The soli passage beginning in measure 92 is in unison with the flutes. Subdivide carefully so that the rhythm is very crisp. The trill at letter G should be brilliant. It will help to curve the pinky finger because a bent finger is more relaxed and moves fast more easily.

    The second movement, Andantino Grazioso, becomes restless about half way through, where it goes into a much faster tempo, dotted-quarter =112, marked fast and gay.
    The passage at measure 27 functions as an ornamental counterpoint to a saxophone solo and is in rhythmical unison with the flutes. The dotted eighth notes should be quite short. Make sure that the 16th-note pick-ups remain true 16ths and don’t lapse into a triplet feel.

    The rhythmic passages at measures 72-76 and from measure 112 to 116 are a bit tricky. Hang onto your own patterns. The flutes have 16th-note passages that overlap with your motives. This is another example of the rhythmic layers that Hindemith uses throughout the work. The short solo at measure 99 should be played softly. You might consider using the F-G trill fingering on the repeated notes here.
     The third movement is a Fugue and is marked ‘rather broad’. Fragments of the theme can be heard throughout. Keep the scherzando at E and J very soft and blend with the oboe and flute colors. Make sure that the quarter notes are full value. The tone in the passage at measure 98 should have a dolce quality; it is doubled with the flutes.

   
    There is a separate Errata sheet that accompanies the score that was complied by Tim Topolewski. It includes one correction for the piccolo part. In the third movement, measure 212, the first eighth note should be a C n , not a Cb. This correction was already made in the set of parts that I have (Schott, 1951, revised 1979), but I suspect that the error remains on the older, originally published set of parts.
    The Symphony in Bb for Band is a cornerstone of the literature for wind ensemble. It is colorful and very exciting to play as well as to listen to. Hindemith uses the piccolo in a very comfortable range most of the time. There are only a few measures written in the third octave, so performers can concentrate on refining their middle register tone by working on this ensemble piece. 

The post Paul Hindemith’s Symphony in Bb Major appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

