December 2011 Archives - The Instrumentalist

George Russell Hambrecht

theinstrumenta — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:03:09 +0000

One of the premier American orchestral flutists died on October 13 from complications of a broken hip. Hambrecht served as principal flutist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from 1962-1990 and recorded extensively with the Cincinnati Pops with conductor Erich Kunzel for the Telarc label.

Hambrecht was born in Syracuse, New York and studied flute with his father Henry, who was a flutist in the Syracuse Symphony. While studying music and engineering at Syracuse University, he was drafted into the U.S. Army during WWII. While stationed in New York City, he studied flute with Julius Baker, who would later become principal flute of the New York Philharmonic.

After the war, Hambrecht studied with Joseph Mariano at the Eastman School of Music where he earned B.M. and M.M. degrees. After graduation he played second flute in the Rochester Philharmonic under Erich Leinsdorf, second flute in the Cleveland Orchestra under George Szell, and principal flute in the Buffalo Philharmonic under Josef Krips. In 1962, he was hired by Max Rudolf as principal flute in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Before the CSO became a year-round orchestra, he played in the Chautauqua Symphony and Opera Orchestra during the summers.

Retired Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra clarinetist Richard Porotsky said: “He was one of the greatest flute players in the country, of all time. What a pleasure it was to be associated with such a wonderful player. His phrasing was always so exquisite and his playing so nuanced.”

Through the years, Hambrecht appeared as soloist several times with the CSO, performing Mozart Flute Concertos Nos. 1 and 2, Jacques Ibert Flute Concerto, and Mozart’s Concerto for Flute and Harp. In 1963 at the Cincinnati May Festival, he performed J.S. Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 with pianist Rudolf Serkin and violinist Isaac Stern. He also performed with the CSO on its historic 10-week world tour sponsored by the U.S. State Department in 1966, as well as the orchestra’s first European tour in 1969.

As a flute professor at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music he trained many flutists who went on to join symphony orchestras. Chatta-nooga Symphony flutist Nora Setliffe Kile relates: “There wasn’t a kinder more patient teacher and mentor than George. I cherish the years I studied with this sweet, gentle giant of the flute world.”

For eight years, he was a volunteer co-host of a weekly radio show, “WMKV Goes to the Pops.” Hambrecht was also an instrument-rated pilot and a member of the Flying Neutrons at the Cincinnati-Blue Ash Airport and a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. He leaves three sons, a daughter, and his second wife, Ann who is also a flutist.

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Keep Your Piccolo Warm

theinstrumenta — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:58:43 +0000

Winter is a difficult time of the year for wooden instruments. However, performing in an overly air-conditioned hall in the summer causes problems too. No matter the temperature conditions, the bottom line is the same. How do we keep the wood from cracking? One of the most helpful things a player can do is to play the instrument daily. Consistent daily playing time keeps the instrument more tempered, and the wood in good condition as it receives the humidity from the breath used in playing.

When traveling to rehearsals, keep the instrument inside a well-protected case and case cover. Some case covers are lined with fleece or an insulating material that helps protect the piccolo from extreme temperatures. Most players carry their piccolos in gig bags which are also lined with several layers of temperature mitigating fabrics, including Mylar (the shiny aluminum colored fabrics used to make space blankets.)

Once inside the concert hall, unpack the piccolo and hold it in your hands or against your body for a few minutes to bring the temperature of the wood up a bit before beginning to play. (An oboist colleague warms up each of the three joints of the oboe separately before beginning to play.) The goal is to keep the entire instrument, inside and out, near the same temperature. Of course the breath naturally warms up the inside of the instrument as you play.

When performing, try to keep the piccolo warm between one entrance and the next. If there is too great of a difference in temperature from the ambient room temperature to the wood’s temperature, a water bubble can form and seal the tone hole open even though the key has not been depressed.

The difference in the temperature of the player’s breath (98.6 degrees) and the temperature of the concert hall (67 degrees) may cause the player’s breath to condense and form moisture. This moisture can be swabbed away during a rest, but if left to pool in the bore of the piccolo, it can fill an entire tone hole and prevent the key from opening fully. Some players silently blow into a cold piccolo to warm it up quickly. Quick-blowing into the piccolo increases the risk of creating extra condensation inside the instrument. It is better to keep the piccolo warm externally between entrances, so warming it up with the breath is unnecessary.

The most physically vulnerable part of the piccolo is the bulb where the wood curves out to go over the metal tenon work on the interior of the piccolo. This is where cracks are likely to occur, although they can happen anyplace on the wood surfaces.

One option to keep the piccolo warm is to use your hand to cover the majority of the headjoint when resting between entrances.

Another option is to keep the instrument tucked against your side between the arm and body.

Many male piccolo players tuck the piccolo into the pocket of their tuxedo jackets to keep it warm. If you do this, be sure the seams of the pocket are secure, as more than one piccolo player has seen his piccolo fall to the floor.

When your piccolo is on a stand, use a commercially made fabric sleeve that covers the entire piccolo to protect the instrument from drafty environments.

Learning to keep your piccolo warm in all climate conditions will help you on your way to successful piccolo performances.

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How to Choose a Flute

theinstrumenta — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:50:45 +0000

Buying a new flute is one of the most exciting events in a flutist’s life. There are so many more options available today than in the past; this greatly increases the chances of finding an instrument that is a good match. However, the process of researching, testing and eventually selecting the right instrument can be frustrating.

When I was a child, student flutists played on one of a handful of brands of student model flutes. My Conn flute was a sturdy instrument and survived my repeated attempts in taking it apart and reassembling it. I was sure I could make it play better. Of course it was not the flute, it was the pads. They were ghastly, and the only time the pads actually seated was in the first few minutes after they had been installed.

There were no step-up flutes at the time. Instead when you bought a professional model flute, you made a choice between a commercial model (one with extruded tone holes that was slightly less expensive) or a professional model (soldered tone holes and full price). There were two manufacturers of flutes (William S. Haynes and Verne Q. Powell) who were both located in Boston. When you ordered a flute, your name was put on a list, and the company contacted you sometime in the distant future. One company had a waiting list of several years; the other several months. When your name was at the top of the list, the company contacted you and asked for a down payment, with the balance to be paid just before the flute was shipped. When the instrument arrived, this was your flute. There was no testing of different flutes (brands or models) or headjoint exchanging. You took what you got and learned to play on it.

