Every organization should have a similar chart. Organizations run more smoothly and efficiently when everyone knows to whom they answer and who is responsible for what.
    This may seem like a strange topic for a flute magazine, but the arts run on the same principles that businesses do, and members of the arts community should understand this environment. Teachers show students how to play with ease, but sometimes business behavior and musical etiquette are missing from the curriculum. A college, for instance, has a fairly clear chain of command. From a music student’s perspective, it may go up the ladder from a studio teacher through an advisor, department chairperson, dean of the school of music, college president or regent, to the academic board of directors. If there is a difficulty with the studio teacher, it usually is not wise to go to the music school dean with the problem. (Of course there are some serious instances where it is appropriate for students to immediately go to a higher authority.)
    Generally however, students should follow the chain of command. Start with the teacher, and if satisfaction is not reached there, move on up the chain to a department chair. Just as in business, there is appropriate etiquette and steps to follow. Learning to play the flute well is not enough. Students also have to know how to behave in a well-ordered artistic society, and chain of command is a big part of that.
    We are huge fans of the Big Bang Theory at our house, and Dr. Sheldon Cooper is a perfect example of someone who has little knowledge of accepted protocol when it comes to dealing with colleagues. His general attitude is that no one is as smart as he is, so why should he care what anyone else thinks – even his college president, to whom he pays no respect at all. Sheldon’s inability to understand chain of command and general protocol etiquette makes him a pariah among all with whom he comes in contact. Applying this idea to the life of a flutist:

    Scenario #1: You are in an orchestra rehearsal and have a question about your part. To whom should you address the question?
    A.    The section leader or 1st flute
    B.    The conductor
    C.    The president of the board of directors
    D.    The composer, if that is possible.

    Of course, the obvious answer is to start at the section leader and only rarely move up from there to conductor. This seems like a fairly straightforward example, but it is not unusual for students to come to conductors with many small questions to get a definitive answer or to overrule a colleague. Imagine doing this in a professional setting with a famous conductor, however.

    Scenario #2: The mother of a promising young flute student calls and wants you to teach her daughter. The student is already studying with one of your colleagues but wants to work with you on the side. You have a few options:
    A. You can teach her on the quiet.
    B. You can refuse to take the student until she has stopped taking lessons from the other teacher.
    C. You can agree to take the student, but only if she informs the other teacher.

    While both teachers may be at the same level in the school’s chain of command, handling the situation with attention to protocol will affect whether it results in conflict, so you have to choose carefully. Teaching the student secretly is not a good option. Sooner or later the colleague will discover that you have waded into his domain and probably will not appreciate it. It is important to show respect for colleagues, even if your teaching philosophy differs from theirs. Option B may also lead to bruised egos and hurt feelings. That just leaves option C where you teach the student once she has told her current teacher (hopefully in a diplomatic way) that she intends to seek some outside help. This is the option I like best because everyone knows what is going on. The student receives extra input from a secondary teacher, and the primary teacher knows and accepts that this is taking place.
    In both scenarios, it is good protocol to start with the people involved in a conflict or potential problem. Only when a resolution among the affected parties is not attainable should you move to a different level of authority.  Jumping a link in the chain creates resentment amongst those skipped, and there is often a hint of tattling when a complaint is lodged with the wrong person.
    When I was editor of Flute Talk, I always felt shoved aside and annoyed when readers contacted the publisher rather than writing to me with their concerns. When you start at the top, you have eliminated everyone else in the chain. In a school or orchestral setting, that may not be just one person who is ticked off at you; it could be several people. At a later time, you may want the good will or help of peers or those just above you. Following the chain of command creates trust and respect with your immediate supervisor. Ignoring it not only looks bad to him or her, but it also reflects poorly on you.
    A blog (Wetfeet) about office politics states, “It’s not enough to get good results. You need to satisfy the people who matter.” It also advises, “Two prime directives: first, never go over your boss’s head without explicit permission. Second, never start a war with your boss.” In musical terms, stick to the chain of command and figure out who is your immediate boss. That may change in different situations.
    There are always numerous ways to communicate any given point. As the old saying says, you can attract more flies with honey than with vinegar. How you express your desires or dissatisfactions can make all the difference in the world. Going to an immediate superior with an aggressive accusatory manner probably will not win you any positive points. Be respectful, ask questions, and be humble – even when you are quite sure your position is the correct one.

The post Chain of Command, or How To Play Nicely With Others appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    As flute choirs continue to increase in popularity, more flutists are purchasing alto, bass and contrabass flutes than ever before, both to play in flute choirs, and to explore the expanding solo and small ensemble repertoire written for larger flutes. Although the basic fingerings and written range are the same for all members of the flute family, differences in headjoint design and the larger diameter of the tubing in alto, bass and contrabass flutes require adjustments in air speed and angle.

