Robert Dick

by Craig HarrisThe traditions of classical music are combined with the improvisation of and technical skills of jazz to create the imaginative music of New York-born and Switzerland-based flute player, Robert Dick. Describing himself as "a musician with twenty-first century skills and eighteenth century attitudes," Dick continues to pioneer a new role for the flute in modern music. Performing as a soloist, or in a duo that he shares with pianist Anthony DeMare, Dick continues to take such a high energy approach to his instrument that he has been dubbed, "the Hendrix of the flute." "I play the flute," he said during a 2000 interview, "as a human-powered synthesizer."A graduate of the Yale School of Music, Dick is one of only two Americans to have been awarded both the Composers Fellowship (twice) and a solo recital grant by N.E.A., as a composer of classical music. Equally distinguished as a jazz musician, he performs with a Europe-based group, the A.D.D. Trio, with electric guitarist Steve Arguelles and drummer Christy Doran, And a New York-based ambient band, King Chubby, featuring keyboardist/sampler Ed Bialek and percussionist Will Ryan. Dick has also performed with John Zorn, Steve Lacy and ed Rothenberg and has collaborated on a performance piece with vocalist and performance artist, Rinde Eckert.During the 2001 -- 2002 season, Dick was commissioned to compose a sextet, "A New Prehistory", for the New York New Music Ensemble. The Boland-Dowdall Duo introduced his blues-tinged duet for flute and guitar, "Pounce Of Now", during a series of special premier concerts.