In the next eight years, I repeated this process four times until the fourth flute I bought was a good match. I still own and play it frequently. My parents paid $930 for this flute in 1964.The flute was listed at $900 with an extra $30 for a roller on the D# key. If I pro-rate the cost of playing it over 47 years, this flute, which has provided me with hours of enjoyment, cost less than $20 a year to own. This flute was a good investment.

One of the best places to select an instrument is at the National Flute Association’s annual convention or at one of the many regional flute fairs. Manufacturers and flute specialty shops show their vast inventories in the exhibit halls. Often there are small spaces designated for the customer to try the flute in privacy. If you choose an instrument in this venue, most dealers allow you to take the flute home on approval for a week to ten days so you may play the flute in the settings in which it will be used.

Do Your Homework

Before you begin testing instruments, learn the terminology of the flute makers and dealers. If money is no object, then you may want all the bells and whistles; but if for everyone else who is on a budget, decide what extras you really will use. One less expensive option is a pre-owned instrument. For those buying a new instrument, it is often worthwhile to spend more to upgrade the material used in making the riser in the headjoint.

Make an Appointment

If you are going to select a flute from one of the flute specialty shops or makers, make an appointment to try instruments; don’t just show up. In addition to courtesy, this allows the store to have someone available with knowledge about flutes and their construction. The store will also make sure the inventory you are looking for is in stock and not out on approval.

Practice

Generally when you upgrade an instrument, there is something about the current flute that is wrong or limiting. At least a month before trying instruments, practice well so your embouchure is strong and flexible; breathing is relaxed and controlled; articulation is clear and expressive; and fingers are even and fluent. If there are problems when you play a new instrument, you want to know that it is the instrument’s problem and not yours.

Where do you play?

If you primarily play with a microphone, then a low resistant headjoint may be the best choice. A low resistant headjoint has a quick response and an interesting range of colors, but lacks the projection to perform successfully in a large concert hall. Those who want projection should select a high resistant headjoint. There is a flute for chamber music in a small, intimate setting as well. Most flutists do not have the luxury to have one flute for chamber music, another for large concert halls and another when playing with a microphone, so we compromise and select a flute that fulfills as many of our desires as possible. Remember that every flute will have flaws whether in tuning, timbre or dynamic control of a certain note, or the way the flute responds when slurring an interval. The goal is to choose a flute that best fits your playing and situation and with the fewest flaws to work around.

What to Play

Harmonics: Since the flute scale is based on the overtone series, play several harmonics to explore how the flute overblows. Start by playing three harmonics on a first octave F, F# and Bb. For the Bb, use both the long fingering (TH, 1000/1004) and the Thumb Bb fingering. Listen carefully for the quality of the sound of the third partial.

Scales: Play a slow, two-octave F major scale ascending and descending. Do not adjust for pitch problems because you want to know what the flute will do, not what you can do on the flute. Choose a flute where you have to make few adjustments to play in tune. Use a tuner throughout the process. If you are selecting an A=442 flute, set the tuner on A=442. Listen to the timbre of the scale as you play. If there are dull or bright notes here and there, then this is not the flute for you. Use a recording device or a friend in the selection process.

Octaves: Play slurred octaves beginning on the first octave F. Proceed chromatically up the flute. Listen for timbre and intonation. Again, use the tuner and a recording device.

Low Range Articulation: Everyone wants a flute that articulates quickly in the low range. Play four sixteenths = 144 on each pitch, chromatically down from the first octave F to C. Check the clarity of the sound and the quickness of response. Repeat this exercise using contrasting dynamics.

High Range Articulation: Likewise, clarity and response of articulation in the top notes is necessary for artistic performance. Repeat the above exercise, beginning on the third octave F, ascending chromatically. Repeat this exercise using contrasting dynamics.

Tapers: Explore the tapers or the endings of the notes. The most difficult are in the third octave. Begin on the third octave D and taper or diminuendo the note over 12 counts. Repeat on each note ascending chromatically. Try to play from something to nothingness. Check the pitch with the tuner as you perform these tapers. Successful tapers require you to be in practice, which is why you should practice well before you try flutes.

Gilbert’s Ghosts: I read about the Gilbert Ghosts in Angeleita Floyd’s The Gilbert Legacy. This exercise has the flutist finger a third-octave note. While playing the note, the flutist retains his embouchure position, but changes the air speed to produce the lower partials. While doing this exercise with many of my students, I realized that the quality of the tone on the lower partial affects the quality of tone of the fingered note. If the lower partial note is airy and unfocused, then the fingered note was generally quite good. However, if the lower partial note was clear and focused, then the fingered note was poor. When doing this exercise pay particular attention to the pitches of Ab, F# and E. The goal is to find a flute where all the lower partials are fuzzy and unfocused. This means the fingered notes will be terrific.

Note-Connections and Intervals: Play the third and sixth exercises (see ) slurred. Few flutes let you play fast thirds easily in the third-octave. I always feel that I have to wait for the instrument to respond. Most makers do not have the ability to execute the technical questions this exercise asks, so they do not realize how poorly their flutes perform in this task. However, if you are going to have agility in the third octave, the ability to play fast, slurred thirds is a must. The instrument should not hold you back.

Playing slow intervals is also important to learn how the response of the instrument is. Be sure there are no wolfs in the interval. Most flutes with the old scale had a wolf from the third-octave A to the third-octave E. Many of the new flutes no longer have a wolf on these notes, but do have a wolf on the third-octave G# to E when slurring. The weight of the crown will affect the wolf, so if you like everything about the flute except this one wolf, experiment by playing with a different crown. Be careful though, as a heavier crown can make the flute’s overall pitch flat, and the tone dull. It is all a compromise. When playing the slow intervals (4ths, 5ths and 6ths), practice making a diminuendo into the second note, followed by a taper.

