November 2011 Archives - The Instrumentalist

College Syllabus by George Pope

theinstrumenta — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:09:20 +0000

Click here to download Pope’s syllabus

The post College Syllabus by George Pope appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Beethoven’s Mighty Ninth Symphony

theinstrumenta — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:36:53 +0000

The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125, has earned a place in music history as one of the most important orchestral works. Completed in 1824, it was the last symphony composed by Beethoven before his death. The symphony was groundbreaking and influential in many ways. In the fourth movement, Beethoven set Friedrich Schiller’s poem Ode to Joy for the soloists and chorus. This was the first use of a chorus and vocal soloists in a symphony. The poem, completed in 1785 and revised in 1803, was one of Beethoven’s favorites.

The work is over an hour in length and scored for two flutes and one piccolo. The piccolo player does not play until quite late in the finale (4th movement), and this first entrance is soloistic. Often the principal flute will ask the piccolo player to play some tutti sections on flute as the principal part is physically taxing. In addition, there are many loud sections where the piccoloist can double the parts at the octave on piccolo to stay warmed up and in tune with the orchestra. ).

The piccolo’s first entrance is at the Allegro assai: vivace alla Marcia section, commonly referred to as the Turkish March. This musical interlude happens as the tenor soloist sings a variation on the Ode to Joy theme over the top of the instruments. In reality, it is more a generic march with the instrumentation (trumpet, clarinet, piccolo, triangle, cymbals and bass drum) giving the Turkish flavor to the melodic variation.

The 17th and 18th centuries saw a fascination with all things Turkish in Europe, including the music. Many compositions featured sections marked Alla Turca, and Mozart’s entire opera, the Abduction from the Seraglio, is themed around stereotypes of sinister Turks. Turkish marches are always in duple meter and percussion instruments are to the fore. The piccolo is thought to mimic the sounds of the zuma (shawn) important in Janissary military music of the Ottoman empire.

The solo begins softly and should sound distant. To keep the sound martial, do not sustain all the way through the dotted quarter note ties. I use the fingering TH 0234/0234 for the high D in measure 351 and in subsequent measures to keep the pitch high enough; otherwise this tends to be a rather low-pitched note on the piccolo, especially at softer dynamic levels. This theme continues to build in dynamic, ending at a forte level.

The piccolo has a short tacet and come in two bars before the penultimate prestissimo. Check the pitches carefully in bar 870. The part from the Breitkopf & Hartel edition shows a G on the downbeat while the newer Barenreiter edition (by Jonathan del Mar) shows an F#. The score has an F#.

Throughout this prestissimo, there are quite a few repetitious measures. Concentrate and keep your eyes moving forward so you move through the repetitions rather than getting stuck. One suggestion is to mark each repeated figure with a number to help you keep track.

The final page of the symphony is packed with opportunities for powerful playing. Use plenty of air to project the tone on top of a very full orchestral texture. Keep the embouchure relaxed so you are not holding or squeezing out the tone, rather allow the tone to move out of the mouth and into the performance space. As it is quite loud, I use earplugs when I practice this part as well as in actual performance. Practice taking very quick breaths for the extremely fast tempo at the end.

I look forward to performing this thrilling symphony every time it is programmed. The piccolo plays a small but important role in Beethoven’s symphonies, debuting in the 5th symphony (the first time piccolo was used) and portraying thunder and lightning in the 6th. Its colorful contributions in the 9th lend sparkle and excitement to the finale.

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Wyatt Writes: Lessons from the Past

theinstrumenta — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:22:37 +0000

A dozen years ago I quit my job as principal flutist of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and began a career of teaching and writing – but not in the field of music. Instead I taught creative writing and wrote fiction and poetry. I wrote my first collection of short fiction, Listening to Mozart, while still playing in the orchestra. The stories followed the adventures of a flutist who had experiences very similar to mine.