Alignment
    Headjoint alignment in alto flutes with curved heads, bass flutes, and contrabass flutes is more complicated than the alignment of one-piece concert flutes or straight-head alto flutes. Bass and alto flute headjoints are made in two pieces and contrabass headjoints have three pieces. It may take some experimentation to find a balanced set-up position.
    The two most common set-ups for curved-head alto and bass flute headjoints are vertical alignment and horizontal alignment. In my opinion, vertical alignment provides better balance for the instrument, which makes it less tiring to play. Vertical alignment places the straight section of the head almost directly above the main tube of the instrument, with the embouchure hole level (parallel to the keys of the flute). When assembling the instrument, make sure that there is enough clearance for the left hand first finger to operate the C key. If there is interference, angle the curved section of the headjoint slightly back toward the player.
    Horizontal alignment places the curve toward the player’s body so the headjoint is on the same plane as the main tube of the flute.
    In both alignments, adjusting the position of the curved section will require adjustment of the straight part of the headjoint so the embouchure hole is parallel to the keys of the flute. Make small alignment marks on the headjoint sections with a permanent marker for consistent instrument alignment.
    The headjoint of the contrabass flute has three sections that, when assembled, are shaped like a number 4 with the straight headjoint section perpendicular to the plane formed by the keys on the center sections of the flute. After the curves are adjusted properly, make sure the embouchure hole is parallel to the floor or turned slightly back toward the player. The headjoint segments should be adjusted so that the instrument is well-balanced; otherwise it may tend to twist to one side, making it uncomfortable to play. Mark adjoining headjoint sections with a permanent marker once a good set-up position is found.
    Contrabass flutes, like string basses, are played standing up and have an adjustable peg attached to the footjoint to customize the height of the instrument to the player. Set up the contrabass so the flutist can comfortably play on the headjoint while maintaining good posture. If the contrabass is set up a little too tall, step back from the instrument and tip the instrument slightly towards the player, using the peg as a pivot point.
    When assembling alto, bass and contrabass flutes, avoid any interference with the operation of the keys. The spatula of the D# key of many bass flutes is shaped so that it extends past the joint connecting the footjoint to the center section of the instrument. Players with smaller hands may find the D# key easier to reach if they turn the footjoint in slightly towards them instead of lining up the rod of the footjoint with the center of the D key. Make sure that the operation of the D# key is not hindered by the post on the center section of the flute.

Air and Intonation
    The alto, bass, and contrabass require successively larger volumes of air to achieve a pleasing and projecting tone. Vibrato should not be heavy or too slow – less is more. The air speed used should be slightly slower than for concert flute, especially for notes in the second and third octaves. If the airspeed is too fast when playing in the second and third octave, it may produce a harmonic instead of the desired note. While the upper octaves are the strongest and loudest for the concert flute, they are the weakest octaves for the larger flutes, but have a beautiful and ethereal quality.
    When playing a low flute for the first time, get to know the instrument by playing long tones on free-blowing notes such as A, G and F in the first octave to determine the air stream angle and speed necessary to produce a good tone. Then repeat each of those first octave notes followed by the same note in the second octave to determine differences in air speed and angle between the octaves. When these notes can be played comfortably, proceed to playing octaves through the chromatic scale from the C in the first octave through the G in the third octave, determining similarities and differences in air speed and angle through most of the range of the instrument. In general, as the notes ascend, the angle of the airstream will tend to be higher, and the air speed will need to be slower. As the accuracy of playing the higher notes increases, experiment with a slightly faster airstream.
    After warming up, tune the instrument with an electronic tuner. Check the pitch of several notes such as first and second octave A and a second octave D, and pull out the straight part of the headjoint until those three notes are in tune. It is likely that it will need to be pulled out a significant distance; my contrabass flute plays in tune with its headjoint pulled out more than an inch. Mark this spot on the headjoint with a short line drawn with a thin permanent marker.
Then play half notes in octaves throughout the range of the instrument and check the pitch with an electronic tuner. The upper octaves of many big flutes can be notoriously out of tune and require players to listen carefully and adjust individual notes to correct the pitch. Write down pitch tendencies of out-of-tune notes to learn how to compensate and play them better in tune. Alternate fingerings can sometimes improve the intonation of upper octave notes.

Articulation and Response
    Response, particularly on low notes, can be improved by blowing (with warm air) on the pads of the flute. Pay special attention to closed keys such as the G#, D#, trill keys, and the footjoint keys. Adding a little moisture to the pads in this manner helps the pads seal better, resulting in a more resonant tone. This technique also works wonders on a concert flute. If low notes are sluggish in tongued passages, slap the G key as the low note is being articulated.
    For best results, articulation should be crisp. Big flutes have the reputation of being ponderous in tongued passages, so pay special attention to articulation, so the beginning of articulated notes can be heard clearly. Adjust note lengths so the notes are not glued together. Forward tonguing, also known as French tonguing or spit rice tonguing, where the tip of the tongue peeks out from between the lips, is very effective.
    Once flutists can play the first two octaves and part of the third octave, practicing material in intermediate method books, etude books, and solos is a fun and effective way to increase the mastery of the instrument.   

