Dear Arianna,
    When braces are placed on the teeth, the lips (embouchure) are pushed forward. This new embouchure placement can change how the air strikes the blowing edge of the embouchure hole. Everyone is different, and the style of the braces and whether you have thick or thin lips are factors that affect how the embouchure changes. You will need to experiment and makes some changes to find the best way to make a beautiful, focused sound while you have braces.
    The goal is to figure out how to make your new embouchure setup better direct the air stream to the blowing edge of the embouchure hole. One way to do this is to place between one to five layers of masking tape on the embouchure plate of the headjoint.

    Start by placing one layer of tape on the embouchure plate and play. If you like the sound, shape the masking tape to fit the space. If you don’t like the sound, add more layers until you find your sound.
Each time the braces are adjusted you may have to repeat this trial and error process. You also should remake the masking tape pad about once a week as it will get soiled when you  practice. Once you find the correct number of layers of masking tape for your setup, the tone exercises you have previously done with your teacher should work again.  

– Patricia George, Editor

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Where do you place your cork?
    One skill to have for success in almost any facet of life is to know when to seek help from people who know more than you in certain areas. Part of being a great musician is finding a great instrument and then having it maintained regularly by excellent technicians. I trust these technicians to place the cork in the right place.

How do you align the headjoint with the body? 
    I can tell you where I place it, however this should be of little influence or significance to others. Where an individual aligns the headjoint has to do with many other variables, including length of arms and fingers, width of the shoulders, natural shape and size of the lips, teeth formation, the location of the aperture, etc. There is no one size fits all approach. Due to my unique physical attributes and the way I balance the piccolo in my hands, I align the piccolo headjoint a bit inward, so the outward edge of the embouchure hole is aligned with the center of the first key.

How do you care for your wooden piccolo?
    I swab regularly and keep cigarette papers on hand to get rid of excess moisture. It is important to keep the instrument out of extreme temperatures or overly moist or dry places. It is helpful to lightly oil (almond oil) at least the headjoint every so often to help prevent potential cracks. Again it is always best to consult with the piccolo maker or your repair technician for the best ways to care for your instrument. 

Do you wear one or two ear plugs?  
    I do not use earplugs. I never have and I probably never will. I dislike the feeling in my ears and I am a fan of being able to hear my sound in the same way it is being heard by others as much as possible. If I attempt to use earplugs, I actually experience a greater sensation of the spiking of certain frequencies. Some frequencies are actually more bothersome to me than when my ear can filter sounds in a more natural and balanced way. I have never had any problem with my hearing. I am not however advocating against earplugs. Everyone must protect his or her own hearing to the level that feels most appropriate and comfortable, and I encourage students to test a variety of plugs to find the best fit. 

What alternate fingerings do you use on a regular basis?  
    I do not use many alternate fingerings as general practice. I am not opposed to them, but for me the notes and tuning lie in my mind and body, and not in my fingers. I almost always use standard fingerings for technical passages unless a certain finger that is needed for the following note is already in use, such as playing B in the 3rd octave going to F# also in the 3rd octave. In that case I would use the middle F#. I often find that supposedly easier fingerings cause the fingers to move too quickly, and this can create a rhythmic imbalance. Regardless of the fingering chosen, solid rhythm should be the backbone of technique, and the fingering option should provide increased musical clarity.  

How do you warm up? 
    It depends on how you define warming up. For me, warming up means getting ready to play for that day. In that case, my warm up lasts about 1-5 minutes. This may be playing a simple melody or a few scale licks as a reminder that everything is where I left it the day before. Then I am ready to work on the ins and outs of my playing at the highest level and to understand how and why I am doing things. I spend a great deal of time working on fundamentals. I do not consider major technical work on sound, articulation, scales, and arpeggios as warm-up. It is intense and focused musical engagement. I want to know with confidence that what I am doing will work today, tomorrow, and twenty years from now. Muscle memory is important, but it is also the first thing to go if a thoughtful strategy is not in place. I have had this mentality ever since my school days, and because of this I have little problem playing at any time of day in just about any circumstance.  

Do you have any tuning tricks when playing in an orchestra?
    I do not play piccolo regularly in an orchestra, however, it is important to approach intonation in three important ways: Matching pitch, maintain-ing pitch, and interval placement. To blend and balance with others, it is important to use a sound that is not too thin or narrow, but rather full and relaxed at any volume. It is important to be able to start and end a tone at the same pitch, especially as the solo passages for piccolo in major symphonic works often include long sustained notes. Piccolo players should have a great awareness with whom they are playing at all times, and the pitch tendencies of these instruments as well as how the piccolo part fits into as specific chord or harmonic scheme. It is important to practice melodic interval studies in all keys to develop consistent pitch placement. 

