July 2018 Archives - The Instrumentalist

From Our Readers

theinstrumenta — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 20:07:09 +0000

Studying Andersen
In response to Patricia George’s article on studying Andersen, Op. 30 (January 2018) Patrick Dillery adds the following observations and ideas to learning and performing etudes.

I still remember practicing Andersen Op. 30 in the kitchen while my mom graded papers after a long day of teaching. She would always remark how she liked what I was playing and often asked what the name of the piece was. I invariably answered, “Oh, that was number 4 in E minor or number 2 in A minor.” She was right. These etudes should have had names. If they had had a name, I would have quickly known what the character I was trying to convey to the listener. When assigning Andersen, Op. 30, No. 3, I often play the etude through for the student and ask, “Does it sound happy or sad, upbeat or sentimental, bright or cloudy?” Students are good artists, and they always correctly answer regarding the character.
Of course, before working on the character of a piece, flutists should solve the technical aspects of the etude. I discuss the tonality with the flutist. This helps us decide which key(s) to prepare for the technical demands of the etude. These theoretical materials might include scales, thirds, arpeggios, etc. Aside from the obvious scale patterns found in the method books, I encourage students to invent their own scale patterns based on the patterns found in the etude. The end result of this practice is that students learn creative ways to practice scales and begin to understand the compositional tools composers use.
Once the technical aspects are under control, students can begin to interpret the etude. If the melodic notes are imbedded in a mass of accompaniment notes, I have them circle the melodic notes or the notes they wish to bring out. The melody is sometimes more apparent and obvious than in others.
Andersen, Op. 15, No. 3 is an example where the melody is the first note of each group of the slurred notes. After playing this etude for students, they will say this is the character of a waltz. Sometimes I ask what scenario they could imagine to accompany the etude and the answer might be a country dance or a Parisian Café. At this point, I have them write a title for the etude at the top of the page. Each time when practicing, they see the title, and it helps them on the road to discovery and expression.
We also identify the sections or form of the etude and explore how this knowledge adds to the character of the piece. Sometimes I like to think that each new section is a new character in the story. I also have students practice the sections out of order. This helps organize the music in their mind. When performing, this exercise helps flutists tell the story more clearly. Other times I have students play a fast etude at a slower pace and vice versa.
If the etude has many trills, I have students play the etude without the trills to highlight the melody. Before adding the trills back in, we discuss the purpose of the trills – whether they are melodic or harmonic.
I also have flutists experiment with playing opposite dynamics and articulations. Creative students learn that dynamics are not just soft and loud but are also shifts in mood or changes of color. Playing passages in different rhythms is also helpful. The repetitive nature of many etudes offers a chance to practice rubato. This happens after they can play the etude strictly with the metronome. Then they take a section – stretching and bending the notes to explore what might be possible.
One last consideration is where to breathe. Some editions of Andersen etudes have breath marks, but many do not. The first step is learning where to breathe and then learning how to breathe. I have students practice playing past the breath mark to ensure good air usage. Employing these ideas leads to an artistic, individualized performance.

Patrick Dillery is an international concert artist and educator based in New York City. He has been to more than 25 countries to teach and play at festivals and concert series and to teach masterclasses.

A Fun Flute Studio Game
In our last studio class each term at Oakland University we play a game that we created based on the Family Feud television show. Our version is called Family Feud Flute Talk Challenge. The studio is divided into two teams. Each team selects a team name. One member from each team approaches the desk where one of the professors reads a question. The team representative who knows the answer taps an imaginary buzzer. If he wins the call, then he has one minute to confer with his other team mates. A typical question might be “What state did Jonathan Keeble grow up in?” The answer: “Washington.” A correct answer yields ten points.
Our students love the magazine, and now, as they read each issue, they try to absorb and retain all of the large and small details, filed away for this much-loved game, complete with fun prizes. We create twelve questions from four issues of Flute Talk and see which team can accumulate the most points by answering the questions correctly. If a team hits the buzzer first and either gives the wrong answer or no answer, the other team has a chance to steal the points by coming up with the correct response in one minute. Creating the questions is almost as fun as watching the students confer for the correct answer.
We try to include the most obvious facts as well as the more obscure information. Sometimes, the questions are even about the advertisements in the magazine. Many of the questions will include a bonus question, with a chance to earn additional points. For example, the bonus question for Jonathan Keeble’s question might be, “Describe the house he grew up in.” It is good fun as well as a useful learning and memorization tool for my students. Typical prizes include yo-yos and kazoos from the dollar store.

Sharon Sparrow is Professor of Flute at Oakland University along with Amanda Blaikie and Jeffery Zook. There are all members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra flute section.

Send questions, comments, and ideas to editor@flutetalkmagazine.com.

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Becoming a Team Player

theinstrumenta — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 20:01:49 +0000

Making music is one of the most social of all activities. As with any communal activity, behavior has evolved over many centuries to a point where we have established rules of etiquette. We observe these rules of behavior out of respect for ourselves, for our colleagues, and for the music itself.

There is immeasurable value in learning at a young age to work with people. Learning these lessons, which can begin in grade school band or orchestra and extend through high school and university band, orchestra, and wind ensemble, can bring not only a higher degree of professionalism to a musician, but also enhance one’s ability to get the most out of any professional working relationship. As I see it there are two areas of activity where young people can learn these valuable lessons: in a musical ensemble and in sports. In the opinion of Vincent Penzarella, a member of the trumpet section of the New York Philhar-monic, the highest compliment he can bestow on a colleague is to call that person a real team player.
I can’t stress enough the importance of instilling in young musicians this spirit. From an early age they learn a great deal about team playing through sports. They are encouraged to learn the basic techniques of the sport on their own – in basketball, for example, they learn to dribble, to pass, and to shoot – but when they come together as a team under the guidance of a coach, their efforts must be coordinated for the greater good of the whole. Early on, they learn to appreciate the folly of playing for their own glory instead of for the good of the team. They find they may even be ostracized by their own team members if they lose sight of the ultimate goal: team work.
In many ways an excellent player needs to have a split personality, musically speaking. In an ideal situation students are encouraged, both in private lessons and practice at home, to be extroverted and individualistic; that is, to present themselves as unique. This attitude is essential if a young player’s musical personality and technical efficiency is to develop to the maximum. I believe strongly that this part of a musician’s persona should always be encouraged to flourish. Incidentally, a number of major orchestras have established chamber music series that regularly feature orchestra players performing solo and chamber works. This is a wonderful trend, as it helps players keep in touch with their own musical identities. The New York Philharmonic feels that it is important to feature all the players, not just the principals, so that everyone can retain his or her own musical personality.
The other side of musical personality, however, should also be nurtured and encouraged. This is the kind of education that happens on the scene, so to speak, when young musicians, full of a wonderful sense of their own individuality and with a healthy competitive spirit, are suddenly in a high school or conservatory band or orchestra. At this point the conductor should guide students to the point where they start to feel and understand the great joys of true ensemble playing. They must come to realize the importance of team spirit in determining the musical productivity and viability of an ensemble – whether it is a high school band, a conservatory orchestra, a community band, or the New York Philharmonic. They also must come to realize how much one’s own attitude toward being a good colleague musically and socially contributes to the pleasure one can derive from playing in an ensemble.
In thinking about this article, I realized that I had a tremendous resource surrounding me every day, namely my colleagues in the New York Philhar-monic. I spoke with many of them, and they graciously gave me personal comments on their feelings on learning to be a good ensemble player and a good colleague.

Being a good ensemble player is, in a way, an extension of good manners. One could even call good ensemble playing a combination of musical manners and musical intelligence. As we play, we should always be questioning the relationship of our own part – be it a viola part, first clarinet, or second trombone – to the overall musical picture. Players should develop a sixth sense of being able to play the music in front of them as it relates to what the rest of the ensemble is playing. If we could somehow slip into the brain of a good ensemble player and slow it down to see the processes that occur, some of the most important thoughts might be as follows:

Am I carrying thematic material? If so, project the line so it can easily be heard.