The post Big Flute Basics appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    Mathieu-André Reichert is a name that inspires thoughts of pedagogical studies and technical exercises in the flute world. Although Reichert’s etudes found a permanent place in the flute curriculum, few facts are widely known about his life, and other works of his fell into obscurity. Reichert’s biography is not readily available in English, and few efforts have been made to chronicle his life and works.
    Most of the available biographical information about Reichert is a result of the research of Odette Ernest Dias. Dias published articles in Portuguese and German as well as the book Mathieu-André Reichert: Um Flautista Belga na Corte do Rio de Janeiro. Reichert is listed in François-Joseph Fétis’ Biographie universelle des musiciens, and Richard Rockstro’s treatise contains a brief mention of Reichert in an entry about his teacher, Jules Demeur.
    Reichert’s rich and vibrant life as a flute virtuoso of the nineteenth century led to the composition of many salon works as well as the publication of etudes. Although rarely performed, Reichert’s salon works for flute and piano are available in two volumes, published by Schott. Reichert’s etudes are well known to today’s flutists due to the efforts of Marcel Moyse, who wrote variations on the exercises in his book, How I Stayed in Shape. Moyse was one of the few flutists who promoted Reichert’s compositions. He often taught Reichert’s Fantaisie Melancolique, Op. 1, the theme of which is recorded on the CD, The Recorded Legacy of Moyse.
    Born in Maastricht, The Netherlands in 1830, Reichert began his musical career by playing in cafes and bars with his father, who was a nomadic musician. Reichert attracted the attention of the flutist Jules Demeur, who brought him to study at the Brussels Conservatory in Belgium. The director of the Conservatory, François-Joseph Fétis, accepted Reichert as a student in 1844. Fétis later described Reichert as one the most skilled and extraordinary flute virtuosos of the nineteenth century in his publication Biographie universelle des musiciens.
    Reichert’s alcoholism and penchant for self-indulgent behavior led Demeur and Fétis to acquire a military position for him in the Belgian Army. Once Reichert gained control over his vices, he was allowed to enter the Conservatory’s competition and won first prize in 1847. He was hired at the Belgium court of Leopold II and gave concerts across Europe and America with the orchestra of French conductor Louis-Antoine Jullien. Reichert performed as soloist and second flute to Robert Sidney Pratten.
    While giving concerts in Paris in 1859, a group of musicians including Reichert were hired by Dom Pedro II of Brazil for the Imperial Court at the Palace at São Cristóvão. Pedro II (r. 1831-1889) led a progressive empire and instituted many reforms in an effort to modernize Brazil, including the establishment of the Conservatory of Rio de Janeiro in 1847. A strong patron of the arts and sciences, Pedro II often invited intellectuals and artists from Europe to his court. One of these musicians was the composer Carlos Gomes, whose success is attributed to the patronage of Pedro II.
    In Brazil, Reichert performed at beneficiary concerts on behalf of the Brazilian court, toured northern and southern Brazil, and was principal flute of the Teatro Lyrico Fluminense. This was the leading opera house in Rio de Janeiro in the nineteenth century and saw the Brazilian premieres of many works by Carlos Gomes, including Joana de Flandres, for which Gomes wrote the flute part of the cavatina with Reichert’s performance style in mind. In the cavatina, the two flutes engage in a sprightly dialogue that displays technical virtuosity by making use of wide registral leaps, a trademark of Reichert’s music.
    Reichert was given the freedom to travel on tour and give concerts in the major cities of Brazil. His impressions of northern Brazil inspired him to write the works Souvenir de Para and Souvenir de Bahia. Reichert’s performances sparked positive reviews and excitement from audiences. The Brazilian poet Tobias Barreto dedicated two poems to Reichert in his work Dias e Noites.
    The most significant sources of concert promotion in nineteenth century Brazil were musical salons held in exclusive clubs for the Brazilian elite. Renowned local musicians performed alongside wealthy amateurs and repertoire included operatic excerpts and virtuoso instrumental works. Programs were lengthy and often lasted through the early hours of the morning.
    The research of Odette Ernest Dias discovered a concert program from a performance that Reichert was involved in at the Fluminense Club. Patronized by the Baron de Moreira for the benefit of the Orphan Asylum of Santa Teresa and the Belgian Beneficent Society, the program included works for piano, violin, and voice in addition to flute. Reichert performed his own compositions as well as flute accompaniment to operatic excerpts. This concert program is shown below.

    Reichert spent his last years at the charity Santa Casa da Misericórdia. He died of meningitis in 1880.
    Reichert wrote many salon pieces for flute that display technical virtuosity and lyrical writing reminiscent of bel canto opera. One hallmark of Reichert’s compositional style is the use of rapid registral leaps that create the effect of two flutes playing at once. Reichert’s works express stylistic traits of transAtlantic genres that are usually associated with South America in collaboration with European forms. One genre he often used is the habanera. Reichert transformed the habanera theme into variation form in his work, L’Illusion, Introduction et Variations sur une Havanaise, Op. 7.
    The habanera is a genre that is notoriously used to evoke a sense of exoticism. The common assumption in the Western world is that the habanera originated in South America and was adopted in Europe by nineteenth century Romantic composers fascinated by the exotic. Surprisingly, the habanera’s origins lie within the European contradance.
    As the contradance migrated to South America and Spain, it took on the rhythmic pattern known as the “habanera rhythm,” and transformed into a Romantic vocal genre. When the genre returned to Europe, composers exploited the transformation as a stylistic characteristic of exoticism in salon music. Although European forms were retained, an Afro-Caribbean element lies within the treatment of rhythm, as shown in the habanera rhythm pattern below.

    The habanera rhythm formed an ostinato in the accompaniment underneath a simple melody in four to eight bar phrases. Simple harmonic language was in accordance with eighteenth century European traditions. Most habaneras are written in a minor key with a modulation to the parallel major that persists until the end.
    Reichert wrote a habanera for flute and piano as his Op. 7 while working at the court of Pedro II in Brazil. Reichert’s habanera has a descriptive title in line with the nineteenth century European Romantic tradition of character music. The programmatic title illustrates Reichert’s European roots as a composer and the work’s  European form despite its South American elements.
    Reichert utilizes the habanera rhythm and characteristics in conjunction with the European form of continuous variations written in a style that is technically virtuosic for the flute. The opening introduction displays a lyrical and dramatic character that recalls the tradition of Spanish lyric opera. This effect is achieved through the use of lyrical phrases interspersed with expressive appoggiaturas that enhance the melancholic flavor of the piece.
    When performing this piece, it is important to be aware of the chord structure in order to bring out the appoggiaturas. As shown on the next page, the first phrase is simply a tonic prolongation of E Minor. If the main skeletal notes of the phrase are isolated, the melody would be as follows: B (m.2), G m.3), E (m.4), C (m.5), and B (m.6). The function of the iv6/4 chord in m.5 is to serve as an appoggiatura to the tonic harmony with the C in the melody resolving to the B in the next measure. In order to bring this to the forefront of the texture, it is logical for a performer to phrase to the appoggiatura in m.5. This also makes sense structurally because of the nature of the four-bar phrase and traditionally, a performer phrases to the third bar of a four-bar phrase.