Excerpts: If the flute checks out through these exercises, it is time to begin playing your favorite excerpts. Unfortunately most flutists start with the excerpts and then may never proceed to asking the really basic questions about how a flute overblows, responds in articulated passages, and allows beautiful note connections and tapers. Testing flutes takes time and effort. Since this may be one of the largest purchases of your life, take the time to do it well.

The Bottom Line

Look at the construction of the flute. It is also an object of art and the workmanship should echo that of a fine piece of jewelry. There should be no solder smudges or scratches. Many craftsmen have specially designed tools to allow you to look at the construction of the soldering of the lip plate onto the headjoint tube.

If the flute checks out, then ask: does this flute make me feel creative? If it is not an instrument that you can hardly wait to play, then it may not be the flute for you. I wish we could try flutes without knowing what they are made of – too many of my students have gold on the brain and focus on the material instead of selecting instruments that actually played very well. Once you have chosen your dream flute, I hope you find many years of enjoyment with it.

Glossary of Terms
Metals
Sterling silver (.925) or (.990, .958, .916)
Solid silver or coin silver (.900) or Silver plated (.999)
Rose Gold (9, 10, 14, 18, 19.5 Karat) 24 is the magic number: 18K is 18 parts gold and 6 parts alloy: 18 + 6 = 24. 14K is 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy: 14 + 10 = 24)
Platinum
Wall or tube thickness: .018 (heavy), .016 (regular), .014 (thin)
Tone Holes: soldered or drawn
G: Inline or offset
French model (open hole) or plateau (closed hole)
French arms
Springs: white gold, yellow gold, stainless or steel springs
C# trill
Split E (actually a split G) mechanism (E Facilitator) or lower G key donut/crescent
D# roller & C# Roller
C-foot or B-foot
Gizmo
Riser: silver, 14 K gold, platinum
Pinless mechanism
Brogger Mechanism
Kingma System
Scale: Modern, Cooper, or Bennett
A= 440, 442, 444, 446
Model designations:
Professional or Handmade
Pre-Professional
Mid-line, Intermediate, Step-up, Student

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Incorporating Theory Into Lessons

theinstrumenta — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:15:15 +0000

While music theory is an important part of a flutist’s formal training, it is often neglected in private lessons. There are always so many other things to think about: tone, double tonguing, all-state audition music, solo and ensemble festival competitions. However, music theory does not have to be time consuming or complicated; it can even be fun. Any time given to it will be time well spent.

Ask Questions

With simple questions during a lesson, a teacher can quickly discover what a student does and does not know. As you introduce a new piece, ask what the key is. If the student does not know, look at the music together and point out that music usually ends on the tonic. For a piece in a minor key, ask the student to name the leading tone and find several examples in the music. If the work changes keys in the middle, ask what the new key is and how it relates to the original key. Student pieces often modulate to the relative major or minor, and usually modulate to the dominant key. With your help, students can mark phrases and find basic forms. Even young students can learn to recognize ABA form. More advanced students can answer questions about triads (major vs. minor or identifying I, IV, V triads in a key) and intervals.

Theoretical Terminology

Teach students important terms by using the terms consistently in lessons. These terms include tonic, dominant, interval names (such as perfect fifth), meter, cadence, enharmonic, etc. Most students will never notice as you prepare their minds for music theory studies.

The Circle of Fifths

The circle of fifths is one of the greatest teaching tools because it relates to so many aspects of music theory: scales, key signatures, the order of flats and sharps, intervals, chord progressions, and modulation. An easy introduction is to teach scales with the chart rather than a traditional scale sheet. Even young students can have great success with this (and they often complain less because they assume it is the norm). If a student is not used to this method, begin with C major. Have the student spell the scale aloud – C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. Point out that each letter is used once, you never have two of the same letter used next to each other. Then have the student spell the next scale on the circle of fifths. This could be either G major or F major depending on which direction you prefer. Students should spell the scale alphabetically first without sharps or flats and then again with the key signature listed on the circle of fifths chart. ()

Play by Ear

Flutists who play by ear generally listen more acutely than those who do not develop this skill. It also aids memorization, improvisation, and intonation. If a student continues his music studies in college, the ability to play be ear provides a background for aural skills dictation exercises and for jazz studies.

Have the student select one song a week to play by ear. Begin with the standards: Twinkle Twinkle, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Happy Birthday, or the Star-Spangled Banner. Pop songs are often a favored alternative.

Ask students to play from memory part of the weekly lesson assignment that has not been officially memorized. It may be a bit rough, but students should be able to figure out a phrase or two.

Play the Echo Game

A great way to begin or end a lesson is the Echo Game. Play a short melody, or even a 3-note motive, and ask students to play it back. This game is difficult for shy students and those who are used to excelling at everything. It may take a while before students develop this skill. Simple, triadic melodies are good initial choices. Variations may include interval and rhythmic practice. For example, choose an interval for the week. A minor third is a good place to start as it is the interval young children chant on the playground. Introduce songs based on the various intervals to help students hear the distance – Twinkle, for the ascending perfect fifth or Here Comes the Bride for the ascending perfect fourth.

For rhythmic practice, play a rhythm using the metronome, and have students play it back. Occasionally, rather than playing the rhythm, have students count it aloud (1, 2 +, 3+, 4).

Interval Practice and Daily Warm-up

Pick a starting note and descend by the chosen interval.

The exercise becomes rather short with large intervals, so another option is to start on the first pitch and descend a perfect fifth, for example. Then begin one half-step lower, continuing the pattern. 

Once the exercise is completed in the lower register, repeat ascending.

This exercise requires mental focus to remember which note comes next and serves as an aid for learning intonation between intervals. Practice with a tuner.

Transpose

Transposition exercises are essential for ear training and awareness of which degree or scale step a melody uses. Start students with simple melodies so they can transpose using their theory skills, and not just by listening or guessing. There are several ways to teach transposition.

1.Solfeggio

2.Numbers (works well with students who have had piano training)

3.Scale degrees

4.Intervals from one note to the next

Encourage Composition

Composition is the equivalent of teaching a child to write as well as read. When students learn to compose melodies, they develop a better understanding of basic elements of music theory, such as key signatures, time signatures, and scales. Provide staff paper for this assignment. To get started, have students follow these steps.