How did I decide to become a flutist? I’ve always said I grew up in a non-musical family, but I have come to realize that is not true. My parents were not trained musicians, but we sang together from the time I was four. Then at age ten I carried a song flute everywhere with me and played it constantly. I must have been a terrible nuisance. In the fifth grade it was time to pick out an instrument and join the band. The band teacher had recommended the French horn. It would keep me busy, he said. My parents told me that the French horn would be too expensive, however, and suggested a trumpet or a clarinet. We were late on the evening when the kids chose their instruments. There were not many left, but there was a flute, a nickel-plated Bundy. I don’t know why, but I loved it at first sight. When we got home, I tried to get a sound out of it, but produced nothing but air and dizziness. My father could get it to sound (and he never let me forget it). A few lessons (well, maybe more) and several thousand hours of practice later, I could make a sound every time I picked up the flute.

One day I decided to take that Bundy apart. I had little screwdrivers, and I often took my fishing reels apart to clean and oil them. After I had taken it apart, I could not figure out how to put it back together again. I took it to the band director’s office in a paper bag. Soon after that, I got my second flute. After that first flute ended up in a grocery bag, there were other flutes that met kinder fates. I have played on dozens of flutes in my life and loved them all. I have had metal and wood flutes. (I eventually learned how to take them apart and to put them back together.) I have even played on bamboo flutes, most of which I made myself. I have many stories about those flutes.

My practicing got longer and my teachers became more beloved. I decided I wanted to be a professional flutist. I was not quite sure what that was because the only flutists I had ever heard were the musicians who played on the Lawrence Welk show, and they played all the woodwind instruments. I decided I would learn those other instruments just as soon as I had mastered the flute. (Of course, that never happened.) One night when we were driving to visit relatives in another town, we picked up a classical music station in St. Louis. The music I heard was wonderful, and it didn’t stop in three minutes. It kept on being wonderful – and I could hear a flute. Later I learned it was a Beethoven Symphony, and I decided I would like to play in an orchestra and learn Beethoven and Mozart. I listened to the Toscanini recordings of the Beethoven symphonies until I wore them out. A distant cousin of mine who played the flute told me about William Kincaid, the famous principal flutist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He had made several records. I got the records and played along with them, something that wasn’t easy to do because the turntable turned too fast, and I could not get up to the pitch. I solved the problem by forcing the 45 rpm spindle down on top of the record to slow it down. Of course, it eventually wore a hole in the record.

Fast forward. After high school, I auditioned for William Kincaid at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and was accepted. I was stunned. My family was stunned. My life changed. I was surrounded by people who loved music just as I did. I had always felt out of place, but now I was in heaven. Kincaid was wonderful. My classmates were wonderful. I got to live in an apartment and walk the streets of a big city. I had grown up in a little town in rural Missouri and could not believe the crowds surging up and down Chestnut Street at noon. At Curtis I played in the orchestra, in chamber ensembles, and for the two opera companies in the city.

Every opera was a new experience. The conductor got our attention by making kissing noises. Once he reached down and grabbed the piccolo player’s instrument and put it in his pocket during a performance because it was too loud. Another time the second flute player turned the page of my music during a solo. (He wanted to be the first flute.) I kept playing because I had memorized the music. .

First Lessons with Kincaid

Kincaid came to Curtis for the woodwind classes he conducted, but flute lessons were at his apartment, about two blocks down Locust Street. He was a handsome man with a courtly manner and a shock of white hair. The ladies in the common room treated him like royalty.

I walked past the piano, where that famous platinum flute was set up on a stand and unpacked my instrument. I had been playing the Dutilleux Sonatine, and I warmed up with some rapid scales. When I was done, Mr. Kincaid said something about me not needing to skate around anymore and we got down to business. I realized I had done something wrong, perhaps everything. We never got to the Dutilleux that day or any time that first year.

I learned a tone exercise and then was asked to play it in all keys, slowly, and with a full tone. (To see Kincaid’s exercise, .)

Then he brought out the Andre Maquarre Daily Exercises. These I was to learn from memory. Then there were scale and interval patterns which I copied into my notebook. Then Anderson Studies, beginning with Opus 33. (I had been playing Opus 60.) Instead of Dutilleux, I would play Kuhlau Divertissements. Better to work on expression than flashy fingers. I was to warm up with whistle tones, and sustain the C7, steady as a rock. He was very patient with me and showed, if anything, amusement rather than impatience.