   
    For the past four years flute teacher Kathleen Bondurant has taught flute students in countries around the world, including the Bahamas, Korea, and Israel, by webcam. She began using the technology after getting an assignment in the Bahamas. 
    “In 2005 I was asked to come to the College of the Bahamas for two years to help them with their undergraduate music program. My students in Austin, Texas were devastated. With a webcam I was able to continue teaching them.”
    Bondurant finds that time, comfort, and scheduling are just a few of the benefits. “Webcam lessons are hugely convenient because you don’t lose any time in transportation. Students can receive lessons in the comfort of their own homes, and I can fill in my schedule.” She adds, “It is also easier to set up lessons at a moment’s notice for things like emergency auditions.”
Drawbacks include a lack of physical contact, which places a greater emphasis on listening. “For me, webcam lessons are hugely draining because I have to listen so very closely to make up for what I can’t see, although Skype and other such programs have excellent sound quality.” Skype is a software application that uses the internet for voice and video communication. Similar programs include iChat, Gizmo Project, Google Talk, Jajah, and ooVoo.
    She recommends that students take traditional lessons first; this is not a good method for teaching beginners. “When students have a year or more experience, they tend to know what to listen for and what they would like to accomplish during lessons. My youngest student (in Israel) is 11 years old, but his father usually sits in on the lessons, in the event further explanations are needed and to make sure everything is understood.”
    Webcam lessons aren’t without  technological woes. “The worst nightmare is having a technical glitch, such as the internet going out, the electricity failing, or having to tell a student, ‘I’m sorry, but the dog ate the cable connection.’”
    Bondurant prepares for lessons by requesting that students provide a list of the repertoire they want to cover. After the lesson she makes notes about the student’s lesson and plans assignments  for subsequent meetings.
    Nina Perlove also teaches via webcam. “It is extremely convenient for me,” she said. “I can drop my children off at school and then come home to teach students in Seattle, Wisconsin, and Israel. I call it my virtual world tour.”
    Perlove developed an interest in using the technology for teaching after putting videos on YouTube. “So many students emailed questions or wanted me to listen and comment on their videos.” She began by posting teaching videos on YouTube and developing a website. She has taught students in the U.S., Israel, and Ireland. She recommends that students be nine or older. “It helps if they already have enough foundation to know how to make a basic sound and play the basic fingerings.” 
    In addition to lessons via webcam, Perlove has helped a student determine which flute and headjoint to purchase. “I certainly thought that given the limitations of distance, microphones, and internet connections, I wouldn’t be able to hear differences between the instruments. I found it pretty amazing that I could hear that level of detail over Skype.”
Perlove’s work was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show in an episode entitled “Where the Skype are you?” They used a 10-second clip of a video lesson, which is available at . The student she was teaching lives in Israel.
     There are some technical limitations that affect her teaching style. “The student hears my comments about a half second after I speak, which in normal conversation is barely noticeable,” she said. “However, the time delay hampers the ability to play along with the student. I have adapted my teaching in some ways to accommodate this slight time delay. I can’t actually clap or stomp or even sing along while a student plays (things I normally do in in-person teaching), so instead I try to use exaggerated facial expressions and hand gestures that the student can see easily on their screen. Also, because I can’t play along with a student in real time, I use an innovative teaching platform called Ashbury Music Hall (), which allows me to record private videos easily that the student can play along with in his practice sessions. It allows me to continue a virtual interaction with them between scheduled lessons.
    “I also believe that the teacher must transfer energy to the student. Even with a video camera and a 2,000-mile distance, I still work to convey the same energy and excitement as if we were in the same room.”
    James Walker has been teaching flute via webcam for one year. “I just loved the concept once it became available to a lot of people. It gives somebody in a faraway place the opportunity to have lessons with me.”
    While he doesn’t think the technology is perfect, it allows him to be more available. “I want to make it more and more part of my whole teaching life.
    “One major advantage is that someone can actually see you, hear you, and play for you without having to buy a ticket to come to Los Angeles. Also, if a student wants to see if there’s any personal chemistry with a teacher, he can tell that through a webcam lesson.”
    Walker believes students of all ages can use this technology for lessons. “It comes down to the student being comfortable seeing me on the screen and playing into a camera,” he said. “The sound qualities are not nearly as good as they are in person, but the kind of things I listen for I can hear via webcam.” Walker said he listens for vibrato problems and attends to fingering and other technical problems.
    As for cost, Walker charges a little less for webcam lessons, and students pay through Paypal or check. Most of his students are in the U.S., but he has a student in Korea and interest from a European student.
    New York flutist Robert Dick has been teaching lessons via webcam since the fall of 2008. “The first lesson I gave was to a person in France. It just amazed me that I was at home and teaching someone in France.” He thinks the technology has helped both students and colleagues. “You can have access to information, ideas, and performances as never before, and students and colleagues have access to you.”
    Dick charges $160 for lessons in person and $100 for webcam lessons. “It’s certainly not the same as being physically present. It’s very good but not the same, so I do charge less for webcam lessons.”
    He uses Skype and finds that “the sound quality has been very usable, and I can see the player just fine. It’s workable, and I have a separate remote camera, which helps with things such as close-ups of the embouchure.”
    Dick offered suggestions for those wanting to explore webcam teaching.
    “Have enough light so that students can see what you’re doing in detail. Also, students should have enough light, so that you can see them as well. Make sure that you can hear them clearly.” For that purpose Dick uses a very good pair of headphones rather than the computer speakers.
    “It’s all become so simple and easy you don’t need extensive technical skills at all. When I was a boy I would read science fiction stories and there would be pictures of people talking to each other on a screen. Now here we are, talking and playing on the screens. It is just amazing.”
    Thomas West began teaching via webcam during the past school year. “I work at a school for the performing and fine arts that is attached to Pennsylva-nia Leadership Charter School, a K-12 cyber school. Students in 5th through 12th grades audition to commute to the Center for Performing and Fine Arts for an entire school day twice a week and do their other coursework online.”
    West saw the success that other teachers were having with web-based technologies to teach math, science, language arts, and history. “I knew it was possible to teach music lessons in the same manner.”
    West also finds a financial benefit to web lessons. “There is practically no overhead to teaching lessons. An inexpensive web camera, a decent computer, and broadband internet access are all you need. Instead of spending time and gas travelling to students’ homes, I sit in the comfort of my own home and teach two students an hour at times that are convenient for us both.
“One of the things you can’t do via the web is play a duet with a student, but I work around that by incorporating work with Smart Music or by recording myself playing a duet part and emailing them an mp3.”
    West finds webcam microphones to be a particular challenge. “Most webcam microphones have trouble with auto-adjusting their gain for instrumental playing. They automatically adjust their sensitivity as someone speaks, which makes it possible to hear the speaker without a headset.” To remedy this problem West works with other software and equipment. “There are low-gain lapel mics for students to clip onto their collar, behind a violin bridge, or on a trumpet bell.”
    Prices for webcam lessons vary  depending upon the teacher. After the purchase of equipment West charges the same for traditional and webcam lessons. His students typically pay via Paypal or credit card.
    West believes that teachers must be experienced to make webcam lessons work. “The teacher must be able to work around the limitations of current technology, mostly in terms of sound level and latency issues. It takes an experienced teacher with a lot of knowledge of effective techniques to be able to work with students online.” 

Students’ Perspectives
    Ashley Jensen is a student of Nina Perlove. “I am such a computer tech savvy person; I think it’s a great way for students like me to have lessons. You’re not only limited to the local teacher. I can plan my lesson according to my schedule more easily, and it saves on travel expenses.”
    Student Marinke Slump, who studies with West, says “For me, living in The Netherlands, webcam lessons are a great way to meet new teachers from the U.S. There are a lot of famous flutists, such as Nina Perlove and Ali Ryerson who live and work in the U.S. Webcam lessons take away the boundaries and enable me to take lessons from the pros!”
    Alexander Eydelson, whose son, Adam, takes lessons from Perlove and Bondurant, said his son also likes the opportunity to study with teachers who would otherwise be unreachable. Eydelson and his son live in Israel, and Adam also studies with Anatoly Kogan in Israel.
    After observing the lessons, Eydelson believes the difference in taking lessons in person versus the webcam is in the technical challenges. “It is a very similar experience, except for technical limitations. The internet connection isn’t always perfect, which sometimes causes dropped calls and other technical issues.”