    The habanera rhythm first appears in the Thème of the work. The Thème begins with the piano accompaniment performing the habanera rhythm in a style that is reminiscent of Bizet’s notorious habanera for the opera Carmen. The Thème begins in the key of E minor, and follows the traditional habanera scheme of modulating to the parallel major by the end. The piano accompaniment plays the habanera rhythm underneath a melody line that is enriched with ornamentation of a triplet figure.
    After a perfect authentic cadence in the key of E major, the first variation begins without pause. Although the Introduction and Thème are labeled, the variations are not identified with titles. At first glance, the variations may appear to be technical studies. However, the melody of the Thème becomes evident once the main notes are discovered in the line. Bringing these notes out creates interest and allows the audience to hear the melody. When preparing this piece, a performer should practice the two voices independently of each other. When they are put together, it creates a dual effect of hearing two voices played at once.
    One aspect of Reichert’s habanera that remains ambiguous is the editing. There is no urtext edition and only one published edition by Schott, so it is difficult to know if the dynamic and tempo markings were written by the editor or by Reichert. The tempo marking for the Introduction is eighth note = 200. Since Maelzel’s metronome of the nineteenth-century only went as fast as 160, it is logical to assume that this tempo marking was an addition made by the editor.
    Reichert wrote two etude books, Six Etudes, Op. 6, and Seven Daily Exercises, Op. 5. Reichert’s Seven Daily Exercises are the most widely known among flutists. The exercises develop technique and embouchure flexibility through the use of wide registral leaps. Each exercise modulates through all 24 major and minor keys. Virtuosic technical facility was a trademark of Reichert’s performance style. He practiced difficult technical exercises with the metronome in unusual keys for hours. Perhaps the etudes Reichert published are exercises he devised to maintain his own practice.
    The virtuosic technical writing of Reichert’s etudes is mirrored in the bravura style of his salon works. Since Reichert’s technique was one of his strengths, it makes sense that he would have written compositions that showcase his talents in order to be successful as a virtuoso. For example, the writing of Etude No. 2 from Reichert’s Seven Daily Exercises is very similar to the writing of Reichert’s second variation in his piece Fantaisie Melancolique. Both works make use of a slurred arpeggio pattern that explores the different registers of the flute. However, in the etude the pattern ascends, while in the Fantaisie, the pattern descends.

    With the advent of the public concert during the Romantic period, changes were made in instrumental construction and compositional style in order to accommodate performance venues with large concert halls and audiences. In order to compete in this setting, virtuoso flutists wrote and performed pieces that advocated the strengths of the flute. Flutists performed variations and fantasies that emphasized wide leaps and the effect of several voices playing at once.     Despite their idiomatic writing, these pieces did not survive as classics in the flute repertoire and were often dismissed as lighthearted and trivial. In an article the early twentieth century, flutist Louis Fleury wrote:

    An instrument of the front rank in the XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries went quite out of fashion and was neglected by the composers of the XIXth. The flautists themselves are to blame. It would be true to say that the great virtuosos of the last century – men like Berbiguier, Tulou, Demersseman, Nicholson and Drouet – did more harm to their instrument, in spite of their undoubted mastery of it, than the clumsiest amateur could ever have done.

    Although the etudes of nineteenth century virtuoso flutists are widely used as pedagogical instruction methods, the salon works of these flutists are relatively unknown. As flutists became interested in the orchestral world and modern composers of the twentieth century, salon works of the nineteenth century fell into oblivion. Despite the fact that these pieces were dismissed as inconsequential and frivolous, they provide valuable insight as to how the flute became a great soloistic instrument.

Bibliography:

Barulich, Frances, and Jan Fairley. “Habanera.” Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, accessed 2/11/04. .

Béhague, Gerard. Music in Latin America: An Introduction. Englewood, Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1979.

Burkholder, J. Peter, Donald J. Grout, and Claude V. Palisca. A History of Western Music. 7th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2006.

Dias, Odette Ernest. Mathieu-André Reichert: Um Flautista Belga na Corte do Rio de Janeiro. Brazil: Editora Universidade de Brasilia, 1990.

Fétis, François-Joseph. Biographie universelle des musiciens et bibliographie génèrale de la Musique. 2nd ed. Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1866.

Fleury, Louis. “The Flute and its Powers of Expression.” Music and Letters 3, no. 4 (1922).

Maelzel, John. “Patent for an Instrument or Machine.” In The Repertory of Arts, Manufactures, And Agriculture: Consisting of Original Communications, Specifications of Patent Inventions, Practical, and Interesting Paper. London: Nichols, Son, and Bentley Printers, 1818.

Reichert, Mathieu-André Fantaisie Melancolique, Op. 1. Edited by Nikolaus Delius. Mainz, Germany: Schott, 2001.