I made several grumpy entries in my journal after the first lessons. I was not to skate around during my warmups. I was to play those whistle tones and hold them steady. It was hard to hold them steady. I was to listen to the more senior players and think about how they were producing their flute tones. I would work on musical expression rather than facility. When he played, I heard something startlingly noisy, a halo of white noise around the sound. This was the sound, I soon realized, that could cut through a giant orchestra. I wanted to be heard. I think this is important for a flutist, to really want to be heard.

My grumpy journal entries soon disappeared. After about four weeks I had become a good pupil. When I talked to my colleagues about their lessons, they described entirely different experiences. I realized that each of us had a different teacher, the one we needed. My first lesson was humility, and then came tone and expression. I am still grateful for them.

The post Wyatt Writes: Lessons from the Past appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

The Complete Part

theinstrumenta — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:14:24 +0000

Every place I go, I see flutists carrying an orchestral excerpt book because these excerpts are now on audition lists for university music schools and even many youth orchestras. After I hear the youth orchestra in concert, however, I wonder why their auditions require excerpts like the flute variation from Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite or the solo in Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis when there is no chance that this ensemble could or should play these compositions. For some reason, however, they continue to ask for the most difficult excerpts on the audition lists. University programs with modest orchestral resources also require this repertoire. Then there are the students who only want to study excerpts at lessons, yet have a little understanding of flute fundamentals or basic musicianship skills. In each of these cases, we have this picture wrong. It is like requiring a novice cook to decorate a multi-tiered wedding cake before he has learned to make a cake from a box mix. We need to take baby steps before leaping into the most difficult excerpts in the orchestral literature.

Duets

Before students can play difficult excerpts, they should learn to count accurately and play in a steady rhythm with the appropriate tone and dynamics. Duets are an excellent way to practice these concepts. Assign students a duet partner and schedule weekly practice sessions. There are numerous excellent duet books to choose from, but I would suggest choosing one that contains duets written in the Baroque and Classical styles and progress from an easy to advanced level.

Before students start a work, they should discuss the 15 questions in the sidebar below. These are basic, fairly obvious questions that any flutist should ask before playing a piece, and yet flutists regularly skip this step. How often have you heard a masterclass teacher ask a student to share information about the composer and music they are about to perform, and the flutist can say very little? Often he cannot even place the composer in the correct style period.

The duet should be played through twice, so each flutist gets the opportunity to play both the first and the second parts. Skilled orchestral players know the accompaniment part is often more challenging than the melody. Students will benefit from occasionally playing with a metronome. Have the students practice cueing and looking at one another at important places, including entrances, dynamic changes, cut-offs, fermatas, and grand pauses. They will use this valuable skill in orchestra to look up at the conductor while continuing to play. If students struggle with cueing, video record the duet session so they can observe the signals they give and determine how to improve them. They should also regularly audio record the duet sessions to check for tone quality, balance, consistency of tempo, dynamic contrasts and ensemble issues.

After the students have completed several books of duets successfully, they can explore the canonic writing. (A few options might include, Six Canonic Sonatas, Op. 5, Georg Philip Telemann, multiple publications, Six Canonic Sonatas, Thom Ritter George, Southern Music Company, and Sonatine, Paul Hindemith, Schott). The object of this literature is to teach students to echo the playing of another in nuance, tone color, note length, phrasing gestures, intonation, etc.

First the two flutists should practice in unison until they sound like one flutist playing. Then ask them to repeat playing in canon. If three flutists work together, then try the Canon in D by Pachelbel, playing in unison before dividing into parts. Have the students continue using audio and video equipment to assess their progress.

Kuhlau, called the Beethoven of the flute, wrote several volumes of duets, each containing three multi-movement duos. I suggest flutists learn the duos in this order: Op. 10, 80, 81, 39, 87, 102, (multiple publishers). The Kuhlau duos are an excellent source for learning the standard compositional forms of the Classical and Romantic eras. These forms are: sonata form, ABA, theme and variations, sonata-rondo, and rondo. Before students can learn and perform the symphonies of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, they should master these forms. I bought five or six copies of each of the Kuhlau Duos, so my flute choir could explore this repertoire with eight to ten players on each part. It is best to buy the same edition when buying multiple copies so the rehearsal letters or numbers are consistent in all parts.