What are your thoughts on vibrato when playing the piccolo vs. the flute?
    On both instruments it depends on the musical moment. Vibrato is not only a function of the sound, but it is also a function of the phrase. It can add beauty and color to the tone, and it can also intensify or propel the line. Vibrato is essentially a change in pitch. Every pitch has a center. As a general rule, it is advantageous to keep the vibrato circling around the center so that the vibrato is never wider than the pitch itself. When playing forte where pitch tends to be sharp, the vibrato can move to the floor of the pitch for greater stabilization. When playing piano, or with a lighter color, when the intonation tends to sag, the vibrato can ride to the top of the pitch to keep things shimmering and optimistic. Obviously, the tube of the piccolo is smaller than that of the flute, so make this adjustment in the width and prominence of the vibrato as well.  

Do you single tongue most things or do you double tongue?
    This also depends on the tempo and style of a piece or excerpt. Single-tonguing can tend to sound a bit better on piccolo, but it can only be done effectively at certain tempos. I think it is important to develop both with great facility, ease and clarity, however, the musical circumstance should dictate the technical option, not the limitations of the player. 

What are the top five (or ten) excerpts a piccolo player should know well?
    If you want a job playing piccolo in an orchestra, get to know the entire repertoire, not only excerpts. This includes entire works ranging from Beethoven to Shostakovich to the Rossini Overtures and the Stravinsky ballet suites. Do not be ready to play a few excerpts, be prepared to do the job. This alone will allow you to walk into an audition with a greater ability level and sense of confidence than many other players.

Biography
    Nicole Esposito is the flute professor at the University of Iowa School of Music and sought after around the world as an artist teacher and performer of flute and piccolo. Esposito has been a featured piccoloist at recent National Flute Association Conventions in Washington D.C., Anaheim, Las Vegas, Charlotte, and Chicago as well as notable festivals including the San Francisco International Flute Festival, Atlanta Flute Fair, Florida Flute Convention, International Flute Festivals in Costa Rica, Argentina and Brazil, the British Flute Society Convention, the Adams Flute Festival in Holland, the Spanish Flute Convention, and European Piccolo Festival in Slovenia.
    Esposito was the first piccolo player ever to be admitted into the Houston Symphony’s prestigious Ima Hogg Concerto Competition and has held the Piccolo Fellowship with the Aspen Music Festival. She has served as a judge for the NFA Piccolo Masterclass and Piccolo Artist Competitions as well as the Walfrid Kujala International Piccolo Competition sponsored by the Chicago Flute Club.
    Her piccolo playing can be heard on Albany Records and the MSR Classics labels, and she is the host of the annual summer workshop, the Iowa Piccolo Intensive. Esposito holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon and the University of Michigan, and her primary teachers include Marianne Gedigian, Amy Porter and Jeanne Baxtresser.
  

The post Q&A with Nicole Esposito appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Floor Flute
    A Floor Flute can be used with flutists of all ages. Eventually there will be nine flutists working on the Floor Flute, one for each finger needed to play the flute. For beginners you can begin with two or three students. To teach the first B have one flutist for the top key of the north stack, one for the thumb B or Bb, and one for the right hand pinkie D# key. If you have more than nine flutists in your class, one group can finger and play on their C flutes while the other group practices the fingerings on the diagram. Every few minutes the groups can switch places.

Exercises for Beginners
    The first discussion should be about the placement of the left-hand thumb. If you teach the thumb Bb first, explain this placement in relationship to the B natural position. For those working on the C flutes, the left thumb should be straight and pointed towards the ceiling. The bottom of the thumb keys should touch the first joint back from the player’s nail. Having the key touch the thumb in this position prevents the left wrist from jutting or twisting out from a healthy position.
    With the thumb in the B natural position, the keys, when closed in order, spell the word BAG. When lifted, they spell the word GAB. Have the students step onto the B key, then the A key, and finally the G key. There should be a person on the right pinky D# key for each of these three notes. The flutists will notice that the student standing on the D# key rarely moves. This encourages the realization that there are few notes that are played without the right-hand pinkie.
    With a metronome set on 60, have the students step on to the Floor Flute mimicking the fingerings for B, A, G and then step off for G, A, B. Then randomly call each note name and see how quickly they can step onto the mat for the correct fingering. Have the flutists repeat this exercise on their C flutes using the metronome. As both exercises becomes easier, increase the metronome speed incrementally up to 120.
    Once fluent in the B, A, G fingerings add the F and the E fingerings. All these fingerings have the right hand pinkie on the D# key. Practice going up and down the scale (E, F, G, A, B, C (thumb off) B, A, G, F, E) with the metronome. Practice trills from E to F by having the person on the E key lift and replace his foot as quickly as he can. Repeat the trills with F to G, G to A, A to B, and B to C. If you are an early music specialist, you can practice trills from C to B, B to A, A to G, G to F, and F to E.
    Repeat this type of drill using one of the three-note melodies such as Hot Cross Buns or Mary Had a Little Lamb. After exploring this drill on the diagram, repeat on the C flute. For melodies, you may write them on a blackboard or white board or create a handout to encompass the material you wish to teach. Eventually students should be able to do the fingerings in rhythms.
    Have students practice the lower and upper octave of E, F, G, A, B, and C. Quickly they will notice that the fingerings are the same for each of these notes in the first and the second octave. Use music note flash cards to practice this concept. Then teach the other three notes that fall into this same category (F#, G#, and Bb).