Reichert, Mathieu-André. L’Illusion, Introduction et Variations sur une Havanaise, Op. 7. Edited by Nikolaus Delius. Mainz, Germany: Schott, 2001.

Reichert, Mathieu-André. Seven Daily Exercises, Op. 5. Mainz, Germany: Schott, 1872.

Rockstro, Richard Shepherd. A Treatise on the Flute. London: Musica Rara, 1928.

The post Mathieu-Andre Reichert, An Extraordinary Virtuoso appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

The 2015 Convention
    The 2015 convention will take place in Washington D.C. from Thursday, August 13 to Sunday, August 16. (Selected pre-convention activities occur Wednesday, August 12.) A visit to the nation’s capital offers the chance to experience the best that our country has to offer: monuments for reflection, gardens and parks for beauty, museums for lifelong learning, people from every background and country, and the energizing center of democracy and collaboration. Special pre-convention activities will kick-start the Annual Convention, which this year offers a special focus on how today’s flutists advocate for the arts, enrich lives through music, and engage new audiences. The convention will take place at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park. ()

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    Out of Many, One is the theme of this year’s convention where flutists from around the world will gather to celebrate our varied backgrounds and our shared love of the flute. We have invited flutists who have made a difference in the lives of others to share their stories: Wissam Boustany with Towards Humanity, Terri Sundberg and the Shropshire Foundation, Mary Matthews and Cuatro Puntos among many others. A panel discussion called Pass it On: Advocacy 101 will share ideas about arts in education and community building through music. 

Youth Flute Day on Sunday
    In addition to regular convention programming, Sunday offers a fun-filled Youth Flute Day for flutists age 9-18. In small groups with helpful guides, students will experience a one day mini-convention moving from morning warm-ups and Dalcroze or Alexander Technique classes to visiting the exhibits and hearing flutes from around the world plus flute choir reading sessions and masterclasses. Many more activities are scheduled for flutists of different ages and levels, along with sessions for parents on auditions, buying a flute, and uses of technology. Everyone will have the chance to participate in the grand finale of improvisation with Ali Ryerson and Greg Pattillo. (Fee: $60, includes NFA e-membership fee and T-shirt)

Taking Chances
    The convention will also feature flutists who take chances with new ways to present music. Tabatha Easley collaborates with dancers and composers to present a Visions of Sound concert, and the Penn State Flute Choir will get Youth Flute Day off to a rousing start with its program of music and dance. Shawn Wyckoff’s trio Sonic Escape uses original music and beautifully crafted arrangements to create an interactive sense of fun. Fourth Wall never disappoints, and they will perform in the Thursday Gala. Other performances include music by NFA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Harvey Sollberger, the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drums Corps, Jennifer Parker-Harley and flutists from the University of South Carolina, Tara O’Connor, Irina Stachinskaya, and Shigenori Kudo. 

Low Flutes, Piccolo, and Flute Choirs
    This convention could easily be called the year of the low flutes. Matthias Ziegler, Chris Potter, Ali Ryerson, Peter Sheridan, Marion Garver Frederickson, Paige Dashner Long, Carla Rees, and many others will resonate in a large choir of low flutes called Vox Profundo.
    Flute choirs from around the world will share new commissions and well-loved favorites. There will be reading sessions for flute choirs, low flute choirs, and a jazz flute big band. If you would like to try something new, you can learn to play the Native American flute, Baroque flute, Celtic flute, or play side-by-side with favorite flute celebrities in duets, trios, and quartets.
    If you have always wanted to play a Baroque sonata with a harpsichordist, you will have a chance at the Baroque Breakfast Jam on Sunday morning. Piccolo players will have a chance to shine with unusual duets in Piccolo and Friends, a lecture-recital on commissioning music for the piccolo by Peter Verhoyen.

History
    Historical presentations center on the treasures available at the Library of Congress, from a history of Stars and Stripes to a concert of music in the collections and a lecture on the Dayton C. Miller Collection by Nancy Toff. If you arrive early, you can see special displays at the Library of Congress on Wednesday, August 12, from 1-3 pm, in the Mumford Room of the James Madison Building. 
    My favorite part of the NFA conventions is the friendships built over many years. A shared passion is what connects us all and opens the door to conversation. Borders become blurred with flutists and composers from all over the world sharing the stage and lecture room. I look forward to seeing you in August!

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New Music
    As always the convention features performances of new works for flute and piccolo. This year’s NFA commissioned composers include Michael Fiday and Daniel Kessner, and jazz arrangers Ali Ryerson and Bruce Eskovitz. 
•    Valerie Coleman
•    Robert Dick
•    Asha Srinivasan
•    Gary Schocker
•    Jonathan Kirk
•    Sora Shpack
•    Jeffrey Yost
•    Derek Charke
•    Randall Woolf
•    David Loeb
•    Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda
•    Marc Satterwhite
•    Cynthia Folio
•    Christopher Caliendo
•    Mark Olivieri
•    Truman Harris
•    Mitch Lin
•    Russel Nadel
•    Nancy Galbraith
•    Diego Vega