Only when a flutist can easily and accurately sightread the Kuhlau Duos is it time to begin more difficult orchestral music. Many students have the opportunity to perform with a flute choir, high school orchestra or community youth symphony. If these opportunities are not available, another option is to obtain a full flute part and a CD of a musical performance.

There are several options for obtaining full flute parts for orchestral works. Many college, community and professional orchestras rent or purchase music that is in the public domain from a source such as Lucks Music () or Kalmus Music (). While both companies deal primarily in complete sets of orchestra parts, they do have a provision for selling individual parts. Generally these parts run between $2 and $5 each. Compositions that are still under copyright are on a rental basis only, so unless you want to rent the complete orchestral set of parts, the single parts are currently unavailable for the individual flutist. For convenience, several flute stores have bundled groupings of orchestral parts together and have them available for purchase for approximately $10 a set.

The Orchestra Musician’s CD-ROM Library has 12 volumes of symphonic masterworks available for purchase. Each volume contains the complete flute parts (Flute 1, 2, (3), (4), piccolo, (alto) etc.) for about 90 works spanning from the Baroque masterpieces through works by Debussy, Ravel, Mahler and Elgar. All the editions are in public domain, so you may print off as many parts as you need, as many times as you wish. These CD-ROMs are available for purchase online at most music and flute specialty stores.

Free parts may also be downloaded from the International Music Score Library Project (). This project includes the works of 6,344 composers that are in the public domain. From this source you may also download the complete orchestral score which can be used for additional reference and study.

When learning excerpts it is always good to know what the other instruments are playing, and how the flute part fits into the larger picture. By looking at the full score, a flutist can analyze which note of the chord he is playing. This information is the first tool in learning play in tune in an orchestral setting.

Where to Start

Have the student begin his orchestral study in the Classical Era with the late symphonies of Haydn and Mozart and the early symphonies of Beethoven. The overtures of Mozart and Beethoven are other good options. These symphonies were constructed on a commonly known four-movement structural scheme called a sonata cycle.

Sonata Cycle

In a sonata cycle the first movement is in the tonic key, fast, and in sonata form. The second movement is in a closely related key, slow, and in either sonata form, ABA, theme and variations, or rondo form. The third movement is in the tonic key and most usually is in the minuet and trio format (ABA), while the fourth movement is again in the tonic key, faster than the first movement, and in sonata, sonata-rondo, or rondo form.

The sonata form consists of three sections: the exposition, the development and the recapitulation. There could be an optional slow introduction and a coda (tail) at the end. In the exposition, the composer presents his musical ideas with two contrasting themes. One theme is dramatic and the other lyrical. This section ends with a repeat sign, and most often the repeat is honored. Sometimes composers wrote a first and second ending for the exposition. In the development section, the composer develops or manipulates these themes by using composition techniques such as inversion, modulation, augmentation and diminution. In the recapitulation the composer repeats the exposition with a few minor changes.

Rondo Form

The rondo is either in a five-part (ABABA) or seven-part (ABACABA) format. The five-part form is like a club sandwich: a piece of bread; some meat and cheese; a piece of bread; some more meat and cheese; and finally another piece of bread.

Mark the Part

Students should mark the sections of the form in the flute part. This will help them play along with the CD and identify compositional forms in other works. Students should also mark the phrases and insert breath marks (V) to determine breathing strategies. Another useful exercise is to connect the dots of the note heads to clearly see the contour or shape of each phrase.