Am I playing the accompaniment to thematic material? If so, beware of playing long notes too loudly, as they project much more easily than moving lines. Also, do not use an intrusive vibrato (one that is too wide, too fast, or generally too apparent) on accompanying notes.

Can I make it easier for a colleague by altering my volume or my pitch? Be aware of difficulties peculiar to each instrument and of the dynamic limitations of certain instruments. Do not overpower just because you can. Philip Smith, co-principal trumpet of the Philharmonic, suggests, “Play duos with your colleagues in the section. Practice octaves and intervals so you can begin to have a real sense of pitch with each other. Also in regards to intonation, be cooperative.” Mindy Kaufman, piccolo player of the Philharmonic, says, “Be flexible. Even if you think you are right, be willing to assume an intonation problem is your fault.”

Is this a place in the music where a blend is the sound I want to achieve? Stanley Drucker, principial clarinet of the Philharmonic, once sat to my right in a Mozart piano concerto (there was no second flute part). At the first rehearsal he said to me, “I’m going to be your second flute.” He absolutely was. The clarinet sound blended so beautifully, and I marvelled at the versatility of his tonal control.

In attacks and releases, follow the leading line. Don’t be one of those players who has to be first in and last out, just so you can revel in the glory of your own gorgeous sound! Work hard to unify attacks and releases with the people around you. Generally speaking, harmony notes should not be heard first in an attack or last in a release. Also, carefully match lengths of notes with your colleagues to make sure that your staccato or legato notes match those around you.

Be prepared. Know your part from the beginning of the first rehearsal. Phil Smith again: “Keep your playing as consistent as you can. Do this out of respect for your colleagues, as it makes it easier for them to work with somebody whose playing doesn’t change from day to day.” Leonard Hindell, a member of the bassoon section, says, “There is a trust and expectation that the conductor has for orchestral members. Colleagues must be able to rely on each other in the same way.”

Prepare the entire part, even the tutti passages where you think you may not be heard. Conductors of most orchestras today are under tremendous pressure to put complete programs together in very little time. There is no possible way they can address themselves to every detail of balance and intonation. Students should be taught early on to take these responsibilities upon themselves.
The other players in your section are some of your greatest resources. Students tend to look upon players of the same instrument as competition, but you can learn much from your peers. One way of beginning to break down these walls is to play duets. We all have strengths and weaknesses, so if you hear a player who does something better than you, gravitate toward him and ask, “How do you do that so well?” This can be difficult for younger players to do, but the sooner they learn, the better.

Being a good colleague is really a simple question of good behavior and consideration for those around you. In many ways being in a full-time orchestra is like having an extended family. We all spend many hours a day together, day after day. Certain codes of behavior have evolved into traditions, and I strongly believe in maintaining these traditions, indeed, in improving upon them. Joseph Robinson, principal oboe of the Philharmonic, says, “An ideal colleague is one who both inspires by musical leadership and reassures with sensitive accompaniment.”
Most professional musicians have had the experience of being pulled aside at some time during their younger years by an older, more experienced player and told, “You really shouldn’t do this,” or, “That isn’t done here.” These rules of behavior are of such great importance that I believe they are deserving of a 30-40 minute discussion at the beginning of every school year. The discussion should center around things that should and shouldn’t to be done at rehearsals and concerts. They should become second nature to students.
Here are some further thoughts on being a good team player.

1. Don’t practice anyone else’s solos where you can be heard by your colleagues – for example, on stage, in the band room, or backstage. Competitive spirit is great, but do your competing at home or in an audition, not on the stage. Also, don’t practice the solo concertos of visiting soloists; they always manage to hear you, and it is considered bad form.

2. Never turn around to see who is playing a part, good or bad. There is nothing that is more distracting or maddening than seeing a head swivel around and stare at you when you begin to play. Kerry Camden, an English oboist, tells the story of a friend of his who got so tired of people turning around and looking at him while he gave the tuning A, that he started carrying photographs of himself in his pocket. He would pass them out to the offending parties, saying, “There, this will save you the trouble of turning around.”

3. Never react to unusual happenings on stage with facial expressions. You are always being watched by someone in the audience. However, if you are enjoying something musically and feel a smile coming on, it is a lovely thing to see.

4. David Carroll, associate principal bassoon in the Philharmonic, says, “Don’t beat time physically or audibly while you are playing in an ensemble. One conductor is enough. It can be distracting if someone in your field of vision is conducting with the violin, head, or whatever, or if you can hear or see someone’s foot tapping merrily away. People who have these habits often unfortunately wind up with slightly different tempos from those of the conductor, and are likely to confuse those around them. If you must tap your foot to stay in time or to subdivide a slow tempo, try to do it silently and almost invisibly by moving just the toes of one foot ever so slightly.”

5. In support of a colleague’s fine performance or a particular passage during a performance, be sure your expression of approval does not distract the continuing music being played by other colleagues. Genuine expressions of approval are always appreciated when communicated verbally after the concert. Have respect for your colleagues when they are playing. Phil Smith recalls that when he played in the Chicago Symphony, “There was a high degree of regard for each player in the trumpet section. Nobody ever turned a page if a member of the section was playing a solo line. We would write out our cues or copy pages, but we wouldn’t distract our colleagues by moving to turn a page.”

6. Respect the physical space around other players. Don’t crowd them or watch the part while they are playing. It is distracting to feel someone watching over your shoulder.

7. New York Philharmonic principial horn, Philip Myers, says, “A musician should never lose sight of the fact that he is ultimately responsible for his own part. You are much better off devoting your time, energy, and attention to improving your own part than to being critical of someone else. You will also be much less likely to say something to someone else in the group that you will later regret. Try to be diplomatic and helpful always.”

8. Conductors see everything. They see gum chewers, leg crossers, book readers, letter writers, talkers, laughers, etc. As a player, you are being observed at all times by a conductor. Sometimes it is a good idea for a conductor of a high school ensemble to take different students from the group and have them stand up and conduct a few bars or talk to the group so they will know how easy it is to see 60 faces all at one time. Sitting there they may feel anonymous, but standing at the podium and look around, they will get a tremendous feeling of how exposed each player is.

9. With regard to conductors, Phil Smith says, “The conductor is the boss.” I can add no more to that except to say, keep your eyes on the conductor. I remember when David Oistrakh, the wonderful violinist and conductor, would say to us, “I need your eyes to make music.” It was a nice of putting it.

Last of all, young musicians should realize that as important as music is to all of us, it is not the sum total of a person’s life. We all have lives and families and activities outside of our hours of playing together; and our appreciation of each other’s unique qualities as people, not only musicians, is very important in establishing a genuine professional and personal regard for each other. Associate principial horn, Jerome Ashby, has never forgotten what his high school music teacher wrote in his yearbook: “Love music; love musicians.”

The conductor or teacher of student musicians can guide them through the wonderful experiences of beginning to learn some of life’s most valuable lessons in human relations. In the words of Pablo Casals, “Music must serve a purpose; it must be part of something larger than itself, a part of humanity.”

Author photo by Christian Steiner

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Teacher’s Studio: Flute Choir Masterclasses

theinstrumenta — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 19:53:49 +0000

Today you will find an adult flute choirs in most cities across the U.S. Some are affiliated with a university, but many are stand-alone groups. The one in my city is a stand-alone. Each Monday night eighteen flutists rehearse for 90 minutes from September through early June and play six to ten concerts and events per year. The flutists come from all professions – music teachers, CPAs, doctors, realtors, nurses, and public school teachers – and their ages span more than 50 years.