Guest Artists:
Evening Concerts

Thursday
    The Fourth Wall, Harvey Sollberger, the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, Jennifer Parker-Harley and the University of South Carolina Wind Ensemble Flutists, Tara O’Connor, Irina Stachinskaya, Shigenori Kudo. Late Night Cabaret: Wouter Kellerman and ensemble.
Friday
    Winne Clement, Manuel Rojas and Ensemble Gurrufio, Ali Ryerson, Deepak Ram, Matthias Ziegler, Chris Norman Ensemble. Late Night Cabaret: Marco Granados with Manuel Rojas and Ensemble Gurrufio
Saturday
    Mark Sparks, Demarre McGill, Paula Robison, Lorna McGhee, Aaron Goldman. Late Night Cabaret: Jazz Flute Big Band Concert with Ali Ryerson, Lisa Jelle, Greg Pattillo, Zachary Kellogg

The post NFA 2015 in Washington D.C.: Thoughts from NFA Program Chair Joanna Bassett appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    Zart Dombourian-Eby, piccolo of the Seattle Symphony, is a regularly featured performer with the orchestra as a piccolo and flute soloist. She was the founding editor of Flute Talk magazine and is currently serving as president of the National Flute Association. She has also held positions in the Baton Rouge Symphony, New Orleans Pops Orchestra, Colorado Philharmonic Orchestra (now known as NRO), the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and substituted in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University (BA cum laude, MM) and Northwestern University (DMA). Her doctoral paper, “The Piccolo in the Nineteenth Century,” represents the only extensive research undertaken on the piccolo in that era.

What were your first experiences as a professional musician?
    My father was one of the conductors of the New Orleans Summer Pops, a professional orchestra in New Orleans. I played second flute in that orchestra for several summers while I was in college at Louisiana State University. Also while at LSU, I played in the Baton Rouge Symphony.

How did you come to audition for the Seattle Symphony?
    There were actually two auditions for my position. The first, in November of 1981, ended with the orchestra not awarding the position to anyone, and I didn’t even progress past the preliminaries. They held the next audition the following March. Braniff Airlines was about to go out of business and offered a two-for-one special on airfares. My friend Amy Hamilton and I decided to go again, since we could get a good deal on the flight. There were about 75 people in the preliminaries and 17 in the finals. I lucked out (played my best Classical Symphony ever) and won the job. My advice to others facing auditions is to really know the excerpts backwards and forwards, but also be ready to showcase your musical personality and expression.

What is your weekly symphony schedule?
    My schedule, like that of many orchestra players, varies greatly from week to week. A basic week consists of four to five rehearsals and three to four concerts, but each week is different. Monday is my day off, which I devote to the gym, the National Flute Association, and my high school students.

How do you view the piccolo’s role in the orchestra?
    The piccolo is the icing on the cake of the orchestra. The piccolo adds color and excitement and even beauty to the fabric of the music. There are lots of birds and whistles, but we also get to impart soulful melodies such as those found in works of Shostakovich.

How do you manage the demands of family life and an orchestral career?
    My two daughters are now grown. In fact, we are looking at wedding venues for one of them right now. My kids were always surrounded by music. When my older daughter was five years old, she was able to sing the flute solo from Daphnis and Chloe as she had heard it so frequently. I did not teach as much when the girls were younger, and I have always been involved in supporting their school activities. I have a long history of participation in the PTA, and I chaired their school orchestra support group, including large fundraisers for three separate trips to Japan. (Both of my daughters are musical, but neither is pursuing a professional career in music.) 
    Now that my children are older, my free time goes to causes I believe in. I am currently on the Orchestra Committee, hold a position on the Seattle Symphony Board of Directors, and am chair of the Players Pension Plan committee. My involvement with the National Flute Association also has been a major focus over the years.

How did you become involved with the NFA?
    The beginning was quite serendipitous. I was visiting a friend in Pittsburgh, and we literally stumbled upon the 1974 NFA convention when we saw  Welcome National Flute Association over the front door of a hotel. At the time, I had never heard of the NFA.
    Later when I began my studies at Northwestern, I saw that my teacher, Walfrid Kujala, was very committed to the fledgling organization, and I think his passion for it ignited a similar interest in me. Like many other college students, I entered several NFA sponsored competitions and attended conventions.
    The convention in 1989 was in New Orleans, my hometown, and I was invited to perform at it. I became a member of the piccolo committee, ran the initial piccolo master class competition, and have subsequently taught and played at many other conventions. I served on the NFA Board twice which is when I really began to understand the scope and complexity of the organization.
  That understanding was magnified ten-fold after Jonathan Keeble, flute professor at the University of Illinois and president of the NFA at that time, convinced me to serve as the Program Chair for the convention in Las Vegas in 2012. That was a huge honor, and planning that convention was one of the most exciting projects I have ever undertaken. I learned so much about the flute, flutists, and flute music across the world.
    I am currently in the first year of my two-year term as president of the NFA. It is an exciting and demanding position. There are so many details to attend to on an almost daily basis, ranging from financial matters to policy decisions, planning for the 50th anniversary celebration to refining competition guidelines. All the work is worth it, however, as this organization is such a source of camaraderie, knowledge, and excellence.
    My biggest objective during these two years is to increase the benefits offered to members and to reach new members. I want everyone to know that the NFA welcomes all flutists, from beginner to professional, from teacher to amateur, and that we have so much to offer flutists at every level. The NFA’s mission is “Inspiring Flutists, Enriching Lives,” and our vision is to be “known as a premier resource worldwide, valued by its members and relevant to all interested in the flute.” These are the guiding principles that drive everything that we do.

What is your practice routine?
    I start every day by playing long tones, and then a series of intervals. I move on to Moyse De la Sonorite, No. 3, and then play through all the major and minor scales. I finish off my warm up with some of Trevor Wye’s tonguing exercises.
    There are so many moments in all genres of the repertoire where the passion and beauty of the music are so overpowering that you forget your surroundings, your worries, everything around you – those are the moments we live for as musicians. That is what motivates me and keeps me practicing.