There are five shapes that are used consistently in lyrical passages: a mountain, a valley, an ascending line, a descending line, and a gruppetto. Generally the high or low point of the phrase will be a place for some type of inflection such as faster vibrato, playing louder or softer or some added length to a note. As students practice, they should pay carefully attention to all performance and articulation marks. The metronome and the tuner should be used consistently. Have students mark an arrow over notes with intonation problems to show whether the note should be sharper or flatter

The Metronome

There are no metronome markings in Haydn or Mozart symphonies. The metronome was invented around 1812 by Dietrich Nikolaus Winkler, but takes its name “Maelzel Metronome” from Johann Nepomuk Maelzel who copied the device, added the numbers (how many ticks per minute), and patented the object as a metronome. Beethoven was one of the first composers to write metronome markings in his music, but because of the lack of accuracy in the construction of the early metronomes, most conductors think the markings in Beethoven’s music are too fast.

Play with a CD

Once a student is confident in his preparation, he is ready to play-along with a CD. Recorded versions of great orchestral works are readily available. A set of Beethoven’s symphonies may be purchased for less than $20, but students can also borrow them from libraries or download them from an online source. Some of my students download the music to an iPod or laptop computer, but I think the best results are achieved when a flutist plays along with a stereo system. When setting the sound levels, students should duplicate the level of sound that they would experience sitting in the middle of a large orchestra and playing principal flute. If possible, obtain several different performances of a composition, to hear the various tempo and pacing choices that may occur from one conductor or orchestra to the next.

Counting Rests

Many students find that counting rests accurately is one of the most difficult things to do when starting this project. This is particularly true when playing with a CD because in a live orchestral setting the flutist is cued by the conductor and perhaps other members of the woodwind section. However, learning to count rests with a recording develops the ears. If a student has repeated problems with an entrance, help him study the full score and write cues in the flute part.

Many novice players see a rest and immediately abandon their concentration. Then they are lost. When the student encounters a rest, teach him to become even more engaged. A rest is not a signal to zone out, but one to zone in. It takes concentration to play accurately and playing with a CD perfectly will help the flutist achieve his goals.

Students should develop a system for counting rests. For example, I always start counting by having my left thumb touch my left little finger for the first measure, then the next finger for the second measure, the middle finger for the third measure and so on. In an orchestral flute section, the principal player usually slightly lifts his left hand at the beginning of a printed rest number (i.e. lift, 8 measures rest, lift, eight measures rest) and at markings like “letter A”. This gesture indicates to the rest of the flute section where the count is and assures that the section is counting accurately together. Often the principal oboe joins in this small gesture. This safety net has saved the day many times when something goes astray during the rests, because at least the flutes and the oboes will be together when they enter next.

Listen with the Score

Several times during the study of the symphony, students should listen to a recording while studying a full score. If a musicians understands what is happening in the composition as a whole, he will be better able to play his part. It is difficult to play a part appropriately if you do not know whether it is a solo or supporting line, or who else is playing at the same time.

What to Do Next

Once the student has learned the symphonies, overtures and accompanying concertos by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, repeat this procedure with the great symphonies of the Romantic era. This includes works by Schubert, von Weber, Chopin, Liszt, Mendel-ssohn, Berlioz, Schumann, Franck, Verdi, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Faure, Dvorak, Mussorgsky, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakoff, Rachmaninoff, Puccini, Wagner, Grieg, Elgar, R. Strauss, Mahler, Sibelius and Impressionists Debussy and Ravel before moving on to the 20th century composers.

As students move through the list of composers, they will encounter many of the excerpts found in orchestral excerpt books. However, continue to go through the same steps as this will give your students an advantage in learning these difficult solos over those who just learn from excerpt books. They will see how the solo relates to the whole piece. Remind them to take the time to answer the 15 questions from the sidebar before they start a new work. Once students have done their homework and learned the flute music from a complete part, then it is fine to carry around an orchestral excerpt book for convenience sake.

During my career as an orchestral player, I have seen many musicians win an audition because they played the excerpts better than anyone else. Often this person later was not granted tenure in the orchestra because he could not play the rest of the part. I think it is better to learn to be a great ensemble partner first and a soloist second.

***

Questions to Ask Before Playing

•Who was the composer?

•When did he live?

•What is the style? (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Contem-porary)

•What performance practices are employed?

•What kind of flute would this music originally have been played upon?

•What is the title of the composition? Is this music dancing music or singing music?

