UNO's Professor of Flute performs at the Library of Congress and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

By ahilt21 on June 9, 2025

UNO's Professor of Flute, Christine Beard, traveled to Washington, D.C., to perform as a member of the National LGBTQIA+ Flute Choir from May 30-June 1 as part of the 2025 World Pride festivities. Established in 2022 by Dr. Vincenzo Volpe, the National LGBTQIA+ Flute Choir was first conceived as part of the National Flute Association's annual convention. A proud and devoted ally, Dr. Beard has been one of the 2 piccolo players in the ensemble since 2023. World Pride marks the first time the ensemble has performed outside the NFA Convention, with 4 concerts over 3 days at the famed Cooledge Auditorium in the Library of Congress, the Strathmore grounds, the Swedish Embassy, and the National Gallery of Art.

The ensemble's program featured compositions by LGBTQIA+ and other marginalized composers, many of which were written in response to current events, including a piece honoring the vicitms of the Club Q shooting in Colorado, a fanfare in homage to Harvey Milk, and a world premiere for which the inspiration and title is quoted from Kamala Harris' concession speech in 2024.