Do you use alternate fingerings?
    All the time! I agree with Jan Gippo’s philosophy of calling some of the alternative fingerings we use on the flute as primary fingerings for the piccolo. I introduce these fingerings to my piccolo students when they occur in the literature. Hopefully the fingerings will feel natural to students because they have learned to use them in context. It is almost like learning a second language where instead of translating a word in your head, you begin to think directly in the new language. This is how it should work with fingerings. Students should naturally begin to use the new fingerings in an automatic way. I learned a lot about alternative fingering ideas from Wally Kujala through his Vade Mecum, which echoes the ideas of Henri Altès. For example, it makes a lot of sense to keep some of the right hand fingers down for C# in the staff when moving to or from D.

What was it like as the first editor of Flute Talk?
    The first issue was released in September of 1981. The magazine was only eight pages long, in one color and with matte paper. It was geared for students and to keep it fun we included a cartoon and a word search puzzle. There was also an interview of James Galway, and Wally Kujala wrote an article called An Homage to Altès. There was a performance guide for a movement of the Handel Sonata in F Major. I still remember some telephone interviews I did for the magazine in the ensuing months. Early interview subjects like Ransom Wilson and Jeff Zook are still lifelong friends to this day. After I moved to Seattle, I kept up my editorial duties by snail mail for a few months (no email in those days) and worked with Polly McKay as she transitioned into the editor position, taking over in October of 1982.

How much do you teach?
    Playing in the Seattle Symphony is my primary job, but I teach quite a bit and have since I was a graduate student. I usually have three weekly high school students, and between 10 to 15 semi-regular students, who range from flutists between their bachelor’s and master’s degrees to adult amateurs returning to the flute during retirement after a long hiatus from playing. I find the teaching stimulating, as well as helpful to my own playing.
    My primary focus is on tone quality with all my students. Without a good sound, whether it is on the flute or the piccolo, no one will want to listen to you, even if you have the world’s greatest technique or are the most musical player. Sound must come first. I encourage all my students to read Music and the Flute by Tom Nyfenger. It is a book that immeasurably changed both my playing and teaching.

What led to your edition of Vivaldi piccolo concertos?
    I periodically teach a summer piccolo and flute masterclass in Seattle, and always ask the performers to prepare at least one movement of a Vivaldi concerto for the class. After several summers using an overhead projector to display my preferred articulations and dynamics for the class, my colleague and friend Sandy Saathoff suggested I put out my own edition of these works. It seemed like an excellent idea, so I got to work on it. I soon discovered, much to my surprise, that there was actually a facsimile edition of the three piccolo concertos available for purchase, so I was able to produce my edition based directly on the original writing of Vivaldi. I decided to make a real performance edition, complete with not only articulations and dynamics, but also suggested ornamentation and special fingerings. The publication is unusual in that it includes all three concertos in one edition. It was a fun project, and I am really proud of how it turned out. (Three Concertos for Piccolo Composed by Antonio Vivaldi/Dombourian-Eby is published by Theodore Presser Co.)

Have you commissioned new repertoire for the piccolo?
    My first foray into this was spearheading 150 students to commission Gunther Schuller to write a concerto honoring our teacher’s (Walfrid Kujala’s) birthday. Kujala and the Chicago Symphony premiered the work during the 1988 season. Since then, I have commissioned two works from Martin Amlin (Sonata for Piccolo and Sonatina Piccola), one from Ken Benshoof (In Shadow, light for piccolo and strings, which I also recorded), and sonatas for piccolo and piano by Gary Schocker and Levente Gyongyosi. Each work is very different from the other, and I love them all. I am very proud to have added to the piccolo repertoire in this way.

Do you have a role model? 
    Wally Kujala has been my role model since my first days as a DMA student at Northwestern. His professionalism and love of music and the flute inspired and compelled me to pursue a career in orchestral playing. His teaching methods and focus have molded my own approach to teaching and my students. And his commitment to scholarship and service has guided my pursuits and my
work for the National Flute Association.

*     *     *

Early Music Studies

    I played the flute because my father, who was a renowned high school band director and orchestra conductor in New Orleans, said that I was going to play the flute. My older sister played flute as well – and my dad, even though he was primarily a violist, played flute as his second instrument. My maternal grandmother was a piano teacher. I started the flute when I was in the fourth grade at my elementary school in New Orleans, and started violin at the same time. I played the violin for six years, then the cello for six years after that, but the flute finally won, and I stuck with it. I studied with both Jeanne and Everett Timm at Louisiana State University.
    I started playing piccolo at the end of sixth grade – the eighth-grader who played piccolo was moving on to high school, so the band director handed me a piccolo right before summer vacation, along with a copy of the Vivaldi C Major piccolo concerto, and said “Learn this.”
    I played piccolo occasionally throughout school and college and always enjoyed it, but never considered myself a specialist on it. Because a lot of my playing was in school bands, it just made me happy to be able to hear myself. I have always enjoyed playing piccolo and kind of fell into becoming a piccolo specialist. Even though Walfrid Kujala was my primary mentor, we did not work on the piccolo all that much. When I was preparing for auditions, he would coach me on the excerpts, but I don’t recall ever having a special piccolo lesson with Wally or anyone else.
    I worked with Albert Tipton for a short time in Houston, and he stressed intonation. He had a series of exercises using difference tones that we would improvise on. Kujala focused on the precision of orchestral excerpts: getting to the essence of each different one through articulation, rhythm and technique. Of course, we also worked both flute solo repertoire and Vivaldi concertos. I also worked frequently with Donald Peck through the Chicago Civic Orchestra in weekly sectionals. His approach complemented Wally’s perfectly, and he seemed to highlight expression and sound in a slightly different way.