•What is the tempo marking? Are there additional tempo markings in the piece? What are the key and time signatures?

•Scan the page for expression and dynamic markings. Look up unfamiliar words.

•Scan the page for any unfamiliar rhythms or counting challenges. Practice rhythmic reading the passage before playing the passage.

•Scan for repeat signs, da capo and dal segno markings. Always know where you are going.

•Are the phrase lengths symmetrical or asymmetrical? Are the notes conjunct (stepwise) or disjunct (skipping). Are there any unusual articulation or performance marks?

•Is the harmony tonal or atonal?

•What is the texture? Homo-phonic (melody with accompaniment) or polyphonic (round, fugue)?

•Which part is more important, the first or the second part? Who has the melody?

The Classical Style

•Haydn worked in the patronage system (supported by a wealthy patron or the church), while Mozart and Beethoven struggled to become free-lance composers.

•The symphony, solo concerto, sonata, and string quartet were the favored compositional genres.

•Movements were constructed in sonata, ABA, theme & variation, sonata-rondo and rondo forms.

•Melodies were triadic and simple. Phrase length was balanced and proportional. Folk songs were employed in rondo movements. There was some use of ornamentation.

•There was slower harmonic movement. Composers used both major and minor, but major tonalities prevailed. Chords with roots a fifth apart were favored (tonic/dominant and secondary dominants). Modulation went to closely related keys.

•Most music was homophonic (melody with accompaniment).

•Dynamics were usually pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff with sfz

•There was some use of silence (G. P.= grand pause)

•Tempo markings were in Italian and had few qualifiers.

•Meter was metrical and consistently – either simple meter or compound meter.

•Rhythm was steady and easily felt. Folk dance rhythms were employed.

•There were about 40 musicians in the Classical orchestra.

The post The Complete Part appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Supportive Advice

theinstrumenta — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:08:11 +0000

Teachers often ask flutists for support, but what does that really mean? It sounds a bit like military jargon, and it brings to mind some vague thoughts about the diaphragm. Whether you stick your tummy out or pull it in, however, nothing seems to actually change. Often in desperation flutists just blow harder.

Although it seems confusing, support is actually a pretty decent word. I think of support as feeding or holding up the note, or providing the note’s vital energy. Practically speaking, support does require blowing harder in order to keep the air moving through the embouchure aperture at a faster speed. This air feeds the note. Simply put, to increase support, blow harder but do not let too much air out. Find the right balance of air amount and air speed for each note and dynamic, and (enter heavenly chorus) you have found the note’s vital energy.

Much is made of trying to control the diaphragm, the body’s powerful involuntary breathing muscle. Telling the diaphragm to do something is like telling a cat to play fetch the ball. It is not going to happen. You may feel some additional abdominal pressure from diaphragmatic action when blowing harder, and that is natural. However, step away from the controls. The diaphragm is on a mission, and it knows what to do.

Try a B natural above the staff, at a solid mezzo-forte. The resistance is right when you feel like you are pushing the note against something. Keep the throat relaxed and open. Do not tense up the abdominal muscles or pull the stomach inwards. However, do not push the stomach out either. Just blow hard, feel the resistance, and go with it.

Try this entertaining and inexpensive activity: first put the flute down and cease playing thousands of notes. Then, take a large diameter drinking straw (the kind that comes with the mocha frap with whipped cream) and blow through the straw to move a piece of folded paper across a table. Then using your finger, slightly cover the opening of the straw (imitating the aperture). With the straw open, the paper moves easily. The amount of air is high and pressure is low as when flutists play a lower note. When the opening of the straw is covered partially, the person must blow harder to move the paper. Viva la resistance. This compares to using more support when you want to play higher or softer without the pitch going flat. To move the paper at the same speed requires a balance of the amount of air and pressure. For added thrills, move the straw closer or further away from the paper, or try it in a favorite yoga position.

I think the flute only has two registers. The high register starts above the staff, and the low starts in the staff – end of story. In the high register flutists need more air pressure, and in the low they need less. If your high register is unfocused, or tends to fall into the low, use more air pressure. In other words blow harder against a smaller aperture as with the straw exercise.