Intermediate Flutists
    Use this method to explore major scales with intermediate-level flutists. First teach one-octave or nine-note scales before moving to two- and three-octave scales. Use a metronome to be sure the flutists step on and off the mat in time and with clarity of movement just as the fingers move on the flute. When a new fingering is introduced, have students practice trilling to and from the note.
    Footjoint notes are often less understood than other notes. One by one have each flutist work on the mat to master the lowest D# (Eb), C#, C, and B. Be sure their feet are precise when standing on the roller keys. They can also work on minor, chromatic, and whole tone scales plus scales in thirds and arpeggios (major, minor, augmented and diminished).
    To add articulation patterns into the mix, indicate slurred notes by holding hands and tongued notes by placing hands down at their sides. For vibrato practice, have each person wiggle 2, 3, or 4 pulsations (hula style) on each note of the scale (metronome set on 60). This exercise not only teaches subdivision, but that the vibrato should not stop when raising or lowering a key. The vibrato must be independent of the fingerings.

Advanced Flutists
    Basically almost anything that can be played on the flute can be practiced on the Floor Flute. For advanced students practicing all trill fingerings, top octave notes (3rd and 4th octaves), sensitive or alternate fingerings, and fingerings that offer special challenges can make huge difference in flutists’ performance on their regular flutes. Many of the top octave fingering require both stepping on and off of the mat exactly in time.
    The third octave F# to G# is one of the most difficult movements on the flute. Usually it takes several tries before flutists can execute this fingering eight times in a row on the Floor Flute without a mishap. Once they return to the C flute, there is a better understanding of what each finger does.

Bell Choir
    The concept of this mat is similar to each person playing one or two notes in a bell choir. For this reason, with each exercise have students switch from one key to another so there is better understanding of the big picture.

Mental Imaging or Visualization
    After working on the Floor Flute and on the C flute, have students practice difficult fingerings by visualizing which fingers move and which fingers stay without moving any fingers at all. Unlike most instruments, flutists cannot see their fingers while playing. Imprinting a movement plan in students’ minds improves the quality and timing of their movements on the flute.      

The post Strategies for Teaching Fingerings appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Why Competitions?
    When asked about piano competitions, Béla Bartók famously said, “Competitions are for horses, not artists.” Some musicians view them as a necessary evil, some as a way to be heard by high profile musicians as well as their peers. Others love to show what they can do and are thrilled to compete against fellow musicians. Regardless of one’s feelings about music competitions, certain benefits can be gained, win or lose. Probably the most important of these are learning the repertoire thoroughly and learning how to practice and prepare for concerts.

Commit to the Process
    The first thing is to commit fully to the process. Focusing on the journey from beginning to end helps keep motivation levels high and prevents worrying about the eventual outcome too much. Begin preparing the day you decide to enter a competition. It is helpful to think of it as a type of athletic event. A runner does not wake up one morning and decide to run a race or start working out a week before a marathon. Similarly, musicians should start training as early as possible. Set a series of small goals along the way, such as learning a difficult passage, playing the work through from memory, or scheduling the first piano rehearsal. Your teacher can help set reasonable goals and outline your path.

Repertoire Choices
    If the choice of repertoire is up to the performer, there are several factors to consider. Is there a piece you fell in love with and are just dying to play? Before charging ahead, be sure to check with your teacher to see if the repertoire is at an appropriate level for you. Over the years I have heard too many contestants who have chosen works that are too difficult for their current abilities. They are often talented players, but they would have placed much higher with a different choice of repertoire. Select repertoire that shows your playing strengths to the fullest.

