Evening star., 1942-03-01
Rene lie Roy
Is Symphony
SolOist
French FlutiSt
To Be Heard on
Today's Program
Soloiist

The distinguished French flutist,
Rene lie Roy. will be heard for the
first time with the National SYM
phony Orchestra, Hans Kinder con-
Quoting, this afternoon at 4 o'clock
in Constitution Hall, when he will
play the Mozart ID Major Con-
certo" for flute and orchestra. The
second major offering of the pro-
gram will be the Liszt Faust" SYM
phony. to be given with the George
Washington University male chorus,
under the direction of DR.. Robert
Harmon.
Mr.. lie Roy was engaged to ap-
pear with the National Symphony
during its 1939-40 season, but the
outbreak Of the war kept him in
Paris, where he was associated with
the National Broadcasting Co. He
was there throughout Frances par
ticipation in the war, and left only
the day before Paris was invaded by
the Germans Fleeing, he was
blown from his car by a German
bomb that demolished the car but
left the flutist unhurt. Later he was
strafed by a low-fying machine
gunner, but again escaped injury
and somehow managed to get to the
south Of France and from there to
this country. Since then he has
made one Washington appearance
on c. c. Cappel's Meridian Hill con-
certs last summer.
Born near Paris, at LIE Roy was
already familiar with violin and
piano, but pfaferred the flute to
either instrument. After six months
Of instruction from his father, an
amateur flutist, he had become such
master of the instrument that
Adolphe Hennebains, instructor at
the Paris Conservatoire. urged that
the boy be enrolled in his classes.
But the elder LIE Roy considered his
son too young for such specialized
training aud Rene continued his
academic courses. He entered the
conservatory at 18 and q year later
received the first prize for the flute
and the unprecedented honor Of
succeeding Philippe Gaubert as d.
rector Of the distinguished Societe
des instruments q Vent. He was
Is years younger than the youngest
member Of the ensemble which he
was called upon to direct. He also
headed another group Of distin-
guished players, the Quintet In
Strumental, which gave 300 concerts
during the two seasons Of Le Roy's
direction.
Although Le Roy has received
countless invitations to join SYM
phony orchestras, he has remained
firm IN his conviction that the flute
Is solo instrument and he has yet
to appear with symphony orches-
ira in any role other than soloist.
He feels sincerely that the flute
should not be considered a mere
unit Of an orchestra or as an ad-
junct to the top notes of q soprano,
but as an instrument capable OF as
great interpretive powers as the
violin and Of greater range.
Following today's concert the Ma
tional Symphony and DIR. Kinder
will prepare for the second Of this
seasons tours, which opens with a
concert In Greenville, N. c., on
Wednesday night. Seven other con-
certs will be played throughout the
South before the orchestra returns
to Washington-on Thursday 1t will
be heard in Chapel Hill, N. c.; on
Friday in Spartanburg, S. c.: on
Saturday in Clemson, S. c.; on
Monday, March 9, in Sarasota, Fla;
on Tuesday, March 10, in Tampa,
Fla; on Wednesday, March IL, in
Daytona Beach, Fla, and on Thurs
day, March Il, in Raleigh, N. c.