After we had played our first season of concerts, we began to receive invitations to play at holiday parties, conferences, and at local public libraries. For each event we were paid several hundred dollars. The discussion then turned to what should we spend our money on. Should we divide the fee into 18 parts or should we save it up for something? Saving seemed to be the favored idea. At first, we decided to purchase a contrabass flute since we already had numerous piccolos, altos and basses. However, I decided to buy a contra for my personal use, so that goal was met. After much discussion we decided to spend the money on making our playing better by sponsoring masterclasses. This spring we sponsored two and in the future hope to schedule one for fall and one for spring each year.
We selected Mary Stolper and Timothy Hagen as the first masterclass teachers. Stolper is principal flute of the Grant Park Orchestra in Chicago and a retired flute professor at DePaul University. Hagen is the flute professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Both asked what we hoped they would do with our group. Our response was that while most of the players had excellent band training, many had not had the opportunity to study with an artist teacher. Simply, we wanted to play the flute better and play musically. These are the notes from the two classes.

Mary Stolper
Stolper began the class with having everyone play in unison, a descending half-step quarter note slurred to a dotted quarter note with a taper on the end. The diminuendo was not as controlled as hoped. Stolper reminded, “When you go softer, you tense your armpit muscle. Relax your armpits.” We repeated the exercise, and the improvement was noticeable. She asked, “Why do we warm up?” She suggests we warm up to warm up the muscles of the face. She remarked that she keeps a spare headjoint in her car; so, when stuck in traffic, she warms up on it. She suggested that we remember “to aim the air up over the steering wheel.”
When talking about the embou-chure, she advised taking a button with four holes in the center. In the holes tie some heavy thread so that the button can be placed in the mouth behind the lips, and then the string is pulled out from the face. She said this is a way to understand how to use the muscle around the opening or aperture in the lips. She recommended thinking of an ice cream cone with the scoop of ice cream in your mouth and the air channeled or directed to the tip of the cone.
When discussing the aperture, she advocated thinking of the aperture as a clock with 12:00 on the top. Then, in focusing the tone, think of bringing 12:00 and 6:00 closer together and/or 3:00 and 9:00 closer together. By naming the areas, the flutist has a better idea of what to move to achieve the desired results.
With any ensemble, playing dynamics is an issue. Stolper proposed warming up in all registers of the flute and to practice all dynamic levels. To learn to play softer, she had the group start a note very softly and then become even softer and hold that level. After a breath, come in on that new lower level and go even softer and hold at the end. We repeated this many times. It was like coming down stair steps but each time you started softer and concluded softer. We were all pleased at our new-found softer levels of playing.
Playing appropriate dynamics in a chamber ensemble is always an issue. She divided the group into two parts. One group played Twinkle slurred/legato and the other staccato. Then she assigned dynamic designs for each group. The legato group started softly and with each phrase became louder while the staccato group did the opposite. As we played we could hear one group coming forward with the dynamic as the other receded. This was a powerful example of what can happen when you play too loudly – you cover up the good stuff. Stolper reminded the players that you must practice the difficult parts so you can bring more to the group.
One of the flutists asked about intonation. She pointed out that two notes can be in tune but yet not sound in tune if the players are not constructing the notes with the same vowel shape in the mouth. She wrote ah, ei, i, o, u and oo on the board. She said that you cannot tune with the i or the e vowels and primarily worked with the o vowel shape in the mouth. This immediately cleared up the intonation in the group.
Stolper’s teaching was garnished with props. For example, if a flutist played a very bright top octave E, she put on her sunglasses. The flutist got the idea immediately.

Timothy Hagen
Once again, the class started with a discussion on intonation. Hagen said that he had once told himself, “I am tired of being bad at this, so now is the time to fix it.” Intonation is for your ears, not your eyes. Use the tuner as a drone. Be sure to have a good set up and play with a great sound. He said some flutists are not sure whether they are flat or sharp and suggested putting adjectives to each. He said to work intervals for intonation from unisons to octaves, then thirds and fifths and finally scales.
It is okay to play something out of tune on purpose for analysis. We began working on first octave G until everyone in the room was in tune. Then half added a B, making it a little flat until the interval rang. For the D above the G, we raised the pitch slightly. He pointed out that each note has a different function in each key. For example, a G above a C will be higher, yet a G after an Eb will be lower.
Hagen also talked about the top octave, sharing that his teacher Marianne Gedigian said that the third octave is the money register. To have a great top octave, a flutist should have solid fundamentals in the first octave. Success in the top octave is a combination of having the correct air speed and the correct angle of air. Hagen took us through several octave exercises to work on this idea, which he referred to as the Goldilocks concept. When the combination is in the correct proportions, the results will be just right. When working on this he shared Gedigian’s words of wisdom, “You are what you breathe.”
One of the most interesting parts of the masterclass was when one of the flutists asked about what he learned from various teachers he had studied with through the years. He began with Tina Ballard, one of his first teachers, who taught him the concept of the Five Pennies. This practice technique is one that has been golden through the ages and can be traced back to various violin pedagogues. Five pennies are placed on one side of a music stand. Each time you play the exercise correctly, you move the penny to the other side of the stand until all five pennies are on the other side. However, if you make a mistake, you begin again.
His next teacher, Felicia Warren-MacNaught, was a student of Trevor Wye and showed him Wye’s thoughts tone color. Wye relates tone color to the colors purple and yellow. Other teachers refer to this as light and dark.
At the North Carolina School of the Arts, where he studied with Philip Dunigan, he said that Dunigan wanted his students to be musically literate and regularly would have a “drop the needle test” on the Beethoven Symphonies. Hagen’s next teacher, Tadeu Coelho, had a monstrous technique and pushed him to do everything better and faster. Renée Siebert taught him you have to be able to play impossibly softly and learn to be musical without slowing down or taking time. With Jim Walker he learned that family comes first, followed by students and a career. He also shared that when he was playing the Ibert Concerto for Walker, Walker remarked when one sixteenth note was out of tune. This was emblematic of the level of expectation Walker expected. And finally, about Marianne Gedigian he remarked, “She makes you believe you can do it. She has been not just a flute teacher, but a mentor in every aspect of my life.”
From these two masterclasses, our flute choir has renewed zeal for playing the flute and playing together. Several have discussed practice programs for the summer vacation months and others are thinking of upgrading their flutes. All and all, the more we know, the better we perform.

* * *

Mary Stolper has been active in the flute community for over 40 years. A past board member of the NFA, cofounder of the Chicago Flute Club, and former instructor of flute at DePaul University, she is still principal flute of the Grant Park Symphony, and Music of the Baroque Orchestra.

Timothy Hagen is the flute professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he also plays with the Wingra Wind Quintet. He has performed with professional orchestras around the country and is a laureate of the Myrna Brown and Australian International Flute Competitions.

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Safety Margins for Musicians

theinstrumenta — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 19:45:56 +0000

Performing artists must deal with the unchangeable element of time. The moments in performance that matter the most and that may distinctly shape a professional life, cannot be called back, edited, or improved. Writers, painters, architects, composers, and others struggle with creation in ways that are quite different from flutists, dancers, master chefs and other performing artists. The question for those in performing careers often becomes, “How best do I prepare to execute my craft at my highest level if I face an unfavorable or unpredictable moment in time?”

The Necessity of Thorough Practice
Every teacher hears the all-too-frequent excuse from students, “It sounded lots better in the practice room,” or “I had this perfect when I played it yesterday.” Students are often surprised and disappointed that their lesson preparation is not as thorough as they had hoped. What they fail to grasp is the difference between playing well in a comfortable environment versus playing just as well when facing added stress. If what a student prepares suffers in a lesson compared to the more forgiving environment of a practice room, only consider how difficult it will be to play at the highest level in an audition, competition, or Carnegie Hall recital.
Musicians must learn the concept of deep and thorough practice in order to succeed in environments of unusually high stress. A successful – let alone inspiring – performance requires that musicians prepare well beyond practice room competence. When learning a new skill or composition, a player should continue to work well past the point when it has been done correctly a few times. It takes much more dedication to solidify new knowledge and habits. These skills should be honed far beyond mere adequacy, when surface perfection has been attained only on occasion.