Consider the Conductor
    If possible, get to know the conductor whom you will be working with if you win. Some conductors enjoy the challenge of rehearsing a difficult modern work with complicated staging instructions and offstage ensembles, in which case you can be a bit more adventurous in your programming. Many conductors, however, will not have the time or resources to devote to such a large undertaking, so you would be advised to choose something more modest. Check to see if parts are easily accessible via rental or purchase and if the work has the appropriate instrumentation and level of difficulty for the ensemble. Remember that the conductor may be present for the final round of the competition and may be thinking about these factors when deciding for whom to vote.

Recordings and Score Study
    Once you have decided on a piece, listen to recordings and study the score. Besides learning your part, learn the piano reduction as well as the orchestral parts inside and out. Mark appropriate cues in the music. Practicing with the piano line in your head saves valuable rehearsal time.
    Keep in mind that you will not always be able to bring your own pianist to a final round. Sometimes a competition provides its own pianists, in which case you may only get one rehearsal with that player. Learn how to communicate tempos and phrasing with your body so the pianist is completely clear on how to follow you. You can even work on this skill away from the flute.

Maintaining Motivation
    At some point in the preparation you may find that you have lost some of your motivation to practice. The way to remedy this is to make sure you are not only working on your competition piece but also are practicing tone exercises, scales, etudes, excerpts, and even improvisation. Listen to other music that inspires you. Play chamber music with friends. Remind yourself regularly of your love for music. The way to perform inspired is to practice inspired. If you can find a way to love practicing, the feeling will most likely come through on stage as well, even if you are a bit nervous or not feeling at your best.

On Memorization
Regardless of whether or not memorization is required, you will feel much more comfortable if you can play the piece from memory. You do not necessarily have to perform without music, unless required, but push yourself to be able to play through the work from memory about three to four weeks before the event. Knowing that you have thoroughly absorbed the music will inspire confidence that you can deal with anything that happens onstage.

Practice Performing
    One of the most important steps in the preparation process is to play the repertoire beforehand in a pressure-filled environment. In the earlier stages of preparation, recording a tricky passage or two in the privacy and comfort of the practice room will elevate your heart rate a bit and simulate a performance situation. Later on, invite your teacher and friends whose musical opinions you trust to listen to you. If possible, create as many details of the actual competition atmosphere as you can. Ask friends and colleagues to act as judges. Provide pencils and a notepad to take notes as you play. Give them a copy of the score to mark the relevant parts where balance might be problematic or tempos need to be adjusted.

Appearance Matters
    In a dress rehearsal, perform in the clothing you plan to wear for the competition. Is it comfortable and appropriate for the competition? Videotape yourself and observe your stage presence. You want to look natural and comfortable. Record each session and listen back making notes on what you can improve on the during the next run-through.

Physical Challenge
    Flute playing is a physical endeavor. You will benefit by keeping in good shape. Eat well and drink lots of water. If you are a regular coffee drinker, gradually cut your caffeine intake at least in half before the performance. An abrupt reduction can lead to jitters and debilitating withdrawal headaches. Drink more water than you think you need, especially in the week leading up to the competition. Be easy on yourself with your schedule, if you can. Let your body and mind rest before such a taxing event. A little extra sleep the few days before is helpful for focus and stamina during the competition.

Performance Day
    On performance day, warm up slowly and don’t practice too much or play the same passages over and over. Keep your mind calm and focused. When you get onstage, trust yourself and enjoy the feeling of performing. Your visualization practice may help create the feeling that you have been through all this before because you have in a way. If you are nervous, that is okay. Realize that nerves are a necessary part of the performance. Don’t work to eliminate them; rather, make them work for you. Shift your attention back to the music by remembering you are there to give your audience a gift. When you give a gift, you don’t want to be stingy; so play with a generous heart. Strive for communication over perfection. If a mistake happens, don’t grimace or convey it with your body language. The judges may not have noticed. Use the mistake as a reminder to refocus and make the next musical moment the best one yet.
    If it is possible to record each round, do so. Go through the recordings first by yourself and then with your teacher to see where you could have made improvements. Even if you win, you want to find out what was successful about your performance and how it can be better next time. Win or lose, it is important to distance yourself from the results. A performance is merely a snapshot of you on a particular day, so take the lessons and move on.
    Realize the judging process is subjective. Seek out written or verbal feedback from judges after the event, as it will always give you some points to ponder for next time. Finally, no matter what the result, be sure to reward yourself after the competition is over. You have given it your best effort and learned many great lessons along the way. Realize you are now a stronger performer and a better flute player than you were before. In the end you may find competitions are not about competing against others but with yourself to become the best artist you can be.      

