A MAGIC FLUTE (HE HOPES) MIT SENIOR SKIPS WALK FOR GLOBAL CONTEST.Byline: Daily News While his fellow students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are receiving their diplomas June 9, senior Matthew Roitstein from Valencia will be in Odense Odense (ō`thənsə), city (1992 pop. 140,886), capital of Fyn co., S central Denmark, a seaport linked by canal with the Odense Fjord (an arm of the Kattegat). Denmark's third largest city, it is an important commercial, industrial, and cultural center and a rail junction., Denmark, one of three Americans competing in the prestigious Carl Nielsen International Flute Competition. Roitstein, a 2002 Hart High School graduate and son of David and Rosy Sackstein, is working toward dual degrees in architecture and music at MIT. He was one of 191 entrants for the competition, which runs from Wednesday through his graduation day June 9. Forty-eight entrants representing 21 nationalities were chosen to compete in the contest, open to flutists under 30. Roitstein began studying flute at age 8 with his mother, a music instructor. His father is chairman of jazz studies and piano at California Institute of the Arts. ``I enjoyed the sound the flute created, and wanted to play some of the wonderful repertoire that I heard coming out of my mom's studio,'' he said. He received numerous honors in high school, and in the summer of 2001 was a featured soloist -- with his twin brother, Andrew, who plays bass cello -- on the public radio program, ``From the Top.'' The Nielsen competition runs for four rounds, each with two different required works. Roitstein has been principal flutist in the MIT Symphony Orchestra since 2002. This summer Roitstein will participate for the second time in the Aspen Music Festival Aspen Music Festival, annual summer event, held in Aspen, Colo. A former silver-mining boomtown, Aspen fell into decline and was culturally revived by Walter Paepcke, who formed the Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies. The Aspen Music Festival and Music School were founded under the auspices of the Institute in 1949. Artists from all over the world come to teach and to perform in recitals, concerts, and operas.. He says he will apply to graduate schools next year, although he's unsure if it will be for architecture or music. ``I've been doing music all my life and will continue to play even if I do not pursue it professionally,'' he said. ``Right now I'd like to keep up both fields and I would be thrilled if I could combine these two passions, perhaps in studying acoustics or designing concert halls.'' CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Matthew Roitstein, principal flutist for the MIT Symphony Orchestra, is skipping graduation for an elite international competition. Thomas Maxisch/Special to the Daily News (2) ROITSTEIN |
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