Bondurant:
Perlove:
Walker:
Dick:

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Sound And Balance
    Because sound is the number one topic on my personal rubric, I start with the topic of sound in my practice. First I check the list of things that I can control in my flute performance. (See the side box for specifics of what you can control each time you play.) Next I check the angle/speed of the air, the size of the oral cavity, and the separation of the vocal folds to insure that I am on the correct path. It took me years to realize how important it was to have the flute well-balanced in my hands. If the flute was not balanced equally between my hands, there was no way to control the timbre or color from one note to the next. Two octave scales were a disaster, no matter how great my air control was. This uncontrolled balance meant that some notes were clear and ringing while others were airy and unfocused. 
    This type of playing does not lead to an exciting performance for the audience. I decided that if I could find good balance at the beginning of the practice session each day, my tone would be consistently good. To check for balance I used my ears and also a mirror. If my elbows and hands were still and all fingering movement came from the knuckles, then I was on my way to better balance and control.
    Control of the balance not only improves the tone quality but it also develops better pitch control. This article explores some thoughts and exercises about how to develope good balance. 

Five-Note Patterns
    Practicing the first five notes of a major or minor scale slowly provides enormous benefits in terms of learning to balance the flute in your hands. Each key has its own unique balance point. One of the most difficult keys to play well is A major. Natural problems occur between B and C#, C# and D, and D and E. The five note pattern in the key of A major is: A, B, C#, D, E, D, C#, B, A.

    Play this pattern while looking in the mirror. As you ascend from the B to the C#, check to see whether there is any movement in the left wrist or arm. If there is, that is a sign that the flute is resting on the left hand thumb, not just above the left index knuckle, which is where it ought to rest. When the flute rests on the left-hand thumb, it must roll out (away from you) in order for you to open the thumb key.
     Learning to trill from B to C in the first and second octaves without any left wrist or arm movement help stabilize the balance. Remember, the left hand thumb should be straight and pointing to the ceiling. The bottom of the thumb key should touch close to the first knuckle of the left thumb. Many flutists touch the thumb key with the tip of the left thumb, but this incorrect position forces the left wrist to bend outwardly away from the flute and eventually causes pain.
    Playing from C# to D poses similar problems. The flute is heavier on the side nearest you because of the long rods that run the length of the body. If the flute is not balanced well above the left index knuckle, it will roll in towards you when you finger C#. A perfectly balanced flute avoids the tendancy to roll in, and the pitch/timbre of the C# improves greatly.
    Flutists also develop movement in the right arm and elbow when moving from second octave D to second octave E. The exchange of the right-hand third and fourth fingers is challenging, even for the most experienced playerth, particularly when they use the correct fingering for D.
    To learn how to clearly and articulately achieve this movement without additional movement in the right arm or elbow, practice in front of a mirror. Setting the right hand differently may improve this situation. Try placing the second finger (middle finger) on the E key and then place the remaining fingers into position. Setting the balance of the hand centered around the E finger is beneficial for most flutists. If the right-hand thumb is placed too high on the back of the flute, the right hand notes will not be even. Experiment with varying thumb placement for different passages. One of my colleagues, Dr. Susan Fain, has found that placing the right-hand thumb lower on the flute helps with the fingering of footjoint notes.
    All finger movement should occur at the third joint back from the nail (the hand joint). The only exception to this is the left index finger, which moves at the second joint because the flute is resting just above the third knuckle. Gently curved fingers work more efficiently than super arched ones. Practice trills using each finger to develop a light touch. Practice in a mirror or video yourself to check for unwanted motion.

Changing Stacks
    Repair people refer to the keys of the right hand as the lower or south stack and the keys of the left hand as the upper or north stack. Passages that require moving from the lower stack to the upper stack or vce versa are a challenge. When playing five-note patterns or scales throughout the range, you may hear a bump or fluctuation of the sound when moving from one stack to another.
    The first occurrence of this is playing from a first octave B flat, B, C or C# to a second octave D or E flat. The B flat, B, C, and C# are all upper-stack notes while the D and E flat are lower stack notes. Unfortunately, most beginning band methods require that beginners play B flat to D or C to D within the first few pages. This is one of the most difficult fingerings on the flute, and in a perfect world it should be postponed until students have articulation and sound control.
    The second occurrence of this problem deals will playing F to G and E to G. If players hold the flute mostly with the right hand or the left hand, there will be a bump in the scale with a change of timbre and uncontrolled intonation.
    The balance point of a flute with a C foot is about where the flute is balanced on the left index finger knuckle. With a B foot the balance point is slightly toward the footjoint end of the flute. The right hand helps steady this balance point. When players balance the flute too much with the right hand or the left, scales sound uneven and out of tune as they shift the flute’s weight from one hand to the other. The trick is to become “handed.” To do this, hold the flute overhead while fingering a third-octave Eb; then bring the flute down into playing position.

Trills For Balance
    Once again, practicing trills develops balance of the flute. Trills and tremelos from second octave F to G, E to G, and D to A will solve the lower to upper stack problem. Exercises that require the flutist to rotate from the first octave B flat, B, C, C# to a second octave D or E flat improve the switch from the upper stack to lower stack. Practicing slow scales in thirds is beneficial for developing excellent balance and light, articulate fingers. On repetitions play each third rotation several times before moving on. Check your progress in the mirror.
 