For the low register, use a larger aperture for slow air speed and low resistance. Drop the air into the flute. As you descend through the range you actually reduce support quite drastically. The lowest notes need very little air pressure. F# at the top of the staff is negotiable.

I make embouchure changes mostly with the lower lip and moderate jaw motions. The upper lip dutifully follows along. Move the jaw far forward for playing softly. Maybe pucker up a bit, as if kissing your Mom on the cheek. Slacken the jaw for loud notes and allow the upper lip to dominate, especially in the low notes. Keep the embouchure relaxed, especially at the corners; the lips should never be rigid and motions are smooth. Enjoy those long tones. In the high register, higher resistance is generally a good thing. This may require flutists to blow harder and use more energy than they are used to.

The next part of the story is that the amount flutists cover the blow hole with the lower lip affects the pressure of the air going into the flute and creates another level of resistance. Cover about one-third of the blow hole with the lower lip. Covering more increases pressure, so you do not have to blow as hard. Beware as this tempting vice can be used as a false support and result in a myriad of ills. These might include limited dynamic range, flatness, pinched tone, loss of resonance, and eventual frustration if you like any variety of tone color. If my tone has a stuffy feel, I do a quick check for this in the mirror. Be ever vigilant.

When the blow hole is uncovered, it reduces secondary air pressure, which will encourage increased support (air volume and resistance) and results in a bigger, freer tone. This is good, but if flutists uncover too much all the time it may sound like a vacuum cleaner and lack focus, especially in a soft dynamic. Find the middle ground and make subtle but well-defined adjustments from there. Keep the air column high and blow across the instrument. Roll towards you slightly for the soft notes but watch out for flatness. Roll the flute away a bit for the loud notes. Blow down and do not go sharp. Use a tuner to keep your bearings, and a good therapist to keep from going crazy.

Proper breathing and embouchure relaxation really matter too. Good position and posture are crucial. Cover the hole evenly when placing the flute on the lower lip (by the way, I prefer a little more northerly on the fleshy part, instead of to the south just below), and keep the instrument at a right angle to the nose. The aperture should form an even ellipse if possible. If it is not in the middle, use whatever works. Practice with a mirror. Stand up straight and keep the chin tucked in a bit.

Resistance is best in moderation. Some flutes and head joints are more resistant than others. They may feel stuffy and have higher resistance. If you like to uncover the hole and blow really hard, this type of instrument may be a good choice. Lower-resistance instruments can be fun, easy-to-play, responsive, and require less air pressure. They can also imitate horror-flick screaming but may lack resonance, dynamic range, and projection.

As you balance air volume and pressure, this ultimately means that you let resistance do the heavy lifting for you. As flutists discover the efficiency of air speed, phrases can be longer. You find yourself getting into the Zen of resonance. You should try to find the perfect resistance for every note on your instrument. Feel the meaning of support deep in your bones. Whether you are a young flutist, teacher, or budding virtuoso, an understanding of this crucial element can eventually lead to the promised land of your true sound.

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Preparing To Win A Guide to Competition Success

theinstrumenta — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 18:00:33 +0000

Preparation for a successful competition begins months or even years in advance. Beyond talent and musical preparation, competition success begins with excellent organizational skills. At the height of my competitive years, I planned which competitions to enter and selected repertoire as much as three years in advance. That may sound excessive, but preparing effective repertoire takes time. The goal is to arrive at the competition in peak condition musically, physically and psychologically. I often entered as many as ten competitions a year, so I spent many hours researching and planning.

Research and Organization

The first step is to discover which ones are a good fit for you. Both the National Flute Association and Flute Talk publish , and additional offerings may be found online. For younger students who have little or no experience, competitions held by schools, youth orchestras, local flute associations, community orchestras, and local volunteer groups are an excellent place to begin. I advise my university students to take advantage of local competitions first because they can gain experience without the expense of housing and transportation.

To determine whether a competition is an appropriate fit, consider the repertoire, age requirements, geographic location, and your career goals. Enter competitions with the lowest age limits first. In most cases there is a far better chance of success for older and more experienced candidates. I realized quickly that competing with students ten or more years my senior was not necessarily wise. There is plenty of time in the future to enter those competitions.