*     *     *

A Visit to China

     I taught at the University of Washington for a while when Felix Skowronek was ill. One of the graduate students I taught, Zhao Chen, went home to China after graduation and became the flute professor at the China Conservatory in Bejing. One of my daughters was working in China at the time, so when I visited with her, I would keep in touch with my former student and give masterclasses at his school , as well as teach private lessons to his students.  Several of his students have become friends of mine, and I see them every time I visit China, or when they visit the US.
     The first of the biennial China flute conventions was held in 2012, and in 2014 I received an invitation to perform and teach at their second one. The conventions are run by the energetic and creative, Guoliang Han, principal flutist of the China National Symphony, and professor of flute. All of the major Chinese flutists were there, as well as international artists from nine different countries. 
     While at the convention, I taught a masterclass, judged the young artist competition, and performed a recital. I have been told that it was  the first piccolo recital ever presented in China. While that may seem surprising, even in the US a piccolo recital was rare 20 years ago. The recent expansion of piccolo solo repertory has been huge and allows us a rich depth with choices far beyond the Vivaldi concerti.

The post Not Just Birds and Whistles, Zart Dombourian-Eby On a Life with Piccolo appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

The Schedule Form
     While there are various formats available online for creating a weekly schedule, musicians are often in a rehearsal or performance where they are unable to use a phone. Having a paper schedule in hand ensures that it is always available. The schedule form that I use includes the week, day, and hours of the day between 8:00 am and 10:00 pm in 30-minute increments. ()

     To accommodate events that change from week to week, print a form for each week of the month or each week of the term. Label the week by date or by the week number of the term. Enter all the non-negotiable items such as performances, rehearsals, classes, meetings, and personal practice sessions. Make entries in ink for events that recur and in pencil for changing items. Another option is to color code each entry by category to better understand where there is flexibility.
     Once the initial entries have been made, schedule lesson times. Include a student’s phone number or email address along with the name. Make a separate page listing each student’s name and contact information. Noting the first names of parents for younger students makes phone conversations to reschedule lessons easier. Since many school-aged students participate in sports programs, suggest they select a time that will not interfere with games or practices. Of course, conflicts arise, so remind parents to notify you as soon as possible if there is a conflict.

Scheduling College Lessons
     Ask students to send their class schedules and three top choices for a lesson time via email during registration/orientation week of the term or earlier. Remind students to select times when there is adequate time to warmup and not be exhausted from a long rehearsal. Encourage them to consider whether they play better in the morning or afternoon and to be cognizant of work schedules.

Plastic Page Protector
     Once the schedule and student information pages have been completed, I place them in a plastic page protector to keep in my flute bag so I can easily refer to it during the week. If I receive letters or memos requiring attention, I place them in the sleeve to keep all work-related activities in one place. Schedules from previous weeks may be filed at the end of each week or at the end of the semester. Having a written document of your activities will assist in completing Schedule C of the Internal Revenue Income Tax form.

Scheduling Time for You
     Do not forget to schedule time for your own practice. According to research the best results are achieved when practicing 25 minutes and then resting for five. Scheduling several shorter blocks throughout the day will produce better results than a single three or four hour session.
     If possible, schedule personal practice early in the day preferably the first thing in the morning. Respect this time and keep it for yourself. Once you have warmed up well, demonstrating in lessons throughout the day will feel comfortable, and your teaching will be more inspired. Having regularly scheduled personal practice time shows your students that you respect your art, and wish to continue to grow as a musician. 
     Be realistic. Some teachers prefer to work long hours one day and then have a freer day. It seems to me that they get less done on the free day because they are exhausted from the previous long day. Work spread evenly throughout the week often keeps people healthy and happier through the years.
     When I was teaching at a state university, I realized that all business school classes met Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday with no classes on Friday. This meant that all business faculty had a three-day weekend each week. I later learned that many used this time to work at another job as well as spend time with their families. The music faculty on the other hand was often at the school on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights listening to or performing in concerts. Take the demands of a musician’s nontraditional schedule into account when planning your week.
     The chairman of the piano department at a large university lamented he had no time for practice because of administrative duties. I suggested that he designate one hour per day for administration (1–2 pm perhaps) and do as much administrative work as he could during that one hour. When that hour was over, he stopped administrative work until the next day. I suggested he make a to-do list and do the easiest things first. (The feeling of accomplishment that you get from checking things off the list quickly inspires you to attack the more meaty issues.) However, when the hour was up, he had to stop the administrative work and move back into the making-music world. 
     I also suggested he should schedule the first two hours of the day for his personal practice. A few months later I saw him and asked how things were going. He told me he had implemented this plan and had found that he could finish his administrative duties in less than an hour, and the rest of the time he didn’t have to think about it. Previously he had procrastinated throughout the day for no reason at all and felt the weight of things not done. He said taking the best part of the day for his practice had made him a more fulfilled person, and he thought his teaching was better because he was able to learn new repertoire.

     Of course, scheduling your time is a personal matter. No matter what you decide, I guarantee that having a plan is better than having no plan at all. 

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