1. Write the key signature and time signature of the piece.

2. Place bar lines for 4 measures.

3. Bar 1: The first note of the piece is the tonic or first note of the scale.

4. Bars 1-3: After the tonic note, use pitches from the scale in a variety of rhythms. Each measure should include the proper number of beats.

5. Bar 4: End on the tonic note.

6. Play your piece.

After completing this assignment, students can expand upon these concepts. For example, on the melody notes, use accidentals outside the key signature. Make the piece longer by repeating some of the material. Modulate in the middle. Explore the use of sequential figures, broken chords, triplets, trills, repeats or D.C. al fine. Remember to include performance, dynamic, and articulation marks. Eventually students should write a duet.

Conducting

Students will learn to feel the meter through conducting. It also helps with ear training and memorization, as it is much easier to mentally organize a piece when you feel the meter. Before a student can conduct, he must be able to feel the beat. Practice finding the beat with various songs at different tempos. This may take some students a few weeks to master. Then have students conduct as you play a song. (Examples of conducting beat patterns are available online.) Start with music that does not change time signatures. Learn a new meter each month. Once standard basic conducting patterns are learned, conduct a pop tune together. Then, if the song is in 44 time, try to conduct it in 34 and show the student how the strong beats in the music do not line up with the conducted downbeats. The student should be able to tell that something does not feel right. Students should then try to figure out the correct meter of pieces. Assign two or three pieces a week to explore these ideas.

Computer Games

Children love computer games. If you purchase a music theory program and have access to a computer in your studio, a student can spend 15-30 minutes of computer time following his lesson while you teach the next student. Many parents consider this a bonus; you might consider charging a small computer fee to pay for the program. Their are also some free theory lessons online that may be suitable for your students.

Theory Workbooks

With music theory workbooks teachers can monitor students’ understanding of concepts. It is a way of making sure that all topics are covered and provides a useful resource for future reference. Pianists begin their studies with theory workbooks, and flutists should too.

As you incorporate a music theory curriculum into lessons, pick one or two of the ideas first. Then with time, move on to others. You will be surprised how quickly students improve, not only with their theory skills, but in their flute performances.

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Stand and Deliver

theinstrumenta — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:10:58 +0000

Imagine that while waiting in line at the bank, you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. Your hands are in your pockets, you slouch a bit, and look relaxed. A thought crosses your mind: if I could just be this relaxed when I play the flute.

This is a good thought, but the relaxation you want is of a different nature. To play the flute you want a poised position that is fluid and ready for action. Study your posture carefully and learn to do a quick position scan as part of the practice routine to make sure everything is in the best position. To achieve your potential on the flute, your body must be balanced; this is the ultimate goal of the scan.

At the risk of sounding like a passage from Alice in Wonderland, I always joke that 2 o’clock is the best time for flutists to practice because their feet should be at that hour on the clock. To make sense of this, imagine you are standing in the middle of a clock face. Point the left foot towards the 12, and the right foot towards the 2. Since flutists rotate their shoulders to the right, this stance aligns the hips and shoulders, and establishes balance and strength. Ask someone to push you while standing in this position (without the flute of course). They will have a tough time because you are balanced. This should be the default position.

Do not stand like a tree. Move those feet to feel free. I like to change between the above position and standing with my feet equally apart at shoulder width, which is also balanced. Of course other configurations are possible, but these are the most balanced so always return to them.
Next focus on the knees. I have rubbery, hyper-extensive knees which easily bend too far back, and they occasionally cause trouble. Always one to grab attention, I fainted off of the risers in a grade school choir concert because I stood with my knees locked, preventing good circulation. (Brain damage must have occurred because when I awoke I claimed that I wanted to be an orchestral flutist.) Keep those knees in a passive state, neither bent forward or backward. This is something you can practice the next time you are in line at the bank.

Many flutists suffer from what I call PSS (Pelvis Sabotage Syndrome). It is disastrous. If you stand with the pelvis and hips pushed forward, the spine cannot function properly. The ribs collapse downward, the head slides forward, and nerves start complaining, especially if the knees are hyper-extended as well. It takes abdominal and back strength to maintain a balanced position and problems arise when these muscles are tired. Vertically align the hips and shoulders. Again, seek a neutral position. Do not exaggerate by arching the lower back, or it will soon start aching as if you are flying coach class to New Zealand.

On the surface playing the flute seems like such a simple, pleasant activity. Realistically, playing with proper support has a strong element of physical labor. You are engaged in battle. (If you are one of the many flutists who struggle for enough air, it is clear that the fight is about oxygen.) It is waged against the physical forces that constantly try to restrict air capacity, resulting in weak support (see “). With a balanced foundation in the lower body, the upper body can win the war because good posture frees the lungs and allows them to hold more air. Then playing actually does become pleasant.

This battle is also fought against gravity. The problem is that the lungs are under the ribcage and breastbone, which are under constant downward force when we stand. Try the following exercise to feel a good upper body posture. Lie on your back on the floor. With your feet remaining flat against the floor, gently bend and pull your knees towards your body. Feel the lower edge of the ribcage poking up above the abdomen. Note the huge expansion in the ribcage and chest. Observe how the ribs expand not only in front, but on the sides and back too. Your body loves to spend time in this position, and since we sleep so much, that is a good thing. Stand up, check the lower body posture points, and try to achieve the same sensations. Repeat the exercise often, but do it in a low traffic area in case you fall asleep. Resist the urge to over expand the chest as this increases neck and throat tension.

If you have trouble maintaining the posture, you need to have your head examined – it is probably off-balance. Blood flow to the brain is crucial, as hopefully you will be using it when you play the flute. The challenge is that the head is quite heavy, weighing about 10 pounds. The head balanced on the spine is like a bowling ball atop a pool cue. (Do not try this.) Experiment with various head positions, and notice the effect on the rest of your body and your balance. Even a slightly misaligned move results in compensation from muscle groups throughout the body, especially in the neck. When you play, turn and tilt the head as little as possible to avoid neck and back stress.