Understanding Safety Margins
The demands of the engineering field offer a useful comparison for musicians facing the hours of practice that will help them meet stressful conditions successfully. As engineers design and build, they have to account for many potential variables that may occur. They utilize something similar in concept to deep and thorough practicing. They include safety margins in their designs. These are put in place to meet worst-case scenarios successfully. Safety margins are a matter of math and statistics but apply to musicians
as well.
When a bridge is engineered, the math behind its creation should ensure that it will not collapse, even given worse-than-expected conditions. If it is anticipated that the bridge will never hold more than a certain number of tons, it must be constructed to safely hold many times more than that amount. An excellent example is the Golden Gate Bridge. At the celebration of its 50th anniversary, roughly 800,000 people were in attendance on the bridge in spite of predictions closer to 50,000. Stress inflicted on the structure that day was clear as the bridge visibly flattened. During the celebration there were also strong winds. Some in attendance worried that the bridge might collapse disastrously. However, Charles Seim, a former supervising bridge engineer who was there, stated, “I knew we were exceeding design loads, but I wasn’t worried in the slightest. Even at the maximum design load [there was] a large factor of safety.”
Other situations in which safety margins are important can be found all around us. For instance, financial planning is done with safety margins. Retirees should do their best to have not just enough money, but rather a healthy margin of funds beyond their anticipated needs. Responsible safety margins in finance ensure that resources do not fail given any number of possible financial difficulties. These could include a home depreciating in value, the nation’s economy falling into a recession, loans becoming more difficult to obtain, or interest rates changing significantly.

Safety Margins in Practice
Performers also should incorporate safety margins into their practice to prepare for worst-case scenarios in performance. When you practice, remind yourself that you are engineering your next performance. Flute teachers should help students identify elements of their preparation that should have a safety margin. These might include:
    •    Technical accuracy – fingers, articulation, general coordination
    •    Intonation
    •    Fundamental tone quality
    •    Vibrato
    •    Rhythm
    •    Knowledge of the composition’s history, and place in music history
    •    Physical preparation
Teachers may well choose to focus on different safety margins, but they are quite similar across repertoire. Areas to focus on are tone studies, scales and arpeggios, etudes, mastery of as large a repertoire as possible, familiarity with more music beyond that, exposure to the playing of many accomplished performers, and the use of a metronome and tuner.
Some teachers take this preparation even further. When I studied at Juilliard, one professor required her students to commit to an aerobic exercise routine for at least one hour a day, four days per week. Because her students were regularly doing major competitions and orchestral auditions, she wanted to build in a safety margin that would improve physical wellness, breathing, and support when the heart rate is elevated, as well as support for the general physical challenges that come with travel.
Playing for teachers, friends, and colleagues in advance of an important performance provides additional information and experience that will improve the actual event. The practice of performing allows a player to learn what feels different or more difficult in performance than in the practice room.

Rewards of Using Safety Margins
The irony of safety margins is that the more of them you have to draw upon, the easier it becomes to play with freedom rather than being too conservative or safe. If something in a performance causes a negative effect that you are not able to control, you will be able to rally more easily in spite of it. You will utilize your safety margins, disregard the impediment, and still give a good performance. I could provide endless examples from my own career when safety margins made the difference between failure and success, but I will limit myself to the top three:

1. Lukas Foss Renaissance Concerto
I once gave a performance of this concerto with almost no orchestral rehearsal. There is a lengthy and rhythmic cadenza including flute and tambourine in the last movement. The percussionist on the part played several wrong rhythms right away. I instantly decided to play the part I had learned, stay very rhythmic, and pay no attention at all to the tambourine. During the performance, I simply concentrated on my own part. Listening to the recording, I learned (as I had feared) that the percussionist never did manage to find me. If I had not been prepared, I could easily have lost concentration and been unable to play the cadenza well.

2. Liebermann Soliloquy
As a student at Juilliard, I performed this piece at a noon concert in Alice Tully Hall. It was free, so the hall was packed. I started playing from memory, facing the large audience. About three seconds in, I heard a human whistling sound and soon a wave of disruption swept through the entire hall. I did not understand what was happening, but I could see that everyone was turning to look towards the back of the hall. I felt that I had lost the entire audience. I did not know how to regain control of the situation. All I could do was keep breathing deeply, make sure I was supporting my sound, and continue playing with musicality and conviction. The audience seemed to calm down after several more seconds, but the whistle persisted for a minute or two while I played.
The president of Juilliard was in attendance, and after the performance he came and spoke to me. He said that a public school class was in attendance that day, and a young student from the school had whistled during my flute solo from the very back of the hall. My safety margins kept me focused even while I felt vulnerable and confused – and I impressed the president of Juilliard.

3. Higdon Rapid Fire
I performed this work at an NFA Convention in Charlotte after traveling all summer in Europe. In Paris I had noticed that my flute’s footjoint was not fitting as well as usual. It was getting loose enough that I planned to send it for an adjustment as soon as I returned home. Unfortunately, during my performance, the combination of high North Carolina humidity, loose footjoint, and the very rapid finger motions of the piece caused the footjoint to fall off with about a page and a half left to play. My first thought was, “Sooner or later I will have to stop playing and deal with this situation.” However, my safety margins kicked in, and I freed up enough of my brain to consider the situation while I continued to perform. I was able to quickly think through the rest of the piece and realize that I did not really need the footjoint anymore. I finished without stopping to fix my flute.
Afterwards, several people even asked me if I had let my footjoint fall off on purpose! Apparently I did not appear as thrown off-guard as I felt. I also earned a standing ovation from Carol Wincenc.

Thanks to Safety Margins
I have heard and read stories from many other musicians that emphasize the power of safety margins in performance. One I dislike but find convincing is a story Rampal told of performing in an outdoor tent. A big bug flew into his mouth, and he had to make the decision quickly to swallow it so that he could continue to play. This is a scenario I would never envision while in a practice room. I doubt that Rampal did, either; however, he had such a large factor of safety built into his practice and performance routine that he continued unfazed after swallowing.
While I hope the rest of us are never required to swallow large insects in pursuit of a beautiful performance, try to build as many safety margins as possible into your preparations. They can mean the difference between a bridge standing or collapsing. For a performing artist, they may make the difference between an exhilarating experience of a lifetime or a failure onstage. Less dramatically, but still important for music students, this extra attention and practice will probably make the difference between a triumph or a struggle in your next lesson. Imagine not having to tell your teacher, “but it was perfect when I practiced it yesterday!”

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NFA 2018: Orlando

theinstrumenta — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 19:40:43 +0000

The 46th Annual National Flute Association convention takes place in Orlando from August 8-12 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. The event will include a wide variety of inspiring and informative activities for flutists of all levels and areas of interest.

Registration
Registration begins Wednesday, August 8th, at 3 PM. Get your badge and program book early and then check out the Hyatt Regency’s fantastic resort swimming area. You can download the convention app to help plan your schedule. Consider signing up to be a volunteer to help the convention run smoothly; assisting at three events of your choosing earns a voucher worth $15.

Participate
There are many opportunities to participate and play. Sign up to play in the Whistle While You Work Flute Orchestra (Wednesday-Thursday), conducted by Wendy Kumer, with guest conductor Uwe Grodd leading a dedication to Bernie Goldberg in Barber’s Adagio for Strings. Low flute specialists will enjoy the Low Flute Reading Session (Thursday) and can also sign up to join the Throw Down of the Low Down, performing a world premiere on the Friday Gala concert. Try out enjoyable new and favorite flute choir repertoire with reading sessions led by Sharyn Byer (Thursday), Angeleita Floyd (Friday), and Sandra Saathoff (Saturday).

Participation-Based Workshops
Learn some new techniques and meet other flutists or sit in the back and take notes. Thursday’s highlighted sessions include French flutist Henri Tournier’s The Art of Variation and Improvisation in the North Indian Classical Music and the NFA Jazz Committee’s Doubler Vision, dedicated to quick development and fine-tuning of skills for those juggling many time demands (not just doublers) with Jim Walker, David Weiss, Jamie Baum, Sarpay Ozcagatay, Mark Vinci, and Bryan Kennard. Tim Hagan’s BYOC: Five Principles for Building Your Own (Classical) Cadenzas and the Historical Flute Committee’s Getting Started on Baroque Flute are both on Friday. On Saturday, Sophie Dufeutrelle’s New and Amazing Ways with Scales spices up your daily Taffanel & Gaubert, while Phillippe Barnes offers Learn to Play Irish Music on the Silver Flute. Later that day, James Brinkman oversees Musical Mosaics, where the audience creates mosaics inspired by the session’s live performances.