Uneven For Evenness
    When confronted with an ascending run of an uneven numbered group of notes, we have taught students to create small groups within the whole. If the run contains five notes, then group the run by two notes and three notes or a 2+3. If the run contains seven notes, then group the run either as a 3+4 or a 2+2+3, depending on the placement of the intervallic skips. If the run contains nine notes, group 3+3+3 or 4+5. Experiment to discover the best solution for individual passages. The basic rule is to group using small numbers before large numbers.
    Another solution, which in my opinion provides better results, is to group the notes in relationship to where the notes change from the upper stack to lower stack. For example, play a G-major scale starting in the low octave. The first four notes (G, A, B, C) are upper stack notes. The first note of the lower stack notes is the fifth note of the scale or a D. Slightly linger on the D as you play the scale and observe how much more smoothly the scale sounds. The time of this linger should be about the same is if you are “high 5-ing” a friend. In my studio we simply say: high 5 the D.

    This grouping of the G-major scale, played in 16ths, could be 4+7+high 5 the next D etc. The rule is to always high-5 the first note of the lower stack or the first fingering in the upper stack third-octave note when approaching from a lower note. Once again, experiment to find the best solution. Each group of notes offers a different set of challenges. There is no one answer.
    While this feels as though you are playing unevenly, to a listener, the scale sounds even. Studies have analyzed how violinists perform elaborate runs in concerti. Passages were digitally slowed down so the listeners could hear the note groupings. The overall conclusion was that the most controlled uneven playing, produced the most seemingly even results. Working in this way maintains a clean, well-executed run of notes, which sounds cleaner and more even than a run of messy notes that are out-of-control.

Balance Of The Hand
    In your daily warmup routine of scales, scales in thirds, arpeggios, and seventh chords, experiment with which key to begin with. For years, I always started in the key of C and then progressed around the circle of fifths to the left, the flat side. Starting in the key of C displaces the right-hand pinky from the hand’s natural position, so a few months ago, I began starting my daily routine in the key of F and played the key of C last.
    I was pleasantly surprised at how much better my hands were balanced by starting in F. By the time I had practiced around the circle of fifths and approached the key of C, I was in control of the balance of the flute, and the key of C was easier and sounded better than ever before.
    I also wrote an exercise called “Gruppetto” scales, which has become a staple in my warmup routine. The exercise consists of a gruppetto (Italian for a group of notes) placed on each note of an ascending two octave scale. Playing repeated gruppettos truly balances the hand.

    Developing a truly balanced flute will take any flutist’s playing to a higher proficency level. What is truly remarkable, however, is that learning to balance the flute improves even the most advanced flutist’s playing.

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    Shun-San (

The Score
    Play notes under a slur in one breath; otherwise breathing and phrasing are free.

    Line 1: Take a moment before beginning to leave the industrial age behind. It is just you and the bamboo. Your pacing will now reflect the essence of spirit rather than the ticking of a metronome. (Spirit in the literal sense, spiritus being the Latin word for breath.) D. P. Berger describes how a noh-kan player prepares:

The player is seated on the floor with his legs drawn under his body – a formal Japanese position. Before the flute is brought to the lips it is held vertically on the right leg with the right hand. At the precise moment in the music it is slowly, and with great dignity, brought to the lips in a ready position. … [I]n the Noh the visual aspect of even something as seemingly unimportant as bringing the flute to the lips is, to the contrary, extremely important.⁴

     As an example of the coloristic freedom you have, think about the different ways to produce the crescendo of the first G#. You could actually play louder by blowing more, or you could make a color change from light to dark by changing the position of the tongue from eeh to aah. “Changing the harmonic components of the sound” is a fancy way of describing this. You could add vibrato and vary its speed and amplitude as you crescendo. Any one element or combination of these elements can work.
    Line 2: In the middle of the line, the C followed by three notes without a staff indicates a repetition, which I prefer to do with a breath accent. This entire middle phrase should ideally be played in one breath. If you find that difficult, play the B natural forte with a dense, dark sound without using a lot of air. Save it, increase the vibrato towards the end. Because the tempo is free, you could consider playing the first four notes rather quickly.
    Line 4: The fff on the seventh note, C, needs to be done “virtually” because the given fingering produces a diffuse sound. Create intensity with vibrato or excess air. Do not linger, move toward the multiphonic, keeping the same fingering. Do not worry about the outer notes of the multiphonic, if you only hit C and D 1/4# together, that is fine. Do not linger on that either; keep moving to isolate the D 1/4#, again, keeping the same fingering, crescendo, then let it rip for the high B. The timbral trill on F (the 11th note) is more effective with the C key of the footjoint held down. (A timbral trill is a trill of color change on a given pitch, as opposed to a trill between two pitches.) The next note, the G# timbral trill, has a mistake in the fingering, the number 3 (meaning the G# key) is missing. You can add the foot joint keys for this trill as well. The last two trills I also do differently:

    Line 5: The first tremolo is a good place for a breathy accent at the beginning.

For the next gesture, trill with the first trill key, then over-blow to produce each high E. For the first three multiphonic tremolos, I use slightly different fingerings. (see below)
    These tremolos do not need to be fast. Keep them slow enough so the lips can produce pandemonium. In the grace note gesture of the fifth tremolo, play the D# as an overblown G# to facilitate fingering to high B. The last tremolo can be done with an

accelerando, which will intensify the crescendo. I personally leave out the high A and go for trill speed and dynamic. The fingering of the last note of the line (C 1/4#) is a mistake. Use low F without the thumb (you may even half-hole the F key if you have an open-holed flute).
    Line 6: If you have a closed hole flute, play the “port.” (meaning portato, glissando) by slowly adding the first trill key. The next portato, on the C marked mp, should not be fingered. Use a combination of head, jaw, and turning the flute in and out. The multiphonic on Aflat/G does not produce a real forte, but it can be made to sound noisy. The next note, G, may be fingered normally, or you may keep the previous fingering from the multiphonic for a more colored effect.
    Line 7: I use a different fingering for the ff multiphonic and tremolo.