Stand in front of a large mirror and find a neutral head position. Bring the flute to your lips, but do not play. Bring the flute to you; do not go to the flute. If you bring the chin forward, you will not only look like a chicken, but effectively destroy your tone by closing your throat, collapsing the ribcage, and locking the jaw into high position. I believe this is the number one postural problem among flutists. If you are not sure whether you do this, make a video of yourself. If you fix this common posture error, you may notice your sound takes on a whole new identity.

Avoid looking even more like a chicken by raising the elbows. Keep them down to avoid those strange looks from the audience. A rather floppy feeling is best for the arms. This allows the nerves to transmit freely, and discourages stiffness in the hands and fingers.

When sitting in orchestra, I angle my chair slightly to the right to maintain good shoulder to hip alignment and see the conductor with relaxed vision. If you are comfortable and poised in your posture, it helps conductors and colleagues to relax also.

Successful professional flutists are expected to play without signs of fatigue for many hours at a time, and these postural tips can really help. By following them, the overall presentation will also be more attractive. When you perform, stand up straight, with good head position, and a positive, authoritative demeanor, like a great actor delivering a Shakespeare soliloquy. Refine your posture and listen to the natural wisdom of your body. Remember that good posture is not only a requirement for mastery of the flute, but a vital part of any compelling performance.

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Marcel Moyse in Switzerland

theinstrumenta — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:02:44 +0000

Years ago, I had the great fortune to play and tour with the Münchener Bach Orchester und Chor, where the principal flute players were Aurèle Nicolet, Pauli Meisen and sometimes myself. The conductor was Karl Richter. I thought his concept of Bach was convincing and powerfully expressive, but his style was of the Romantic era: a grandiose construction you entered like you were stepping into a cathedral. Richter had been a schoolboy at Saint Thomas in Leipzig, where Bach was once the Cantor, and he had suckled his music education from the milk of the great tradition.

While on tour with the Münchener Bach Orchester und Chor at the Ansbach Bach Festival, I had long talks with Aurèle Nicolet, a Swiss who had been Marcel Moyse’s student at the Paris Conservatoire for a short time after World War II. Aurèle told me that Moyse, whom I had never met because he had already left France when I was a beginning flutist, was giving a masterclass in Boswil, a small Swiss town near Zürich. He said that I definitely should go.

I was, at the time (early 1960’s) first flute at the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire (which no longer had any connection with the Conservatoire). My predecessors in that position had been Paul Taffanel, Philippe Gaubert and Marcel Moyse. The Société was a very busy orchestra. My obligations made it impossible to be in Boswil for the start of Moyse’s course, so I wrote a letter to apologize that I would be a day late.

As I drove to Switzerland, I practiced a few little phrases to the effect that I was very happy to meet him at last, all the more because I had the honor of being in the position that he had himself held in the past. I arrived in Boswil just in time for the afternoon break. I went directly to Moyse, who was smoking a huge pipe in the small church, and served him with my little ceremonial French compliment. He waved me to take a seat. I took a place at the back of the class, and listened.

For two days, I listened to his patient lessons to players hardly worthy of them. I wondered whether I had made a mistake about the level of the course. I realized later that Moyse’s way was to be very patient and considerate with young flutists “in progress,” while being extremely demanding with good students, sometimes to the point of unfairness. William Bennett, James Galway, Bernard Goldberg, Paula Robison, and Robert Aitken can attest to some pretty strong lessons from him. Furthermore, due to mutual ill feelings between Moyse and the Parisian flute scene, I was the only French flutist at Boswil that year.

I realized that Marcel Moyse had the gift and will to make you play the way he felt the music, even if the piece at hand was not your special cup of tea or if your natural inclination would make you lean toward a different interpretation. I have seen this in conductors I admire as well. In other words, their will power shaped your music almost in spite of yourself. With Moyse, I did not particularly like the pieces he taught, but that forced me to try harder and find things I had overlooked. You learn more by working on music that does not come naturally than by easy going indulgence.

Finally, he snapped his fingers in my direction. Nicolet had recommended that I avoid Bach and Mozart, and choose instead one of the Morceaux de Concours du Conservatoire that Moyse liked so much, or a Flute Romantic. I elected Nocturne et Allegro Scherzando by Philippe Gaubert.

I do not remember much of my performance, except that I was nervous. When I finished, there was applause, a no-no in that class, as I would find out. Then he said: “Let’s start from the top.” I did not play a note that he did not criticize, or a phrase that he did not tear to pieces. Colors, rubato, poetic content, and vibrato were the issues. About technique, he said nothing. I felt I could not please him, but then I remembered that I came here to learn from a monument of the 19th century.

Clearly, there was a lot of improvement to be made with the Gaubert. Yet my playing was not that bad. There had to be another reason. So, on I played, doing the best I knew how, until the end. No applause, this time.

At the end of that session, Moyse asked me to have an apéritif with him in the vicar’s house where he and sweet Madame Céline Moyse stayed. He liked Pernod, a pretty strong licorice-tasting substitute for absinthe that was quite popular in France. “I gave you a hard time this afternoon, eh? Do you know why?” I said that I had come to meet and learn from him and that I had not even thought of resenting criticism.

He continued, “I will tell you why. When you said at first that you were at the Société, I thought your purpose for your coming here was to show me how flute players did without me in Paris since I had left.”

When Moyse left Paris, he had slammed the doors at about the time I was starting the flute. I had never heard him play except on an old 78 rpm of the Mozart G major Concerto that I had worn thin. I realized that Moyse was quite paranoid about his last years in France after the war, and that his resentment was as much his doing as that of my older Parisian colleagues.

In spite of his bad feelings about Paris, that afternoon all he talked about was old stories from the Opéra, the Société and the Opéra-Comique. Paris, Paris, Paris. Most of the melodies in his interpretation book were from French operas and had French content, which he was happy to share with me because he knew I was familiar with the music and above all the words. We became thereafter very close; the ancient origins of my family were from the Bresse area, close to his native Jura, so that I understood those typical French provincial expressions that are difficult to put into English.

Because of schedule constraints, I did not have too many opportunities to have a lesson with him. Sometimes I saw him in Saint Amour, his beloved birthplace, as well as Boswil, Marlboro, and Brattleboro, but Paris he avoided, except once around 1975 when he accepted the Conservatoire’s and Alain Marion’s invitation to do a masterclass. I attended, of course, and hoped that when he started rambling, he would not try to settle old accounts that the students knew nothing or cared about. Fortunately everything went well, and it was a great event for the flute world.

