive collection of modern and ancient instruments. He also presents this newest American sound art on saxophones and transverse flutes. Joining him are a diverse group of musicians who are specialists in classical performance, jazz styles, world ethnic instruments and voice. Due to the unique nature of White Elk’s repertoire, the process of rehearsing is equally unique, and may reference tribal dance movements, pow-wow drumming styles and ancient legends, all with the goal of making the music as authentic and personal as possible.

The need for White Elk began with our cultural collision 500 years ago, a dynamic series of events resulting in the blending of Native American and European artistic sensibilities. Driven by his personal ethnic blend and the desire to explore those representative values in his music, Sizemore began experimenting in the '70's playing jazz and classical music on Native American Flute and performing traditional Native American music on saxophone and orchestral flute. Deeply influenced by ground-breaking jazz and rock musicians of similar Euro-Native heritage such as Jim Pepper, Don Cherry, Jimi Hendrix and Tina Turner, and classical composers such as Louis Ballard, he felt a synergy with all people who were finding a new musical voice and giving expression to what it means to be both Native and American.

Finding other musicians of similar interests and high calibre musical abilities was difficult. His lengthy search for kindred spirits bore fruit when Sizemore performed the Indiana premiere of James DeMars’ concerto for Native American Flute, "Spirit Horses", with the Anderson Symphony Orchestra. Sizemore bonded immediately with orchestral members Suzanne Farley, flute/alto flute, and Byron Plexico, violin/viola, and the core of White Elk was formed. The players recently renewed musical friendships in the summer of 2005 and began work on their current project, recordings of the music of James DeMars—which includes "The Colors Fall" for NAFlute and modern silver flute,"Crow Wing" for NAFlute and viola, and "The Blessingway Songs" for NAFlute, voice, viola and cello. In March of 2007, Sizemore again performed "Spirit Horses", this time with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, The sold out audience greeted this new musical ideal with a standing ovation.

White Elk, in its various instrumental incarnations, has performed at art festivals, for church services and for meetings of Native American Flute circles. ‘Guest Elks’ are also regularly featured on piano, percussion, vocals, instruments of other world indigenous cultures - whatever the compositions demand. Individually, the performers have extensive experience as orchestral soloists and as large ensemble performers, as well as being members of other chamber groups.

Click hear to listen to excerpts from "Greet the Morning" for unaccompanied Native American Flute by Dennis Sizemore

Suzanne Farley has performed as 2nd flute and piccolo with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra since its founding and is leader of The Classic Chamber Ensemble—a trio of flute, violin and cello. Holding B.S. and M.M. degrees in flute performance from Ball State University, Suzanne was a graduate assistant and student of Paul Boyer, and has performed in master classes for noted flute artist-teachers Marcel Moyse, Julius Baker, and Samuel Baron. She has served on the faculties of Anderson University, Indiana Wesleyan University, Purdue University and Earlham College, and has performed with a number of regional orchestras, including nine seasons as principal flutist with the Anderson Symphony Orchestra. She enjoys a variety of free-lance activities as a studio session player, chamber musician, and member of Trio Bel Suono – an ensemble featuring flute, violin and piano.

Byron Plexico holds performance degrees from the North Carolina School of the Arts and Butler University. He performs regularly with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, the Carmel String Quartet, and is Concertmaster with the Anderson Symphony Orchestra. Byron currently teaches on the faculties of the University of Indianapolis, Indiana University – Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI), and Fairview Studios.

Click here to listen to excerpts from "Blue Dawn" composed
for Native American Flute and Cello by Marilyn Bliss
performed by Vladimir Zukerman, cello, and Dennis Sizemore

Vladimir Zukerman is an accomplished cellist, holding a Masters Degree in Cello Performance and Teaching from the Moscow Conservatory (Russia). Currently he is Principal Cello of the Anderson Symphony Orchestra, the Marion Philharmonic Orchestra and Associate Principal of the Muncie Symphony Orchestra. He also teaches Cello privately. Mr. Zukerman is the cellist for the Carmel Conservatory of Music string quartet and one of the music teachers for the Chamber Music Camp. Vladimir Zukerman started working for The Violin Shop of Carmel, Indiana, in May of 2008 where he is a sales associate.

Through the evolution of White Elk, I have had the extreme pleasure to perform with a number of truly gifted musicians. Let me introduce you to a few of my really special friends, the 'Guest Elks':

Sally Parsons was born into a Quaker-Catholic family of musicians and doctors. Her early cello lessons were interrupted for several years while she was on crutches for an orthopedic condition. For those 3 years, when not attending elementary school with her lunch box bolted to her crutch, she read and went to Girl Scout meetings. Her leg healed in time to re-start cello lessons given in her elementary school in Hinsdale, Illinois. Beginning in late elementary school, Sally followed the lead of her best friend, Dottie, in making Indian dance costumes out of chicken feathers, cutting poles for and making a teepee, watching birds, horrifying the Girl Scout troop with edible plants, and hiking. Sally attended Indiana University, receiving a double major in Russian Language and General History. After a move to Memphis, Tennessee, she earned a Master’s degree in Speech Pathology and began to study the cello once again. She played in the Memphis Symphony and other regional orchestras while working in the Mississippi, Arkansas and Memphis City schools as a speech pathologist. Sally met her husband, Al, stationed in Memphis with the Marines, in a bicycle-touring club. Sally and Al moved to Greenfield, Indiana, in 1996. Al is an Industrial Technology (shop) teacher and wrestling coach at Shelbyville High School. In 1984 he learned that family rumors of Native American ancestry were true and that he is Cherokee-Blackfoot. They have 2 daughters. Jennifer lives in Zionsville with the 2 grandchildren and works for J. P. Morgan/Chase bank. Daughter Katie has taught English in Japan for 3 years and will be returning home soon.

Polina Umansky received a Masters Degree in music from the Odessa State Conservatory. She previously appeared as a soloist on numerous occasions in Odessa, as well as in other cities in the former Soviet Union, such as Moscow, Kiev and Kharkov. Polina began her orchestral career as a member of the cello section of the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra and appeared as a soloist on numerous occasions. Upon her arrival in the United States in 1979 she performed with a variety of orchestras in the New York area, including performances at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. She was a co-founder of the Cameo Trio, an ensemble in residence at the Indianapolis Museum of Arts. She has appeared as a soloist with the Marion Phlharmonic Orchestra and Anderson Symphony Orchestras. Polina taught cello at Ball State University (1998-2002). At the present time she is principal of the cello section with the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra. Polina Umansky is a cellist who has performed as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. Her passion is chamber music and teaching. Her teachers were Ayzik Zhadan and Janos Starker.

The extraordinarily talented Carol Hatfield is equally at home singing, playing transverse flute, Native American Flute, alto saxophone or any other instrument that fuels her curiosity. A music performance graduate of the University of Indianapolis, Carol is a member of the world-music ensemble, Shilombish.