Again, it doesn’t need to be fast. You could think of it as an aftershock of the preceding page: hold the intensity as if you are filling the room with hot air, then deflate abruptly to a ppp G#. 
    Line 8: Play repeated D#s with breath accents, then add the tongue for the written accent. This fff dissipates in a lovely arc of timbral trills, like the shimmering fallout of an exploded firework. If absolutely necessary, breathe before the E trill at the beginning of the slur line; otherwise this is a great place to exercise circular breathing. The high F trill fingering is missing the 7 (D# key). The repeated C-C# figure at the end of the line is a typical bamboo flute gesture, and we should do our best to make it sound as if we are tapping an open hole rather than operating a lever.

Too bad we can’t grow temporary tentacles to reach the actual C and C# holes on the footjoint! Instead, place the pinky so that there is as little movement as possible when going from the C to C# lever. Don’t start with the tongue, you may give a slight emphasis to the first grace note with the air, but play the following grace notes rather weakly, leaning on the C#.
    Line 9: Turn in slightly for the D 1/4# so that it sounds distinct from the D#. This modest four-note melody continues the bamboo flavor of the previous line. For the next mf D, turn the flute very far out.
    Flutists often encounter difficulty with small-interval multiphonics because they are hung up on trying to produce a focus immediately. That is difficult to do when you are blowing in two directions at once. The irony of these small-interval multiphonics is, at first, you have to unfocus to get the sense of focus. Open up the embouchure hole and let both notes in. Initially there will be a lot of air, but with practice you can refine them. They will sound focused and rich because of the very low difference tone caused by a close interval. When you get the hang of playing these small intervals, it may help to focus on producing this difference tone rather than the individual notes themselves. That may seem strange but sometimes it works.
    Be conscious of the play of small intervals that precede the D-C multiphonic in Line 9. The color you use for these linear fragments can help prepare the listener for the multiphonics. Your coloristic preparation will allow the listener to stay tuned, as a storyteller can suspend disbelief in order to weave a good story. In this passage if you play with a sound that is too metallic or direct, the sudden multiphonic color may create a confusing aural juxtaposition. I believe there is enough contrast already composed into the piece, and if you keep banging your listeners over the head, they will at some point tune out. The next pair of multiphonics are written with the lower note in parentheses. Bring in the shadow of the lower note to add some roughness to the sound then, as indicated, fade out the lower note. The note becomes thinner but more tough and intense, as if it’s having something squeezed out of it. My strategy for the last multiphonic G#/G 1/4# is to let the G# an octave higher sound. This intensifies the beating effect in the longest and funkiest of the small intervals so far.
    Line 11: The first multiphonic can present problems if played as written. If you blow enough to produce all the notes, you will likely run out of air after a few seconds. My idea is to shape it thus:

with a breath accent, shriek out the top note in true noh-kan style, let it fall away, bring back the dynamic a bit, then isolate the E 1/4#  (which may sound closer to an F). The portato may be done by turning the flute in, or partially depressing and opening the ring of the A-key (left hand middle finger). The “pattering effect” is a thumb trill while fingering low C, then low C#. It is not a trill between C and C#. The last B 1/4b is fingered with the D# key, not the C key.
    Line 12: The circles over high G and A indicate whistle tones. The fragile, ephemeral nature of Spring is made audible in this last line. The last two notes should be distinctly different in dynamic. Use vibrato on the long held notes according to your taste. Bear in mind that a very quiet low C will likely have something in the sound. Even the blood pulsing through your lips will make tiny variations in pitch, just as a line of calligraphy that seems straight from a distance will reveal small deviations and miniscule blotches when viewed closely. These flaws are its beauty, without them there would be no artistry. It is attention to these fine details that will bring your performance to life. 

*For a detailed background of Fukushima’s esthetics, read Mihoko Watanabe’s excellent article “The Essence of Mei” published in The Flutist Quarterly, Spring 2008.

Footnotes:
1 E-mail correspondence February 21, 2010. Daisuke Kinoshida translated my questions into Japanese, then translated Fukushima’s answers into German. My translation is from the German.
2 ibid.
3 Berger, Donald Paul. “The Nohkan: Its Construction and Music”, Ethnomusicology, Vol. 9, No. 3 (September 1965). pp. 221-239.
4 ibid.

Bibliography
Bartolozzi, Bruno. New Sounds for Woodwinds, New York: Oxford University Press, 1967, 1982.
Berger, Donald Paul. “The Nohkan: Its Construction and Music”, Ethnomusicology, Vol.  9, No. 3 (September 1965). pp. 221-239.
Dick, Robert. Tone Development Through Extended Techniques, St. Louis: Multiple  Breath, 1986.
Watanabe, Mihoko. “The Essence of Mei”, The Flutist Quarterly, Spring 2008. pp. 16-24.