My lessons, however, continued on the same format: his interpretations avoided music of the 20th century and he rarely talked about technique. One day, I asked him, “You speak often about Taffanel, and how he made a beautiful issue out of the scales he had designed.” Marcel Moyse answered, “Taffanel was inimitable, and his scale playing was an inspiring musical moment in itself. He considered that technique was everybody’s private business, not his.”

During a break in a tour, I had driven from New York City to Brattleboro to play for Moyse. I did not have much to play, so Moyse suggested we work on scales. And work we did. He asked for a key he liked, sol mineur (g minor). That was for me the best lesson. Tempo, color, legato, staccato, the augmented seconds, the leading notes, the modulating transition between scales, everything had a meaning, everything was music and logic.

It was thanks to him that I devised the “Gamme Game” (Scale Game) to develop the concept that there is no viable music without a solid technique, and no accomplished playing without an artistic musical project.

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A Conversation with Robert Willoughby

theinstrumenta — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:00:07 +0000

Robert Willoughby, Oberlin Professor Emeritus of Flute, was honored by Oberlin College and former students on the celebration of his 90th birthday. About 100 family and friends gathered in Warner Concert Hall for an afternoon concert of traverso and flute music performed by 12 of his former students, all of whom are outstanding performers and teachers. I was fortunate to spend a few minutes with Robert Willoughby and his wife Mac discussing his views on flute playing and teaching.

Who were your teachers?

After my 2nd and 3rd years at Eastman with Joseph Mariano I attended Tanglewood. I had heard the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Rochester and had fallen in love with Georges Laurent’s sound. I was in the service for two and a half years and then went to Boston to study. Later when I was playing in the Cleveland Orchestra I worked summers in a New Hampshire resort hotel. Kincaid was in Maine teaching, so I went to him for occasional lessons for three summers.

In one of the early lessons, Kincaid put forth an idea. I asked him to explain it more thoroughly. He thought I was questioning him and really got huffy. I explained that I just wanted to understand so I could teach it. After my explanation, he was fine, and I could ask him anything. He did not like to be questioned. He and Tabuteau (Philadelphia Orchestra Principal Oboe and Oboe professor at Curtis) were almost like gods. If you didn’t shape up, you were out.

How did you build your technique?

One summer after my first year in college I worked through a whole bunch of Marcel Moyse books. Then after I got out of the service and was in graduate school, I changed my focus. In undergraduate studies, I focused on course work and then practiced. In my graduate studies, I focused first on flute practice. I practiced four to five hours a day and accomplished so much because I could hone in on it. I think at some point you need to take a year off and just work on technique.

I play in church every couple of months. I usually do a slow and a fast number. I am killing myself on the slow one, but everyone thinks it is the fast one that is difficult.

Did you enjoy the Moyse books more than the Taffanel?

Oh no, it doesn’t matter. The thing about the Moyse books is that they are very methodical. Of course, there are a 100 different ways to approach building a technique. Have you ever noticed that non-musicians think they would like to hear you practice, but after five minutes, they creep out of the room? They want to hear melodies.

When listening to a flutist play, I can always pick out a Willoughby student. They have a concern for tone especially in using colors and in the connection of the notes.

Yes, I have worked hard on that. To teach students to seamlessly connect the intervals is very simple. I don’t claim some of the ideas I may tell you this morning are necessarily original. I don’t think there is such a thing as an original idea anyway. So, if I say something you have read in a book somewhere else before, it is because you have probably read the same book.

To play a perfect fifth, I simply have them start with a chromatic scale filling in the interval of a perfect fifth. Then fill the interval by playing the major scale, then in thirds and finally the interval itself. I usually have them make a diminuendo as they go up partly for balance purposes. Then turn around and crescendo on the way down. I also have students listen to singers. Singers don’t go ah, ah, ah. There is a feeling of glissando [in the line]. I think you have to get it in your ear. Flutists also often don’t get the feeling of intensity as they climb up the phrase as they don’t quicken the pace enough between the phrases.

What are your thoughts on the corners down embouchure?

The corners down can be helpful. I am sort of a combination. Mariano and Laurent couldn’t have been more different. Kincaid was in the direction of Mariano but had a different outlook on life. Kincaid could analyze things in a way that I don’t think the other two could, so I like something sort of in between the two schools of thought. I have had some students who go out sounding very French, and others the opposite. Do whatever works.

I think you can focus the sound with your lips. I like to do what I call the rabbit thing, where you whew, whew, as you lift the upper lip like a rabbit. I think the tone should have focus. I am not a devotee of the extreme Mariano or Kincaid sound, which was very open. I prefer more center to the sound. I prefer the Laurent sound. The sound should have purity and elegance.

When students have a tight embouchure, I have them practice the overtone series and whistle tones (start with an easy fundamental note, such as the third-spaced C). I do think the Mariano concept of puffing the cheeks to open up when playing high is good. I often wondered if the huge sound Mariano got was the result of playing for conductor Jose Iturbi. Iturbi could get never get enough sound, and Mariano said, I can give you sound.

Do you teach the “p” or “b” attack?

I like to concentrate on the tongue-less attacks. [Often called breath attacks or throat staccato.] Get the center of the tone with the whistle tone, and then go into the breath attack. With the air, produce a sound with resonance.

What about articulation?

Well, in particular, if you play Baroque music, you should soften up the attacks. You cannot do a sharp tongue because it doesn’t work on the Baroque flute. You should take that aspect from Baroque flute and apply it to the silver flute. I don’t really do [articulate] between the teeth. I stay back but not too far. I think you have to find what works for you. I like a sharp attack. Lots of times I start without the tongue, just blowing, like for the opening of Debussy’s Afternoon of a Faun. It is the perfect place to do it, to suddenly just be there.

When I first studied Baroque flute, I was learning about the style. It is not enough to play the flute for the style; you have to learn how to be someone of this period. Read about the people. The size of the rooms they performed in was so different from today.

What are your thoughts about vibrato?