The post Preparing for Competitions: Process over Results appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    After graduating from Western Illinois University, Sue Gillio returned to her home town, LaSalle-Peru, and began teaching flute lessons in a piano store in the mall. When she was not teaching, she sold pianos. When the piano store moved out of the mall, it was time to look for a new venue. Gillio and a group of seven other instrumental teachers rented the second floor of a downtown building. The move proved to be a good business decision, but as their studios continued to grow, they soon needed more room. A local principal, who played the cello, offered some empty space in a local elementary school. The building seemed perfect because it had many classrooms that could be used for teaching and rehearsal space. Within a few years, however, it was clear that a larger space again was needed.
    The local Westclox factory, which at one time had employed over 3,000 workers, had sat empty since moving its operations. In April 2012 Gillio toured the building to see if it might be a good location for her thriving business. One of her main criteria was that the new space included an office as she did not want to run the business out of her teaching studio. A portion of the Westclox building seemed perfect. The area she selected had once been the office for a recycling business, so much of the retrofitting of the space had already been done. The offices could be used for teaching studios, and Gillio had one that was perfect for an office. The owners took down a wall to open two offices for one large rehearsal room for the flute choir. Gillio had new flooring and carpet put in, and she and her husband John painted a lot of walls. A friend started purchasing Westclox clocks, made at the factory in Peru, on Ebay to decorate the studios.
    In the fall of 2012, Music Suite 408 held an open house for the community to see the new facility. Over 400 people attended. One person who came remarked that she had made one style of the clocks that adorned each teaching space in 1957. In the last few years, Gillio has converted more space for her business, including a 2,200 square foot multi-purpose area which she named The Westclox Arts Factory.

What led you to transform an abandoned factory into teaching studios and an arts center?
    I needed more space for my studio projects and thought the 900,000 square foot factory offered enormous potential. I opened my studio, Music Suite 408, in 2012 with 3,000 square feet and 80 students. Today there are 26 teachers and 400 students using 8,000 square feet of the factory. We offer classes in applied music, visual arts, literature, tutoring, as well as outreach classes that include such diverse topics as fly-tying, jewelry-making, and world music. There is also an art gallery that features local artists in monthly exhibits and a 2,200 square foot performance/multipurpose room. The performance space is called the Westclox Fine Arts Factory after the previous owner, Westclox, a maker of clocks and watches. There are 19 other businesses occupying space in the Westclox factory, including a yoga studio. Everyone who takes lessons there walks past our suites so it is excellent advertising for our programs and concerts.
    The Illinois Valley is nestled in what is called Starved Rock Country and has always had wonderful music and arts programs in the schools. I attended LaSalle-Peru High School and wanted to develop my dream in my home community. I think it is important for the community and students to be exposed to the arts. I do not teach flute lessons to train flute majors; I teach them to be good people who function well in the community. In today’s economy many people do not have the financial resources for lessons and ensemble programs. I want the arts to be available to everyone. You would not want the next Galway, Picasso, or Hemingway to never have a chance because of financial limitations.
    The North Central Illinois (NCI) ARTworks is a regional arts advocacy not-for-profit organization that works to revitalize the community through the arts and arts programming. I serve on the Executive Board and am on the educational outreach initiative. The vision is to promote economic growth through the arts. I embrace this idea and a big part of what Music Suite 408 offers centers around outreach. One of our current projects is to develop and implement an arts centered afterschool program for children who otherwise would go home to empty houses. 

What types of events are held in the Westclox Arts Factory?
    The 2,200 square foot performance area serves as rehearsal and performance space for flute and guitar ensembles. Other events include lectures, painting parties, wedding receptions, and workshops. The space is booked almost every weekend. Events we sponsor such as TubaChristmas, Piano Weekend, and Stringwerkz that require more space are held at other venues.



What advice do you have for someone who wants to create something similar?
    Talk to someone who knows how to set up a business plan and get some good legal advice. You have to be passionate about it but also do your homework. Start by finding out if your area needs something like this. Check with the local Chamber of Commerce for demographics to see if the area can support the project. I have always thought that things happen at the right time and for a reason. I was lucky enough that I did not have to force finding a location and never solicited for educators. They found me. If you believe in it, you will find other people with similar dreams. Develop a three- to five-year plan and think about where you see the project going and figure out how it will become self-sufficient. During the recent recession, we never lost students. In fact we gained them. I believe when push comes to shove, people want what is best for their children and find a way to provide the experience. However, they may be more selective so be sure your program is the best it can be.