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    Eugenia Moliner “grew up in Burrianna, which is in the province of Valencia in Spain. I am probably the first musician from my family. My parents loved art, but they had little knowledge of what it meant to be a musician. There was always music in our house, however. We listened to it all the time.
    “Just before my 15th birthday, a neighbor asked my sister Minerva and me if we wanted to play an instrument. A few months later a flute landed in my hands, and I knew what I was going to do for the rest of my life. My sister chose voice and is now a great soprano, singing important roles all over Europe.”
    Moliner studied briefly with Antonio Alapont in the Castellon conservatory and Dolores Tomas at the Conservatorium Superior de Musica in Valencia. While there she also met and studied with Jaime Martin (St Martin on the Fields, European Chamber Orchestra), who recommended that she study in Holland. Shortly after arriving in the Netherlands, Moliner met Denis Azabagic, who was also a student there.
    She studied with Jo Hagen of the Rotterdam Philharmonic and Els Van Zundert of the La Mone opera orchestra in Belgium and worked on solo and orchestral repertoire, specializing in chamber music with pianist and chamber musician Jan Gruithuizen. To pay the bills she free-lanced and played in many chamber ensembles and orchestras.

    Denis Azabagic is from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was around six years old when he started playing guitar. “My parents enrolled me in music class and when the time came to choose an instrument I went for the electric guitar. However, that year a great classical guitar teacher, Predrag Stankovic, came to the music school in my home town and enchanted me with this instrument. After that I went to Sarajevo and studied with Mila Rakanovic. I longed for more education and found a great source in guitarist and composer Vojislav Ivanovic.”
    After Sarajevo, Azabagic studied at the Academy of Music in Zagreb with Darko Petrinjak, but Yugoslavia, a six republic federation at that time, dissolved into an international armed conflict in the 1990s. To continue his studies Azabagic went to the Netherlands, thinking that it was a temporary visit until things in his homeland quieted down. They didn’t for the better part of a decade.

    Moliner and Azabagic married in 1993 and began playing flute and guitar together for fun.  “Then we suddenly started playing more difficult repertoire,” Moliner states, “and around 1996 we did a tour in Europe and won a competition in Rotterdam, The Young Musicians of the Doelen. Neither of us thought the duo would be such a big part of our careers until the release of our first CD in 1999” which received rave reviews.
    They began touring and playing in concert series and festivals around the world. “When we got the first reviews we were ecstatic and felt that we had to explore the possibilities of becoming a serious duo. That meant creating more repertoire, recording, and performing as much as possible. After finishing our studies in Holland we moved to the U.S.” They arrived in a Chicago suburb in 1999 and are now both artist/faculty members at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.
The Duo’s name is based upon a musical form – cavatina, which is a short melodic line used mainly in 19th-century operas. Moliner writes that “it is an aria sung with brilliant character.      Beethoven also used cavatinas in some of his string quartets. We liked the meaning of the musical form and decided to adopt it for our name.”
    When asked if there were any particular challenges for flutists working with guitar, Moliner responded, “I feel no difference playing with guitar, piano, or any other combination in terms of music making. Dynamically speaking, Denis has a big round projecting sound for a classical guitarist, and I know that is not common. We are both aware of the ranges and possibilities of our instruments and work hard to balance the instruments.
    “Because of the flute’s timber and monophonic nature it tends to stand out more than a guitar, but when the guitar part is well written or well arranged, it is like playing with a piano for the flutist, without the volume perhaps, but with a perfect sound level for chamber music.
    “The concert hall in which we are performing often determines our dynamics, especially for me. Sometimes we play in large concert halls with 1200-1500 seats, and on those occasions Denis might need to be amplified. The usual concert hall size we play in is between 250-500 seats.
    “Although very different instruments in nature, the flute and the guitar complement each other immensely. Segovia described the guitar as ‘a miniature orchestra with so many colors and possibilities. We think that there is so much more the guitar can do than provide a simple accompaniment. To keep the balance between the two voices and play music that has substantial rich parts for both instruments is fundamental for the future of the flute and guitar duo.”

Rehearsing
    Moliner and Azabagic prepare their parts separately before putting them together. When they are learning a new program or preparing for a planned recording project, they rehearse together every day. Their strong work ethic produces results as well as fiery opinions. Each practice session can be intense and heated with disagreements, which are not always pretty. However, this is all part of what makes Cavatina Duo’s interpretation of the repertoire so rare and passionate.
    “I consider myself very lucky,” comments Moliner, “I play with a fantastic musician and an over-the-top guitarist. Yes, he happens to be my husband, and that makes it even better, but don’t come near when we are rehearsing.” She adds laughing. “On top of his amazing guitar technique, Denis has an incredibly loud sound for a classical guitarist.”
    “I just enjoy playing with Eugenia so much,” declares Denis. “Sometimes it strikes me how lucky I am to play with a great musician and flutist, to learn from her, to be inspired, moved, to share this world of music together, to be on the stage together, to travel together. She is my wife, and we are sharing something very special.” When asked about the most difficult thing associated with being in a duo with your spouse, Denis playfully comments with “rehearsing!” and jokes that it is best to always respond with “Yes honey!”