I have very strong feelings about vibrato. Many people don’t vibrate on each and every note. When students have a quarter followed by two 8ths, I have them play straight (non-vibrato) on the quarter and then vibrate on the two 8ths. I have another exercise for students who have trouble vibrating the short notes. I ask them to vibrate a long note and then repeat this note making it shorter each time until they can vibrate a short note. I work with my students on conducting a slow beat in 44. The downbeats are almost always the strongest note. I have them fill in the spaces between the beats using a relaxed wrist. They also watch ballet dancers for the continuous fluid motion. It is very useful to notice how they use their bodies. It is like being on the edge of a cliff. If you don’t have balance, you will fall off.

Any suggestions about breathing?

Breathing: good idea! I think Pavarotti found a wonderful way to breathe and support. The thing I like about his singing is it is so effortless, but he is putting a lot of energy into it and it is coming from down here. When he breathes in, he relaxes and lets the air in.

What literature do you start on with new students?

It depends. I have them bring in what they have to see where they are. Then I give them something fairly simple like the Faure Morceau de Concours so we can work on simple concepts. I worry about those who bring in the Prokofiev Sonata before they are ready. Opera singers are smart. They often say, “I am not ready for that role. I am only 45, I am not mature enough.” Pianists do that too.

After you have taught a flutist for a while, what literature do you teach?

Bach, of course. With graduate students, I like to go through all the Telemann Fantaisies because they are simple, and the concepts you find there can apply to all music.

How do you think the flute should be aligned?

Do what fits you. I do it almost without thinking. I just put the flute where it is comfortable. The position of the embouchure plate on the lip depends on the person. Some have full lips, and others thin. I don’t think there is any one particular way that works for everybody. This is, in general, my philosophy about flute playing. The main thing is to not play it the same way all the time and know where you are going. Have a focal point in your phrase. Why do flutists heavily vibrate the last note of a phrase, whah, whah, whah, when the last note is the least important note of the phrase? I call this the Metropolitan Opera way of vibrating. Of course, singers do it for a reason, projection, as the Met has 5,000 seats.

Where should the flutist stand when playing with piano?

I think it is helpful to have them experiment with different placements, because I don’t think it is necessarily best to be in the crook of a piano. For example, if a flutist doesn’t have a big sound and is performing the Prokofiev Sonata, the flutist may achieve a better separation and projection if standing where a violinist would stand. The same thing is true when performing with the harpsichord. Experiment.

Do you mind if your students take lessons with someone else while studying with you?

I never have had a problem with my students studying with someone else. In the case of one student at Oberlin, he and I butted heads for a whole year. By the end of the year, I thought to myself, I am not sure I can handle this. So when fall came I decided that I was not going to bug him. If he took my advice, fine; if not, fine. However he had studied with someone else over the summer, and this teacher told him the same things I had said. Suddenly it made sense and he began to listen.

Additional comments from Willoughby’s students below:

Mr. Willoughby (now unbelievably my colleague Bob) gave me so much in those formative years: a refinement of sound, consistent, always with perfection of intonation as the goal, equally with flexibility and adaptability. How could my young years and ears be ready for such a level of mastery? And let’s not leave out how he settled for nothing less than brilliant virtuosity. All those etudes. It seemed as though it would never stop. I constantly asked myself when would I get to the real stuff, the real repertoire? Patient beyond measure, never compromising his standards, encouraging calmly and assuredly, guiding and directing, open to all my ideas as well, tough and sensitive altogether, a subtle and warm sense of humor, so knowledgeable about the developing player.

– Carol Wincenc

It took years of my own teaching before I could realize what a challenge Bob had faced with me as a student, in terms of tight embouchure and high level of residual tension in my playing. Other teachers would say “relax!” but Bob developed tools and concrete practical methods that produced results the others couldn’t get. Decades later, I still begin every practice session, and every lesson I give, with tongue-less attacks. – Patricia Spencer

We don’t want dessert for breakfast, lunch and dinner, our Teacher exclaimed if one used too much of the same vibrato and emphasis. He disliked redundancy. – Mark Sparks

I recall some very helpful comments and exercises that revolutionized my playing: Bob was very insistent on seamless phrasing. One simple maxim: always begin a phrase (or note after a breath) in the same dynamic as where you left it. Don’t come crashing in forte where you just left off piano.

For a relaxed embouchure: practice transitioning from a whistle tone into a full tone and back without changing your embouchure. Practice this in front of a mirror.

– Robin (Poor) Etter

My favorite Willoughby quote: “I find I never run out of air if I’m always breathing.” – Tim Day

Robert Willoughby was the single most influential teacher/artist of my career. – Victoria Jicha, Editor Emeritus, Flute Talk Magazine

Mr. Willoughby told me during a lesson my sophomore year, as I cried that I would NEVER be able to play these orchestral excerpts, "You may get a win a job on your first audition, or on your 100th. Just keep taking them." I won a job on my 2nd audition, and on my 3rd audition, and again, on my 15th. I repeat his words to my daughter, and to my son, both musicians, who will be in the world of competitive musicianing. – Robin McKee, class of ’76

I arrived at college with a tight, smile embouchure. Mr. Willoughby in his gentle way led me through an embouchure change. I who was used to playing concertos had to go back to long-tones and painstaking work to remake my embouchure in a way which utilized my oral cavity to enhance the sound. This has been my basis for finding a ringing sound ever since. So– thank you Mr. Willoughby! – Julia Bogorad-Kogan

The exercise most helpful to me in developing my vibrato was the tongue-less attacks. This strengthens the diaphragm muscles and ensures that it is the basis for the support of your tone. The speed and variation of the vibrato is controlled from here. Thank you Bob for being my great teacher and friend. – Paul Horn ’52

Everything about lessons with Robert Willoughby reflected how seriously he took his responsibility as a teacher. It was clear that his goal was not simply improvement or the ability to win an audition. He wanted us each to graduate with all the tools necessary to face any future musical challenge. In other words, when we left Oberlin he expected us to have the ability to teach ourselves and to keep growing. – Mary Kay Fink