What type of instruction is offered at Music Suite 408?
    Music Suite 408 offers a comprehensive music curriculum that includes individual and group lessons, supplemental classes and ensembles, family-friendly early childhood classes, Suzuki and traditional strings education, applied study on all the band and orchestra instruments, percussion, guitar, mandolin, banjo, piano, and voice. 

What are some of the important features of your curriculum?
    When I was in graduate school at Western Illinois University, my teacher Gerald (Jerry) Carey recommended me for a position teaching children at the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City. Each Saturday I traveled 256 miles round trip. I learned that I loved teaching young students. I found they were sponges, and if I said, “Stand on your head and blow an F# out your big toe,” they would try it. While I attended the Suzuki Institute, I do not teach Suzuki per se although I love some of the basic ideas that the method promotes such as parents serving as home teachers and the development of listening skills.
    Ensemble playing is an important part of my teaching. As soon as beginners can play the notes B, A, and G, they begin playing in a supplemental ensemble. It is amazing what you can do with three notes. They begin playing on stage as early as possible. In the summer we offer additional group classes; a Junior IMEA audition preparation class, advance technique/scales class (which the students call flute boot camp and can’t wait to sign up for), and ensembles simply for sightreading new music.
    I think performance is an valuable part of learning to play an instrument. Students perform in two full studio recitals each year: Festival of Flutes in December and the Spring Flute Fling in May. They also play Christmas carols at Starved Rock Lodge which is called Flutes by the Fireplace. Other concerts include a Halloween concert complete with costumes and an Irish program on St. Patrick’s Day. If we use one of the local churches for a concert, we return to perform at church services during the year.
    Sightreading is a skill that is developed with practice. It is more fun to sightread as a group as it is much less intimidating if everyone is doing it together. I got the idea to have group sightreading sessions from my study at Western Illinois University. When I was a graduate student, one of my duties was to lead Gerald Carey’s Flute Scale class. The goal was to perform all of the scales in unison for a jury panel. We worked until no one ever made a mistake. I had t-shirts made that said, “I’m one of Jerry’s kids” and had one made for him that said, “I am Jerry.” We still laugh about it. I love that type of environment, and that is what I try to promote. The studio should encourage a healthy, non-competitive atmosphere. If someone has a playing problem, we rally around that person and get it worked out.
    Eighteen years ago, I started the Summer Flute Retreat in Peru with a faculty that includes Gerald Carey, Ellen Huntington, Darcie Glenn (a former student), and pianist Anne Badger. The Retreat is open to all ages and ability levels. We have had participants from as far away as Mississippi, New York, California, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri and New Jersey, however, the core is made up primarily of students from the area. Local students serve as hosts for out-of-town guests, and many have formed lifelong friendships and are still in contact years later.
    I have been blessed to have a great support system. Gerald Carey was my teacher and mentor from WIU, and now he works for me teaching at the flute retreat. He is also who I go to when I need advice about teaching or flutes. My mom makes all the treats for the flute retreat lunches, and everyone always asks if she is making her lemon cookies! John, my husband, has come to every concert, class, or camp that I have done. Now that he is retired, he teaches fly-tying classes and does some tutoring at the studio. He is also my maintenance guy; I could not have done it without him.

What are your dreams for the future?
    I want to give every child the opportunity to be exposed to the arts. We are heavily sports oriented in this area with the mentality that if you are not good at sports, then the arts are the default option. It is a mindset that I want to change. With the help of NCI ARTworks, we are making a difference with educational programs in the local schools in collaboration with other events. For example, for the past nine years we have hosted a Flute Day every February with masterclasses, clinicians, and guest headliners. For concerts I have brought in non-traditional performers to appeal to a wider audience. We have hosted Rhonda Larson, Project Trio, Steve Kujala, Jim Walker & Freeflight, Marco Granados, Ali Ryerson, In Sterio, and the Righteous GIRLS. Besides performing a concert these artists go into the schools to present live music to the students. We have also held masterclasses and a Visiting Artist series with such guests as Patricia George, Sonja Giles, Shanna Gutierrez, the Lyrebird Ensemble (Flute/Harp), Christopher Caliendo, John Barcellona, Jonathon Keeble, Virginia Broffit, and Gerald Carey. The masterclasses are designed to encourage everyone to participate.

Did masterclasses that you attended as a student influence your projects?
    I attended the Trevor Wye Residential Classes for three summers at Connecticut College. What I took away from those classes was that flute playing is something you do, not who you are. If you go into a masterclass for a pat on the head, you are missing the point. I kept my eyes and ears open and realized that everything I was being told was to make my playing better. It was not an attack on me. I think that lesson has taught me how to be persistent. There are always critics. You have to be willing to take a leap of faith if you are truly passionate about something.