Jumpstart Your Career
There will be a series of three morning Career Sessions. Following the Many Paths of a Musician’s Life (Thursday) shares the breadth of different career avenues and experiences with Jim Walker, Trudy Kane, James Pellerite, Nan Raphael, Jessey Andris, and Jennifer Grim. The Entrepreneurial Flutist (Friday) explores how to create new options with Greg Pattillo, Fluter Scooter, Zara Lawler, Viviana Guzman, Katherine Emeneth, Rosalind MacPhail, and Adam Workman. Adventures in Adjuncting (Saturday) discusses college teaching realities with Keith Hanlon, Nicole Riner, Elizabeth Robinson, and Ashley Shank. Also available throughout the convention are Career Checks with the Career and Artistic Development Committee to help your resume or career plan get a boost.

Adult Amateur Events
Master teacher Patricia Harper offers a Nuts and Bolts workshop on Thursday with expert advice on the building blocks of flute playing. Recieve tone production feedback from Alexa Still Friday morning. On Saturday morning, observe or play for the Adult Amateur Open Masterclass with Gary Schocker, who will work with as many flutists as time permits. Advanced registration is required to play in the Adult Amateur Flute Choir, conducted by Lori Akins, which performs Sunday. Purchase a ticket for the Flute Lover’s Lunch with speaker flutist-composer Valerie Coleman.

Inspiring Masterclasses
Jonathan Keeble’s High School Soloist Masterclass includes works by Hue, Jolivet, and Reinecke (Thursday). New this year is Friday’s Into the Music masterclass, featuring winners of a recorded competition playing works by this year’s NFA commissioned composers, Eve Beglarian, Valerie Coleman, and Augusta Reed Thomas. Those with an upcoming audition or school ensemble placement exam should take advantage of the Open Orchestral Excerpt Class with Randy Bowman (Cincinnati Symphony) on Friday. The next morning, Sharon Sparrow (Detroit Symphony flutist and author of Six Weeks to the Finals) teaches the Orchestral Excerpt Masterclass. Later that morning, Trevor Wye’s masterclass on Marcel Moyse’s Fifty Variations on the Allemande of Bach’s Sonata for Flute Alone shares insights on this fantastic pedagogical resource. Winners of the Convention Performer’s Masterclass Competition play for this year’s Lifetime Achieve-ment Award recipient, András Adorján, on Saturday, and the 1997 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Walfrid Kujala, on Sunday.

Performances
This convention presents musicians from near and far who share the stage in a combination platter approach to encourage maximum variety and collaboration. Playful concert themes offer category connections from the highest to the lowest note-playing members of our flute family.
A few concerts of particular note include the Premieres concert on Friday with a collection of world premieres, including works by the three NFA commissioned composers as well as two new piccolo works by Gary Schocker and Amanda Harberg. Each composer will briefly introduce their works and share their inspiration. Piccolo Party concert attendees will be able to arrive in time to hear the set of piccolo pieces directly following that concert.
On Saturday, Nancy Andrew presents a lecture-recital introducing newly-discovered short gems: Sight-reading Pieces of the Paris Conservatory. She and performers Mary Stolper, Jim Walker, Leone Buyse, Marianne Gedigian, and Carol Wincenc honor the French School, the great teachers of that tradition, and the legacy of Bernard Goldberg. On Sunday, two world music extravaganzas feature Sameer Rao, bansuri, and Adarsh Shenoy, tabla, playing North Indian Classical music, and virtuoso Andean wind instrumentalist Nathaniel Kuster (stage name Chichí Pérez) performs on the quena, siku, and quenacho, with guitarist and charango player, Jorge Segura.

Gala Concerts
The list of stellar performances also includes the evening Gala Concerts. Thursday’s concert offers something for everyone. Jan de Winne shares little-known sonatas by Weidemann and an all-star cast presents a beloved Boismortier concerto on Baroque flutes. Rachel Brown plays the Boehm Grand Polonaise on an original Boehm flute, which may have been the piece he played (and perhaps even the same instrument) when he performed in London. Flute soloists with flute ensembles comprise the second half and include ZAWA!, Trudy Kane, and Shinjung Oh on works by Folio, Sleeper, Fauré, and Offermans.
The Friday Gala concert features inspiring selections and performers. Emma Resmini plays Uebeyashi, and Mary Kay Fink performs Beaser. Wissam Boustany and Valerie Coleman play their own works. Matthias Ziegler gives the world premiere of his own From Tone Hole to Town Hall for a newly-developed double contrabass flute. The low flute ensemble Throw Down of the Low Down performs a world premiere by Lutz (don’t forget to sign up to participate), and PROJECT Trio (with special guests) closes out the concert with a few surprises.
This year’s Saturday Concerto Gala promises to be a magical evening. Zart Dombourian-Eby and Carol Wincenc team up for a dazzling piccolo and flute version of the Vivaldi Concerto in E minor, and Julien Beaudiment presents a tribute to the Griffes Poem for its 100th anniversary. Also on this concert is a world premiere of Concertino by Daniel Dorff that was written for Jasmine Choi’s convention performance. Julia Bogorad-Kogan observes the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein with his moving work, Halil, and Matthias Ziegler plays “the cadenza movement” from Yusopov’s NOLA Concerto. Marianne Gedigian finishes with Ibert’s dazzling Concerto.

Honoring the Best
An important part of the conventions is honoring those who continue to inspire us. One of the first sessions pays homage to such inspiring and influential teachers as Eldred Spell, Kathryn Borst Jones, Trevor Wye, Charlie DeLaney, Geoffrey Gilbert, Bernie Goldberg, and Peter Lloyd in Thursday’s Dedicated to Our Beloved Teachers. Other programs commemorate the lives of Fenwick Smith, Dave Valentin, Robert Willoughby, and Bernard Goldberg. Also on Thursday Trevor Wye offers two special presentations demonstrating and discussing Flute History through the examination of the instruments development. The Rebecca Kleinmann Ensemble hosts and coordinates an unprecedented blowout of vibrant flutists to honor Dave Valentin, including guests Ali Ryerson, Maraca Valle, Jamie Baum, Nestor Torres, and Leszek Wisniowsky, among others, in Thursday evening’s cabaret.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipients are celebrated in ways that reflect their substantial contributions and innovations. In Salute to Eva Kingma (Thursday), low flutists from around the globe offer a program of musical testimonies. In Friday’s Doppler Brothers DVD with András Adorján, he presents a fascinating DVD documenting his personal exploration and research of the infamous pair. A collection of former students and friends honor Distinguished Service Award recipient George Pope on Saturday.

Flute Choirs
Flute choirs from around the world share exciting programs of world premieres, choir favorites, and transcriptions, including Det Norske Fløyte-ensemble, Orquesta de Flautas ILLAWARA, Orquesta de Flautas de Xalapa, and the International Superflutes Collective with the International Liaison Ensemble. Ensembles from the U.S. include the Florida Flute Orchestra, Central Washington University Flute Choir, the Baltimore Flute Choir, Appa-lachian State University Flute Ensemble, the Raleigh Flute Choir, and many others. Attend the Flute Encounters concert on Sunday to hear new ensemble pieces by LaBerge, Clearfield, Kessner, and Freire.

Youth
Youth Flute Days expand this year, with a Saturday afternoon session that is free to all students. Join Jim Walker as he hosts Mr. Walker’s Neighbor-hood, with exciting stop-by visits and demos by an international cast of flute stars. Spread the word to students and directors so all can hear and meet Nestor Torres, Julien Beaudiment, PROJECT Trio, Valerie Coleman, and Marianne Gedigian in the afternoon’s presentations. Sunday’s YFD events require registration but feature more in-depth sessions with many of these artists, including Marianne’s Survival of the Flutist.