When I think of Bob Willoughby I think of a man who not only teaches and plays the flute with beauty, but who is a person of high integrity, authenticity and honesty. I am truly fortunate to have been your student ever since my days at Oberlin. – Ann (Kozuch) Fairbanks

It has taken a long time for me to distill what you have taught me since those lessons in September, 1949, at Oberlin: You helped me to organize and build a fine “warm-up” schedule to advance my finger technique and to create a fine sound. You worked continuously to help me create better musicianship in order to interpret the various styles of musical composition. You taught me, by example, how to organize a recital by diversifying styles. You taught me to keep learning new techniques and expanding repertoire! Thank you for your intelligent, fair, honest comments about my playing and for being such a fine role model for professional behavior in an orchestra, on stage, and on a faculty. I was most fortunate to have you as an undergraduate and graduate teacher for six years—and later on as a colleague at the Peabody Institute of Music when you retired from Oberlin. Thanks to you I was able to sustain a long career (and MANY conductors). – Bonnie J. Lake

As I became recognized for my piccolo playing in New York City, I used that chromatic tuner daily. You motivated me to practice all my warm-ups while watching the dials, to see that I maintained the same number of partials in each note and always remained in tune. Yes, I blame you for making me slightly crazy, but I also credit you for giving me the tools to improve my playing and maintain a truly successful career. – Florence Nelson

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90th Birthday Celebration for Robert Willoughby

theinstrumenta — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:48:43 +0000

   Former students of Robert Willoughby, who taught at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music for thirty-seven years, traveled from far and wide to present a concert honoring his ninetieth birthday on Saturday, October 15 in Warner Concert Hall at Oberlin. This remarkable man, who has received The NFA’s Lifetime Achievement Award and who the British Flute Society’s journal calls the “American grandmaster of the flute,” has cast an indelible imprint on the flute world through his performing and teaching.
   Willoughby represents the best tradition of American flute playing, having studied with Joseph Mariano at Eastman, Georges Laurent at the New England Conservatory, and William Kincaid in summers. He was assistant principal flute in the Cleveland Orchestra from 1946 to 1955 and principal flute of the Cincinnati Symphony for the 1959-1960 season. A longtime member of the Oberlin Woodwind Quintet, he was a founding member of the Oberlin Baroque Ensemble and teacher at Oberlin’s Baroque Perfor-mance Institute. One of the first Americans to pick up the Baroque flute in the early 1970s, he met the leaders of the Early Music movement, including Franz Vester, Barthold Kuijken, Gustav Leonhardt, and his good friend August Wenziger. He built a world-class collection of early flutes, including some that have served as models for present-day makers. As a soloist, he has a wide range of repertoire and has commissioned new works by Easley Blackwood and Thea Musgrave. Willoughby made many fine recordings on LP, some of which have been rereleased on CD. His recording of Frank Martin’s Ballade, featuring the composer at the piano, is certainly the definitive one.
   In addition to his long career at Oberlin, Willoughby has taught at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore and at the Longy School of Music in Boston. His students play in nearly every major orchestra in the United States and teach at universities throughout the world. Some are leading specialists on the flauto traverso, in new music groups, and in jazz. They all remember his high standards and fast pace, sense of humor (a trait that has rubbed off on his students), love of life (especially food and wine), good taste, and insistence that musicianship trumps technical display.
   The key to Bob’s teaching success is that he encourages students to think as he asks such probing questions as “Where are you going with that phrase?” “Why did you stretch that note?” “How would you make this phrase sound different from the last one?” The result is that his students achieve independence. There is no single Willoughby style or tone.
   A lesson with Willoughby is never a dry rendition of technical exercises; instead, every moment is infused with musicianship. He approaches etudes as music, discussing phrasing, style, and expression. His favorite studies, Andersen’s Opus 15, Karg-Elert’s Caprices, and Jeanjean’s Etudes Modernes, stand up as good pieces, not just technical tortures.
   Bob upholds high standards of repertoire. He enjoys a wide range of music, above all, Bach, Handel, French Baroque pieces, Gaubert, and contemporary music. He has no use for pieces without substance and is often impatient with contemporary works that go on too long. He does not teach many of the technical showpieces that are staples of other flutists’ repertoire. Playing with nuance is more effective than grandstanding, and one of Willoughby’s most delightful recordings features several of Charles Koechlin’s simple 14 Pieces on a compilation released by the National Flute Association; his phrasing is exquisite.
   Willoughby’s use of a relaxed embouchure is famous. Many of his students spend the first few months in transition from a tighter embouchure to one that uses relaxed cheeks via the “rabbit exercise.” In front of a mirror, one practices bringing the upper lip straight up and down while keeping the lower one spread out on the lip plate, without pulling back into a smile. When the lip comes down, the student practices a tongueless attack. This exercise transfers the focus of the tone from the corners of the mouth to the center of the lips. The end result is increased resonance, a lack of harshness in the upper register, more control of intonation, and more flexible dynamics.
   Variety is a theme of his teaching. He often says, “Chocolate is very good, but you can’t eat it all of the time.” He counsels his students to vary the speed and amplitude of vibrato and at times employ no vibrato, rather than using the same vibrato for every note. He stresses the importance of stylistic variety, using entirely different tone color, vibrato, dynamic range, articulation, and rhythmic freedom for Bach, Schubert, and Berio. Because the flute tends to be a monochromatic instrument, his preference for programming is to mix diverse repertoire and instrumentation; many of his solo recitals have included chamber music.

   The October 15 program exemplified Willoughby’s emphasis on variety and the vast reach of his influence. It featured performances on flauto traverso by Greer Ellison, Wendy Rolfe, and Jed Wentz; Klezmer music with the infectious Adrianne Greenbaum; Shulamit Ran with new music virtuoso Patricia Spencer of the Da Capo Chamber Players; Messiaen with yours truly; and Romantic and modern repertoire with the following leading orchestral flutists: Tim Day and Robin McKee of the San Francisco Symphony; Philip Dikeman, formerly of the Detroit Symphony and newly appointed to the faculty at Vanderbilt University; Mary Kay Fink of the Cleveland Orchestra; Adam Kuenzel of the Minnesota Orchestra; and Mark Sparks of the Saint Louis Symphony.

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