Do you perform in addition to teaching?
    I play principal flute in the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra comprised of local musicians and a few students from regional colleges. The IVSO has been in existence for over 60 years. Each year we play a Pops concert and four subscription concerts.
    As a former board member for the orchestra, I have served as the Educational Coordinator for the past 14 years, and this year passed the baton off as my time commitments to the studio have increased. As educational coordinator, we held a Young Performers Competition for junior and senior high students with the winners of each division performing with the IVSO. About a month after the competition we host a recital for all of the performers who won the honorable mention awards. The concerto winners also performed a concert for 2,500 3rd to 5th graders in the area.

How has Music Suite 408 affected your graduates?
    As I said before, my focus is not on training flute majors. I have had to be honest with some students and tell them that being a music major is not for everyone. Being a flute major in college is not just playing in marching band. It is many hours of practicing and honing your skills. I encourage students to try everything. Be well-rounded. Do sports, musicals, theater, and academic teams. Eventually, activities prioritize themselves, and they start picking you. Most of my students have gone on to college to study in majors other than music. Many are in a medical or business profession with a few who are music majors. Hopefully, what they learned through music – commitment, discipline, teamwork, honesty, confidence, self-worth, self-respect and respect for others – has become part of their character. The arts enhance all of these wonderful attributes.  

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Ensembles

    Music Suite 408 in Peru, Illinois is the home base for five flute ensembles for flutists ranging in age from six through adult. The Illinois Valley Flute Ensemble, which was established in the summer of 1991, is composed of advanced high school and junior high flutists from the Illinois Valley and surrounding areas. Most members also perform in their local band programs including the Illinois Valley Youth Symphony. The Illinois Valley Flute Ensemble holds several concerts per year as well as performances at various private parties and seasonal gatherings. Additionally, the ensemble has performed at the 37th Annual Principals Association three-day conference at the Peoria Civic Center and at Chicago Flute Festivals. The group has produced three CDs: In the Mood for Flute, Christmas Tidings, and Flute Spangled Spectacular. The adult ensemble, Flutopia, was formed several years ago for flutists returning to flute studies after an absence or for those who are learning to play for the first time. They do not charge for performances but do collect donations. This money is used for scholarships for studio members to attend summer flute or band camps.  

    Oglesby, Illinois native Sue Gillio is the owner of Music Suite 408 and director of the Illinois Valley Flute Ensemble. She is principal flute of the Illinois Valley Symphony and has performed with the Quad City Symphony, Heartland Philharmonic, Knox-Galesburg Symphony, Peoria Symphony, and the Rome Festival Orchestra. She has been a featured as a soloist with the Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra, Northwest Indiana Youth Symphony, Illinois Valley Youth Symphony, Mendota High School Band, Illinois Valley Community College Wind Ensemble, and the Northwest Indiana Symphony. Gillio, a graduate of Western Illinois University (BM, MM, Gerald Carey), teaches at Illinois Valley Community College and is the former education coordinator for the Illinois Valley Symphony. She serves on the executive board of the North Central Illinois Artworks and is a member of the Chicago Flute Club, Quad City Flute Association, Rockford Flute Club and the National Flute Association. Each summer she teaches at the Annual Summer Flute Retreat in Peru, Summer Flute Camps in San Diego, and Westminster Choir Conservatory, in Princeton, New Jersey. She was awarded the 2014 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Illinois Valley Community College.

The post Music For Everyone, Developing a Studio in a Clock Factory, A Conversation with Sue Gillio appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Hard Questions
    Since the only solution to the problem seems to be to improve your playing and to appreciate the piece more, flutists should start with some basic questions. Why is playing the G major concerto so difficult? Why do flutists become bored with it, instead of appreciating it more with repeated performance? Why does it seem strangely awkward? The answers are elusive. In spite of the fact that you have taken the piece into lessons repeatedly, and your teacher has diligently and patiently labored with you on every phrase, why does it still not easily take flight? You might even feel that it is just not a great piece and wonder why committees keep asking flutists to play it.

Tough Stuff
    Going back to the original line of inquiry, it is hard to play the piece because, well, it is really hard to play Mozart’s music well. Some years ago, during rehearsals of Mahler’s 8th Symphony, one of the largest symphonies ever composed, I once asked the famous conductor how he could conduct such a gigantic difficult piece. He said, “Yes, it is difficult, but not as hard as Mozart.” On another occasion, a colleague suggested that we simply stop requesting it on audition lists because there was so much poor playing of the piece. After many years of reviewing audition tapes, I must admit that he had a point.
    Before you go into that recording studio one more time, let us discuss some ways in which you can make the first movement, Allegro Maestoso, of the Mozart G major shine the way it deserves.