Body, Mind, and Soul
Many convention options focus on caring for the entire flutist, inside and out. In addition to Saturday’s ever-popular The Doctors are In session, there is Emma Shubin’s Unlocking Audience Engagement: Applications of Dalcroze Methods to Syrinx (Thursday); the Performance Health Care Committee’s session on auditory health, Do You Hear What I Hear (Friday); The Maturing Flutist (Friday), which presents ways of preventing and combating the adverse effects of time; and certified Alexander teacher Karen Sanders makes connections between key concepts of Alexander Technique and tension-free playing (Sunday).

Competitions
Always a great way to find new repertoire, teaching inspiration, and ideas, the convention competition rounds begin Wednesday and continue to the exciting Young Artist’s final round on Sunday morning. Discover interesting innovations as the finalists for C.R.E.A.T.E. present their projects for the NFA panel of entrepreneurs (Thursday). Baroque Flute Artist, High School Soloist, Convention Performers, Graduate Research, Young Artist, Professional/Collegiate/High School Flute Choirs events also occur throughout the convention. This year also launches the Jazz Flute Artist competition with the final round on Friday.

The entire schedule and list of works to be performed are available online at .

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Breathing

theinstrumenta — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 19:23:15 +0000

Question: How do I improve my breath capacity and control?

Answer: One of the most wonderful aspects about playing the flute is that it involves the breath. Feeling the air pass through the body freely can feel exhilarating and sound effortless and resonant. Air has so much flexibility that flutists can change colors, octaves and expressions just by changing the temperature, shape, or speed of their air. However, unless you know how to circular breathe, there are limits. The inhale and exhale can only be as full and last only as long as your awareness and physical capacities allow.
In order to improve breath capacity and management of the air supply when playing the flute, use terminology that clarifies the process of breathing well, along with various kinds of exercises to stretch and strengthen your physical and mental abilities.
One of the best things about teaching flute at St. Olaf College is the opportunity to be surrounded by so many singers. It is amazing how many similarities exist between the mechanisms needed for singing and for flute playing. For this reason, I recently collaborated with a voice faculty colleague in a shared flute and voice studio class. The flute students received instruction from the voice faculty and voice students had lessons with me. While both parties greatly benefited from the exchange, I felt most enlightened by the vocabulary that the vocal students used when talking about breath.
This included expansion of the breath (allowing the back to expand with regard to support), and initiating the breath from the onset (a term used to represent the lowest abdominal muscles engaged, for example, when enunciating a series of z’s, as in zzz). By beginning to inhale from the onset, flutists can be assured that they are breathing to fill their fullest and deepest lung capacity. By expanding the breath in the back – down and away – while they exhale, especially through intervals, ascending or descending passages, and dynamic changes, they can stay connected to a resonant and well-supported sound. This terminology clarifies the idea of support in a way that can be immediately effective.
There are several exercises and activities that flutists already use that engage the breathing muscles in a similar way. Among them is another singer-inspired breathing activity I have used with students. It involves sitting backwards on an orchestra-type chair. Straddle the back of the seat with the legs and lean the chest against the seat back. If you have ever breathed too shallowly, or high in the chest, sitting in this way will help familiarize you with the expansion that occurs by allowing the back to fill with air when breathing low. A couple of variations on this type of activity can be done by resting the chest on a yoga ball, or simply leaning over and resting it on the thighs.
Another exercise to help with expansion while playing involves the use of a stretchy band or a belt. Loosely wrap the band or belt around the torso at either the belly button level or at the base of the ribs. Inhale, and the band should feel snug. In order to keep the band from falling too quickly during the exhale, try to keep expanding the ribs. The point is to delay the full collapse of the ribs for as long as possible. While eventually the ribs will collapse as the exhale nears its end, this exercise can help strengthen the ability to prolong the breath.
A straightforward exercise for increasing capacity and control of the breath came to me while a student. During my studies abroad in Italy, my teacher Marzio Conti instructed me to clock how long I could sustain an A in the second octave while keeping it in tune. I think the first time I tried, my exhale was about 12 seconds long. After making this a regular part of my practice, I began to reach higher numbers – 15, 20, 25, even 30 seconds. Not only did this exercise boost my confidence, but it also gave me a better understanding of how my body worked to pace the air. The long A exercise also helps stretch mental abilities. It shows how to go without oxygen for longer periods and to understand how to better pace the exhale.
I discovered another breathing exercise while studying with Tara Helen O’Connor in New York. At that time, I was recovering from an injury, so Tara had me start again with breathing. We used an exercise she learned from Robert Dick.
1. Breathe in slowly (creating resistance, as if sucking through a straw) for 8 counts, then exhale to empty for 8 counts.
2. Breathe in slowly for 7 counts, then exhale to empty for 8 counts.
3. Breathe in slowly for 6 counts, then exhale to empty for 8 counts, and so on, decreasing the inhale until you reach a half-count inhale, followed by an exhale to empty for 8 counts.
Similar to the held A, this exercise can help flutists understand how to manage the air supply, regardless of how slowly or quickly they may need to inhale.
Another effective strategy for improving breath control can be practiced on any legato series of phrases in your music. Take a full breath, empty half, and then play the first phrase with the remaining half breath. Take another full breath, empty half, and then try playing the first and second phrases with the remaining half breath. Continue this way until you can play the whole group of phrases (for example four) with half a breath. Then do the reverse: take a full breath, then start playing by using only the first half of the breath to complete the first phrase. At the end of the first phrase, simply remove the flute and continue exhaling the remaining air. Work through the series of phrases until you are able to play them all on just the first half breath. When you have done this, you will be mentally assured that you can play a whole series of phrases with a full breath and will also have increased your understanding and awareness of how to better maneuver and manage air in general. You will understand what full feels like in your body, what half a breath feels like, and what almost empty and empty feel like. Understanding this is key to breath control.
As you learn to develop a deep awareness of the mechanics of breathing and how the musculature of the ribs and abdominals work in your body, you will begin to approach mastery over your breathing capacity. As with many things in life, improving breathing capability is possible through an open mind, a little patience, and dedicated work.

Send your questions to Ask the Pro to editor@flutetalkmagazine.com

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Making the Most of Every Opportunity, A Conversation with Alice K. Dade

theinstrumenta — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 19:12:45 +0000

Alice K. Dade, assistant professor of flute at the University of Missouri, enjoys a career of great variety. In addition to teaching she has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral flutist both in the United States and around the world. She is now a recurring guest star of a new PBS series called Now Hear This hosted by her husband, Scott Yoo.

How did you get started on the flute?
I was always trying to catch up with my older, more talented sister. She excelled at whatever she attempted and still does to this day. Ballet, soccer, math, writing, cooking, you name it. When I was nine, my mom noticed that I was getting frustrated since my first attempts at soccer and ballet were far below average. She suggested I try something my sister was not pursuing, like playing an instrument. I eventually chose the flute at my elementary school’s instrument trial night.
I started lessons with a college student at the University of Minnesota and eventually studied with Claudia Schnitker, who also directed flute ensembles at Edina Middle and High School. At our final lesson together, she gave me Renée Siebert’s recording of the Mozart Concerto for Flute in G Major, K. 313. We listened to the recording until my mom came to pick me up, and I remember starting to cry. My family was moving to Kentucky, and I was going to miss her. Luckily, I see her at NFA conventions each summer.

Are there musicians in your family?
While no one else is a musician, music was always around. As a family, we would play Name That Tune, singing melodies from some of our favorite Broadway musicals like My Fair Lady, Camelot, Funny Girl, and Oliver! My parents also had an impressive collection of CDs including Martha Argerich’s Chopin and Liszt Piano Concertos and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet Orchestral Suite. It was usually my job to choose music to play while we ate dinner – served promptly at 7:00 p.m. when my Dad came home from work at the Air Force base.