Repertoire
    When choosing repertoire for performance or recording, Cavatina Duo gravitates toward pieces that appeal to them personally. “We play all styles of music – Baroque, Classical, Romantic, contemporary, and world music. Our backgrounds influences our choices; we are Classical musicians and that is what we play. We learn music that we feel will be a good addition to our repertoire list and that we sense will have a good response from the audience. That there is not a great deal of existing repertoire written for flute and guitar is not a strong enough reason to learn everything that is already available.”
    Throughout the years, the pair have discovered many unknown flute and guitar pieces, transcriptions, and arrangements. Some of their favorite transcriptions are Borne’s Carmen Fantasy, Mozart’s piano sonatas, and Bach’s flute sonatas. One of the first pieces that the duo took on was the Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango, the only original flute and guitar piece that Piazzolla wrote. They have also recorded pieces such as the unknown and challenging Edison Denisow Sonata for flute and guitar.
    “Whenever possible we aim to program original music for our combination, although sometimes we choose from the transcription repertoire. It all depends upon the concert venue and audience expected. Still our goal, even if we have to compromise a bit, is to find a balance between the best transcriptions we can find and works written originally for flute and guitar.”
Choosing repertoire to record is handled differently, however. “Record companies very often want music that has never been recorded before, as well as a thematic CD, so we propose programs with those things in mind.”

To Sit or To Stand?
    Duos handle this question in various ways. Moliner says, “I sit when I play with Denis. The reasons are simple, first: we strive for sound homogeneity. Because guitarists don’t stand up (and shouldn’t, unless they want to be considered folklore musicians forever), we look for the same acoustical source level. The guitar has a beautiful sound, but it is not as powerful and projecting as a piano. Second: we want to be seen as a chamber group with both instruments having substantial roles. If I stand, we feel that the perception changes to soloist and accompanist. Our message is clear: we are a duo, and both have an important part in it.”
    Another area of contention for any group is the subject of memorization. “Denis performs all of his solo concerts without music, but with the duo, he doesn’t feel it is necessary.” Eugenia explains, “I’ve asked him many times to play the concerts by heart, and we have done it on some occasions, but he believes it is fine to play from the score in chamber music.”

Program Order
    Moliner spoke at length about program order. “We met a presenter long ago, before we were even serious about the duo. He expressed a few programming concepts that we still keep in mind today when we choose repertoire for programs. He said, ‘How you open and close the concert is essential for the success of the whole event.’
    “We feel there are three important moments in the concert: the beginning, the ending of the first half, and the ending of the concert. Variety is certainly something to pay attention to as well. Choosing carefully makes a big difference and can make audiences love you or forget about you in two seconds. We choose the repertoire and the order very carefully to create momentum and energy throughout the entire concert.”

Commissions
    Expanding the existing repertoire is a vital part of what Moliner and Azabagic do. “Finding funds to commission is the toughest part,” says Moliner. “We were awarded the Encore Grant in 2004 and have also sponsored some commissions on our own. It is important to create a connection with composers and awaken their enthusiasm for writing for our combination. Composers need to know the huge range of possibilities that our ensemble can offer.
    “We commission pieces from composers whose work we like and then collaborate with them during the composition process. They also know our playing, our musical inclination and taste, all of which guides them in their work. The guitar is a demanding instrument to compose for. We want the guitar parts to be much more than purely accompanimental, so that is one of our demands. It’s also in composers’ interests to hear our ideas and concerns, so they can create a piece that we like. That way they end up in our repertoire.” Both Moliner and Azabagic feel most connected to composers such as Sergio and Clarice Assad, David Leisner, Alan Thomas, Carlos Rivera, Michael Karmon, Vojislav Ivanovic, and Alejandro Yague. Most of the music Moliner and Azabagic have commissioned is by composers from around the world, who have arranged dances and songs from Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Rumania.

Touring
    Moliner and Azabagic know first hand the importance of introducing audiences around the world to great flute and guitar music. “There are many advances in technology, but nothing compares to a live performance. The electrifying moments that can occur during performances in a concert hall can’t be explained. They are the gift that we as musicians can give to the audience. We try to do just that to develop faithful followers. Play good music and create a kind of magic in the process.”
    They also know about difficult situations that performers can encounter. In 2004 they performed at the Chiang Kai-shek National Hall in Tai Pei (Taiwan) for the first time. The country was in an outrage when they arrived because the Prime Minister had been shot the day before. “A half a million people were protesting outside the cultural center, which also houses the Music Hall and the Theater Hall, and we were caught in the middle of the protestors on our way to the concert. It was a bit frightening but we relaxed after we got into the building. The audience was great and very responsive. They invited us to tour Taiwan two years later – when the political climate was a bit calmer.”

Recording
    Cavatino Duo has recorded five CDs, the most recent being the April 2010 release of The Balkan Project (Cedille Records). Later this year, they will also release an all-Piazzolla CD (Bridge Records) that will feature The Six Tango Etudes. Written originally for solo flute, it will be presented on the CD with a new guitar part composed exclusively for Cavatina Duo by the three time Grammy Award winning guitarist and composer, Sergio Assad.
    They always record in the same room together, as opposed to laying down separate tracks in separate rooms, as is often done. They describe the process as “playing a concert, just that there are only two or three people on the other side of the glass. They are our audience and recording engineers and producers at the same time.”