Tune It
    Small intonation flaws and bad habits become major blemishes here. For example, the octave in measures 31-32 should avoid the typical, flatness on the high D natural. C# in the middle register must be in tune, not sharp. This will require extra attention and consistently proper embouchure placement, such as in measures 60-66, where the C# occurs often as a passing tone.

Measures 31-32

Measures 60-66

Even it out
   Prevent distortion within the beat, especially when executing consecutive patterns 16ths with the 2-slurred 2-tongued pattern. Unevenness in this pattern causes many flutists to add false accents, by stressing the first note of each slurred group, as can easily happen in the first bars of the flute line.

    This habit can wreak havoc on the attempt to play a long, continuous phrase shape. Often, slurred notes are stretched, and the tongued notes are compressed, creating an odd limping feel. Especially with regard to quality of articulation, avoid noisy clicking or hissing sounds when tonguing because they are not musical. Do not crack the notes because, well, it is ugly.

In Time
   This music requires no changes of tempo or rubato. Many players rush in the fast movements. Also common is the tendency to play different phrases or phrase groups at slightly different or inconsistent tempos, as is common in measures 46-53, shown below.

   You can play the piece exactly in time with a metronome, and as long as you play with beautiful phrasing and tone, there is no sacrifice in musicality. Sometimes rushing comes from an exaggerated sense of bravura or showiness as a substitute for a more natural spirited energy with good phrasing. Bravura and virtuosity have their place in all of Mozart’s music, but they emerge from the heart of the piece, at the right moments. The trick is to recognize those moments and put that energy into perspective.

Your Best Tone
   Mozart’s music requires a consistently focused, buoyant, and beautiful sound at all times. Any lack of purity, noisiness, or lack of resonance is immediately apparent. Vibrato should be rational, and not disproportionate in the sound. Too much vibrato and the playing sounds hysterical or interfering. Not enough and it sounds mechanical. Registers should be balanced. If the high notes are loud and screeching in character, or if the low notes are not full enough, there is lack of proportion and linearity to the melody. This can happen very easily in passages where there are octave transfers, such as in measures 107-111.

Measures 107-111

Energize It
   Generally the energy is high in a Mozart fast movement, with lightness of spirit, and floating, dreamy, or dance-like in the slow movement. The Allegro requires not only a fastish tempo, but a projection of excitement. This must come from inside the player, as a personalization of the energy. Do not confuse this energy with simply playing fast to achieve fireworks. The air column should be active at all times and never sluggish in nature.

Musical But Subtle
   In terms of phrase gesture and shape, balance is critical. The long, continuous melodic groups are constructed of smaller, slightly contrasting character groups, which should be seamlessly knitted together. Contrasts are usually made apparent after careful study of subtle changes in the harmonic, rhythmic, motives, and melodic changes in the accompaniment. 
   For example, study the constantly shifting accompaniment in measures 46-53, on the previous page. Do not romanticize and over-phrase, but also do not ignore subtle changes in character ranging from uplifting and energetic, to tender and reflective, as they occur rapidly within the same group of phrases. Avoid self-aggrandizing and banal bravura gestures and unnecessary virtuoso display. For example, in the first entrance of the flute, start with a balanced sense of Maestoso without being heavy and ponderous. Then play the following descending 16th note scale with elegance and lightness, without adding aggressive accents. End the first phrase expressively without accenting the last note.

No Extra Baggage
   The reason for insisting on all this control and rationality is that the music is composed with utmost economy, intention, rationality, and proportion. There are no unnecessary notes cluttering the phrases or clouding the figuration or character. As a result, it is quite logical that for the purposes of competition, this music efficiently separates those who are capable of playing with such fine discrimination, control and balance from those who are not.

Familiarity Breeds…
    If you are feeling bored with the Mozart, it might be good to take a break from it. Even better, take time to look deeper into the music. A healthy reminder to respect the composer may be in order; any fault we find with Mozart lies within ourselves. Many flutists do not give Mozart his due simply because they are tired of practicing the flute part. Much of the music in the concerto is actually not there; it is in the accompaniment. Try playing the flute part in such a way that you react to changes in the orchestral part. Become better acquainted with the singular genius of Mozart by listening to his operas and piano concertos and then applying those impressions and conclusions to your playing. If you listen patiently and closely enough, you can find enough music in the G major concerto to last a lifetime.    

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