Who were your early influences?
The year I started playing the flute, we lived in Edina, Minnesota. My mom thought it would be a good idea for us to go to a couple symphony concerts and consulted someone at Minnesota Orchestra ticket sales. We saw Henry Mancini conduct his film scores, Jean-Pierre Rampal perform concerti, and Victor Borge do his incredibly funny act. I was mesmerized. I also had no idea that these three artists would have such an impact on my life. Of course, all of Rampal’s recordings were in my CD library growing up, and I must have listened to Galway’s In The Pink album several hundred times. Victor Borge’s humor is what really struck me. Combining classical music with humor is something I have always wanted to do.
The first summer festival I attended was Sewanee Summer Music Center in Tennessee when I was fourteen. Eldred Spell was the flute teacher there. The most memorable moment of that summer was when Spell told our studio class it would be close to impossible to have a big career in classical music. I was so disappointed. That summer was the first time I felt I had a direction in life. I could not imagine doing anything else. I was so behind. I needed extra help with all of my chamber music and barely knew what time signatures meant. I told myself I would return to Sewanee the next summer a completely different flutist. I would learn my scales, listen to recordings, and start practicing every day.
The next summer Spell suggested I audition for his friend, Tyra Gilb, flute professor at the Interlochen Arts Academy. He helped me put together an audition tape and at the last minute, I decided to include a VHS of one of my chamber groups. I can’t remember which piece it was, but I do know we fell apart a couple of times. Later, Gilb told me that the tape was the reason she had accepted me. It was not good by any means, but it was clear I really wanted this. I returned to Sewanee for two more summers, as well as the Oberlin Institute with Michel Debost and Kathleen Chastain. After high school graduation, I attended the Aspen Music Festival and studied with Bonita Boyd. In college, I participated in a festival every summer. I was a member of the Russian-American Young Artist Orchestra, National Repertory Orchestra, Tanglewood, Sarasota Music Festival, and Schleswig Holstein.

Why did you choose Juilliard?
I think a big reason was that my teacher at Interlochen Arts Academy, Tyra Gilb, went to Juilliard. She is a beautiful flutist and had an answer for everything. Gilb also played Carol Wincenc’s recording of the Christopher Rouse Concerto for the flute studio during my junior year. For me, this was another lightning bolt moment: I wanted to play with that much expression. I wanted to study with Carol Wincenc at Juilliard.

How did you prepare for your Juilliard audition?
I had mononucleosis my senior year of high school and seemed to catch every cold and fever. Anytime something did not go well I thought to myself, “How am I going to get into Juilliard…?” However, without ever reading about mental toughness – something I would learn more about years later – I tried my best to block negative thoughts.
There were some mishaps leading up to my audition, of course. I had just purchased a used flute and was struggling to learn its tendencies. Gilb and I eventually discovered that the cork was wrapped in paper in order to stay in the headjoint! Once the cork was replaced, things got a lot easier. Gilb spent many hours with me, writing meticulous notes during each of my takes for prescreening. I especially remember recording the Nielsen Concerto, trying to bring out all of the detailed dynamics and characters.
Juilliard was my last audition of eight. I had a fever and not much of a voice but I didn’t care. I had been waiting for the chance to play for Jeanne Baxtresser, Julius Baker, and Carol Wincenc for so long. I focused on the music, especially the Gaubert Nocturne and Allegro Scherzando.
A month later, I received a letter saying I was wait-listed. Luckily, I was sitting sitting in Interlochen’s Cafeteria a month later, when someone approached me and told me I had a phone call. This was strange because one would usually receive a note in their mailbox in the event of a missed call. I asked them if they knew who it was and they said, “Juilliard.” I ran to the lobby of my dorm and spoke with admissions. I was accepted into Carol’s studio.

What was your Juilliard experience like?
I was so lucky to study with Carol Wincenc, Sandra Church, and Robert Langevin. They taught me that orchestral excerpts were like monologues, all with different contexts and a different cast of characters. They reminded me that I should only continue my pursuit in music if I had to do it. If I had any doubts, I needed to explore them. A life in music would not necessarily be an easy one. Seeing them perform on a regular basis was a big part of my artistic development at Juilliard.
All of the flutists at Juilliard got along very well. Going out for a big Korean dinner together and playing excerpts for each other was a normal weekend. We all sounded so different from one another. We also were supportive of each other. We went to concerts together regularly, including Emanuel Pahud’s 92nd Street Y recital, one of Wincenc’s performances of the Rouse Concerto, and Langevin’s Mozart Concerto for Flute in G Major with the New York Philharmonic.
I loved going to the opera whenever I had the chance. Seeing Mozart Nozze di Figaro at The Met made me realize how close flute playing was to singing. I loved going there whenever I had the chance. In my first lesson with Wincenc, she asked me to sing a phrase of music. I told her I was a little embarrassed, and she immediately said, “We’re going to be doing a lot of singing for the next four years!” In another lesson, I brought Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brazileiras No. 6. I was having a hard time figuring out how to interpret the second movement and was about to ask her for help when she started singing it. I took notes on what she was bringing out, what kind of rubato she used, and paid close attention to her vibrato. It was so inspiring. I will never forget it. I frequently ask my students to sing and have been known to sing pieces in our lessons. I think it is the only way to figure out how you really want to play a piece of music.

What did you do after Juilliard?
After graduate school at Juilliard, I moved to Miami Beach, where I was a fellow with the New World Symphony for three seasons. Like all fellows, I was taking orchestra auditions on a regular basis, but I was curious to take an audition overseas. I auditioned for principal flute of Bergen Philharmonic in Norway. In the final round, I performed excerpts with the orchestra. Even though I did not win the job, I was asked to perform as guest principal for a run of Tosca and a tour of Denmark and Germany performing Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.
After my month in Norway, I performed with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra as guest co-principal flute for two weeks, playing Strauss’s Salome and Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances. This led to a long-term contract as acting co-principal, performing on weekly radio broadcasts and several television broadcasts. I even made a small appearance on a children’s tv show called Bolibompa.
I was part of two recording projects in Sweden, both with singers. The first, Bad Boys, was with Bryn Terfel and the Swedish Radio on Deutsche Grammophon. I will never forget when Terfel’s friend, Anne-Sophie von Otter, arrived at the recording session to sing a duet with him. I was star struck, as one of my favorite recordings in college was her rendition of Schumann’s Frauenliebe und Leben. The second recording was with Barbara Hendricks and the Swedish Chamber Ensemble, released on Arte Verum. Her Mimi in Bohème remains one of my favorites.

On tour with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra

What was it like to live in Stockholm?
I just loved it. My commute to the concert hall, Berwaldhallen, was by train and bus. The view outside the bus window was so memorable – looking at the sea, a strange dim light, and unfamiliar stops announced in Swedish. I always arrived at work in the best mood because of it. I made friends and got to play with conductors like Rafael Frübeck de Burgos, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Herbert Blomstedt. Rehearsals were usually in Swedish, which could be difficult. Sometimes it is hard to tell if someone is saying seven or twenty, especially when the Finnish conductors would speak Swedish. There were also numerous cultural differences, which led to interesting international moments. One sticks out in particular. Once we were rehearsing Copland’s Rodeo. Clearly no one had heard it before because there were no yee-haws in Hoe-down. It felt so empty. I gathered my courage and approached the conductor and explained the tradition, holding back my first bout of homesickness. I demonstrated to the orchestra where to do this and how. I got strange looks but was determined to share this little American moment with my new friends. At the concert, everyone blurted out a sort of short yawp. The sweet thing was that several members smiled at me afterwards, asking if it was okay.