Promotion
    Moliner admits that it is important to have a booking agent and a record label, but many groups start with neither. “We were lucky with our first CD, recording for a small Spanish label, Opera Tres. They paid everything, and they have great distribution, which is the most important thing. Now we are very happy with Cedille Records, a label that puts all its energy behind every release, and we are also very happy with our agent, Lisa Sapinkopf.
    “I think it’s important to promote yourselves and eventually an agent will happen. Prepare good repertoire and make a demo, then send it to presenters as well as agents. Do showcases to get known around the country, and most important – be persistent. Things will start going sooner than you imagine!”

Flute and Guitar Ensemble
    Creating awareness of the possibilities of the flute and guitar duo is a key part of what they want to accomplish. Their desire is for the guitar to always have intrinsic and complex harmonic lines, equal to the flute. The duo has already added almost a dozen challenging pieces to the flute and guitar repertoire, but this is just the tip of the iceberg for them.
Moliner comments, “First of all we want to be seen as an established chamber music ensemble that can create unique programs and attract wide enthusiastic audiences, who love the combination of our sounds and expressive instruments. We would like the flute and guitar duo to be seen with the same eyes as other ensembles, such as the string quartet, piano trio, and wind quintet.”
    The Cavatina Duo remains optimistic when discussing the diminutive perception of the flute and guitar duo that they sometimes encounter. “There are some disheartening moments when presenters perceive the duo as a lesser group than other established ensembles, and choose not to hire us, or even consider us, but those moments are not important at all. These are just bumps in the road. The good moments outweigh them by far.”
    Moliner believes that it is just a matter of time before the flute and guitar duo gains notoriety. With more and more duos being recognized at the forefront of classical music, the outlook is promising. She encourages others to “Believe in yourself, enjoy making music together, and be strong when people are negative about the future of flute and guitar ensemble. “It is hard in the beginning, as it is with any enterprise that you start, believe in, and pursue. You must follow your convictions and things will develop with time.
    “We are always very happy when we see other duos doing well. Just look how many string quartets there are. There are even some agents who only deal with string quartets. So, if string quartets with all of their good repertoire can establish successful careers, we will also do that in time. Flute and guitar has the potential to become a respected ensemble – we just need more of us to make it happen. Sometimes when we suffer setbacks, we comfort ourselves with the thought that, in a way, we are pioneers. It is difficult breaking ice, but it is also fulfilling. We are doing what we love and paving the way for future generations who will follow.”
    When asked what the recipe is for a great flute and guitar duo, Eugenia and Denis humbly respond, “We enjoy playing together, work hard at it, and take very seriously what we do. If that makes us great, we’ll let others say it.”

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Equality
    Equality is the proof that your homework was well done. By Equality I mean that ability that daily practice and care should create, so that equality is only a means to an end­ – that being speed and virtuosity:
    • Equality is an even quality of tone in all ranges. There just is no excuse for having a good sound in the middle of the flute (low G to D above the staff), and a hollow bottom fifth or a wheezy top octave. Work at this on the first exercise in Moyse’s De la Sonorité or on an exercise that you devise for yourself, as I have. If you have one good note, somewhere, congratulations; start your work from that note, gradually moving up a third, down a step, and so on; you can, through practice and thought, have the same quality throughout the range of your flute without gymnastics or jaw-boning. That is Equality.
    • Equality is an even control of dynamics in all ranges. Learn how to play loud throughout, but be ready to control a pianissimo attack in the highest octave, or boom an accent in the lower right hand. Work at this with arpeggios in Taffanel-Gaubert’s Exercices Journaliers #10, played pianissimo but with a lot of energy, and supported with the feet, because a firm stance actually solicits the abdominal muscles, contributing to a natural support.
    • Equality is an even control of articulation in all dynamics. Speed in staccato has a tendency to diminish the tone. In your practice, you should be able to play a passage loud (or soft), ff (or pp) regardless of the articulation. Play Taffanel/Gaubert Scales #4 slurred and loud, then loud and staccato, then with all possible articulations. Likewise for low register staccato. Work at this on scales, not on the Midsummer Night’s Dream! That is Equality.
    • Equality is an even finger movement. Noisy fingers slapping about, even in slow movements, show a rough approach to instrumental playing that has not been well practiced. That is not Equality; it is slam-and-squeeze. It is not even a matter of speed: phrasing with the fingers smoothly in a slow tempo is the sign of a good player.
    • Equality is conquered evenness, a domination of the natural roughness of instrumental playing, which does not imply that the interpretation of music should be always even: “Boredom was born one day of uniformity”.²
    The control you have over your playing incites you to play with more Liberty, with a rubato that you can conduct and speak with.
    Music is the art that speaks without words, changes one’s view of the world without graphic representation, moves without physical aggression, seduces without caresses, but, through immediate perception, is the symbol of evidence unspoken.
    That is why its material expression, our playing, cannot stand mediocrity. That is why we must practice by ourselves before trying to ruin the music.
Stability is essential for good instrumental playing – stability on your feet (or on your chair) instead of moving about in all directions in an attempt for expressivity, stability of the lip plate on your chin, instead of all these lip and chin gymnastics that are so common and counterproductive, stability that is the opposite of stiffness, Stability that leads to Equality and Liberty.

1 “The worst enemy of liberty is not tyranny, but anarchy” Vladimir Lenin, the Soviet dictator, who did not practice what he preached. (1870-1924).
2 Antoine Houdar de la Motte (1672-1731)

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