On a break from rehearsals in Guanajuato, Mexico

What led you to return to the U.S. and become a professor?
I could have stayed in Sweden and in fact considered it for a while, but I was beginning to think the orchestral life was not exactly what I was meant to do. I moved to Chicago and lived there for about a year, teaching adjunct at Sherwood Community Music at Columbia College Chicago and freelancing with the Detroit, St. Louis, and Oregon symphonies. It was then that I got a call from my friend Scott Yoo who suggested I apply to a position in academia. What is strange is that not an hour before his phone call, I was making a bubble chart and brainstorming about what I wanted in my professional life. I wanted teaching, chamber music, solo recitals, a recording project, writing articles, and combining comedy with classical music. I applied for two jobs by the end of the week.
After a live audition for the position at the University of Missouri, I knew this was the path I wanted to take. There seemed to be so many possibilities in a career like this. I had a similar feeling after my first summer at Sewanee; I had finally found other people who had similar goals and interests. A career in academia made sense and it was exciting. I have found my niche in terms of my main job. Since I started teaching at Missouri, I also have been busy performing concerti and chamber music, presenting masterclasses, and writing. It is exactly what I wanted. It made me realize that figuring out specific goals and wants is key.

What is your teaching philosophy?
Every student is different. When explaining something, I try to have several options to offer the student, as well as a demonstration and specific instructions. I have found that some students need help learning how to practice. Time management is a big topic with my students as I have quite a few double majors.
I also want my students to be employable. Therefore, they need to play well and be entrepreneurs. I talk about resumes, writing articles, running a private studio, designing a website, and many things other than flute playing in our studio class. We live in an exciting time in classical music but it is different from the days when musicians could just practice, go home, sleep, rinse and repeat.
Sometimes my students need encouragement and sometimes they need the talk. I do my best to gauge which one will give them energy and inspiration.

Why do you like teaching?
Because flute playing did not always come naturally to me, I understand the struggles my students are facing and enjoy finding the right words to describe how to approach problems. When I starting going to Interlochen, I felt behind in terms of technique, rhythm, and – well, everything. I had to spend a lot of time experimenting in the practice room, trying to figure out how someone was able to play such a beautiful pianissimo or how playing the Saint-Saëns Carnival of the Animals excerpt could sound so effortless.
I understand the struggles my students are facing and enjoy finding the right words to describe how to approach problems. In a way, I am grateful that things did not come easily to me. I can help students go to the lab and figure out why their right hand has pain or why their sound is covered. I like helping them solve problems.
I also enjoy helping students achieve their goals. This can include figuring out what motivates them, what needs tweaking in their practice schedule, and general time management. When I figured out what you do every day is much more important than what you do sometimes, I started practicing the most difficult passages consistently. This always makes a successful concert happen. I wish I had known this as a student.

Posing with flute students of Marching Mizzou

What advice would you give someone who is just starting out?
Don’t focus on winning a job. Focus on practicing and continuing to grow as a musician. That is when good things will happen. When I was at New World Symphony, there was an email sent out to everyone in the orchestra whenever someone got a job. I became obsessed with winning a job. I practiced my excerpts constantly and was probably in the best shape of my life. I then played an audition list for Michael Tilson Thomas. Two or three excerpts in, a man named Harry Shapiro, a horn player who had performed in the world premiere of Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, stood up and said, “Some people get it and some people don’t. You, you don’t get it.” He left the hall.

MTT came up and consoled me but also told me maybe it was a good thing that this happened. Was my focus on the wrong thing? Was I really thinking of my craft? As I rode my bike back home, I faced some hard facts. Not only had I neglected my craft and become more of an athlete, I was becoming stubborn. Somewhere along the way, I had stopped growing as an artist.
One of my next assignments at New World was performing Beethoven’s Serenade, op. 25. Paula Robison was our chamber coach. It was my first week of trying to get back on track, focusing on the music and forgetting about winning a job or trying to impress someone. I learned so much that week. To this day, I often check to make sure I am listening to criticism and compliments.
Make sure musicianship is in every step of your artistic process. Don’t allow technical passages or even slow practice to stop the direction of a phrase. Never allow the flute to dictate how you play.
As you interview for your first job, your answer should always be yes. Would you be willing to teach a theory class? You may need to teach clarinet lessons. Are you okay with that? Would you be interested in trying that? Always yes. You never know what you will learn, and your first teaching job will most likely not be what you imagined. That does not mean it will not be fulfilling.
Sleep, eating well, and exercise are incredibly important as you try and reach your goals in music. Be nice to yourself and ignore the negative talk in your head. Read James E. Loehr’s book The New Toughness Training for Sports.

Dade and Yoo at Teotihuacan

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Working on a TV Show

Now Hear This focuses on chasing the secret histories of great musical works and their composers while discovering connections to today’s music, art, and culture. My husband, Scott Yoo, is a conductor and music director of the California-based Festival Mozaic. He started the lecture series Notable Encounters at the festival to introduce chamber music to new audiences. This is not a typical pre-concert lecture, but an exciting way to relate classical music to new listeners. For example, if he is describing the form of a piece, he will write a clever arrangement of a familiar tune such as Beach Boys’ California Girls, so the audience can understand that form in classical music.
A PBS television producer, Harry Lynch, attended one of the sessions and approached Scott about doing a television show, and Now Hear This was born. A year later, Scott filmed the pilot episode in Italy about Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. The format of the show is similar to those of the late Anthony Bourdain. Instead of food, it is classical music mixed with a little travel, culture, and some comedic moments.
I appear on the second episode, which explores the dance music of J.S. Bach. We filmed all over Germany and France, complete with period costumes and other guest stars, including Christoph Wolff, author of Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician. I have been asked to guest host an episode about the history of the flute for the second season.

Filming episode #102, The Riddle of Bach, in Paris

What was it like filming a TV show?
Scott and I are not actors, so the producer planted a lot of unexpected plot twists during the shoot in order to capture our natural reactions. Days are long and meticulously planned. We woke up early and often did not return until late at night. Because we were constantly changing locations, we traveled with a small crew of two cinematographers, the audio engineer, and editor, the line director, and the director. At each location, we were given a basic idea of where the scene should go, but there were no lines to be memorized.
Filming the show was very exciting, but I will never forget changing into a period costume in an unheated warehouse in Paris in the middle of winter. I quickly learned that smiling and speaking with a lot of energy were very important. At the same time, I had to avoid something that resembled the staged acting of people on house buying shows, “I just love this walk-in closet. And look at that crown molding!”

Filming episode #103 of Now Hear This in Tangier, Morocco

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Biography

Alice K. Dade is a graduate of the Inter-lochen Arts Academy and The Juilliard School of Music, where she studied with Carol Wincenc, Robert Langevin, and Sandra Church. She is a Powell Artist.

Solo Performances
As a soloist, Dade is an award winner of the Olga Koussevitsky Wind Competition of the Musicians Club of New York and The New York Flute Club Competition. She has performed with the Guanajuato Symphony Orchestra (Mexico), Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil Red de Escuelas de Música de Medellín (Colombia), PRIZM Festival Orchestra, and the Festival Mozaic Orchestra.

Chamber and Recordings
As a chamber musician she has performed at the Busan One Asia Festival, Chestnut Hill Chamber Series, Concordia Chamber Players at The Princeton Festival, Summerfest of Kansas City, and National Flute Association Conventions. Previously she was acting co-principal flute of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. She performed in concert tours to Russia, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and throughout Sweden and recorded with them on the Deutsche Grammophon label. Her first solo album, Living Music, was recorded at Skywalker sound and released in February 2018.

Orchestral
She has also performed as guest principal flute with the Bergen Philharmonic, Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, and Seoul Philharmonic, as well as guest piccolo with the St. Louis Symphony. In addition, she has performed with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Teaching
As a teacher she has presented masterclasses at Inje University (South Korea), The University of Guanajuato (Mexico), Vander-bilt University, Penn State University, and The University of Kentucky. She has been a faculty member of PRIZM International Chamber Music Festival, Flutes by the Sea Masterclass, and Medellín Festicamara.

Writing
She is a columnist for the Chicago Flute Club’s quarterly Pipeline Newsletter and has been published in Flute Talk, The Instrumentalist, and The Flute View.

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