Consider the overall cost of the competition. Most have an entrance fee that may range from $15 to $150. If the competition has a pre-screening CD round, factor in the cost of an accompanist, recording engineer, and recording studio. Check the cost of transportation and housing. To pay for entering competitions, I regularly set aside student loan money. Many competitions provide host families for the competitors. The overall cost of entering a competition will rarely be offset by the prize money. However, winning a prestigious competition is helpful in career development.

Repertoire

When selecting a competition, repertoire is an important facet to consider. Most flute competitions have set requirements or options to choose from, although concerto competitions tend to be more open. Because there are so many competitions, choose those with required repertoire that highlights your strengths and that you have performed before. Likewise, in freely structured competitions, choose repertoire that you play well.

Choose a program that highlights your ability to contrast stylistic periods (Baroque to Romantic, Classical to Contemporary), sheer virtuosity, and exquisite fundamentals. For freely structured rounds of flute competitions, I present highly virtuosic works and something less well-known, as judges are less likely to have preconceived interpretations of a little-known work.

For young artist competitions in which a variety of instrumentalists compete, perform the gems of the flute repertoire, as flutists will be judged against musicians who are playing the violin and piano works of Brahms, Ravel and Tchaikovsky.

Never be afraid to reuse a piece. It is not cutting corners; it is being professional. One of my chamber music coaches at the Manhattan School said he did not feel comfortable with a concerto until his twentieth performance. Your presentation at a competition should never include a first-time performance of a piece. I never won a competition when playing pieces that were new. Several times I used the same repertoire to win a competition a year later that I had previously lost.

Which competitions you enter may be influenced by career goals. For those who plan to become an orchestral musician, masterclass competitions for orchestral excerpts study are an excellent idea. Competitions that offer future concerto appearances, recitals, or management will help those who want a solo career. Competitions offered by flute societies and clubs look good on a resume, and almost any competition will help distinguish you in the pursuit of a teaching position at a college or university.

Getting Started

As an undergraduate I kept a manila folder for each competition that interested me. Some folders were for annual competitions, while others were for competitions held several years in the future. I filed them by date for easy reference. In each folder, I placed as much information about the competition as possible. This included the competition flier (if there was one), and another sheet that contained important information about the competition for quick reference. In some cases, if I had not received a flier yet, the sheet of information I had collected was the only thing in the folder.

This sheet included the date of the competition with the location (hall, city, and country), deadlines for pre-screening CD rounds, entry fees, and repertoire requirements. I also listed dates for recording sessions and several pre-competition performances (recital halls, schools, nursing homes, assisted living facilities etc.). I included information from competition websites, even if they were from the previous year as the general time of year the competition is held rarely changes. Competitions in which a variety of instrumentalists participate usually do not change repertoire requirements from one year to the next. It is a huge advantage if you can begin your planning before the website is updated. Having this information in one place, allowed me to plan repertoire several years in advance and figure out what repertoire might be used in more than one competition.

Follow the Rules

Read and reread the rules and regulations. For a thirty minute program, make sure that you have no more than twenty-six or twenty-seven minutes of music, unless the rules specify “thirty minutes of music” because competitors may be stopped or even disqualified for going overtime. Print all information found online and make copies of everything sent to the competition. When traveling to the competition, take the folder along in case a problem arises.

Prescreening Suggestions

If a competition requires prescreening materials, book a recording engineer and a pianist immediately. The goal is to make the highest quality recording possible. It is always surprising how many entrants send recordings with poor sound quality. An excellent recording is an invaluable investment, so hire a sound engineer and record in a hall with good acoustics. If possible, give yourself more than a week between the recording session and the deadline date. This will save you from having to make such important decisions as which take to keep, when you are under duress.

Carefully listen to the recorded material. The first couple of seconds of a recorded track are pivotal as it is the first impression the listener has. An extra trusted set of ears on the day of the recording can be very helpful, as it is difficult to make accurate assessments of numerous takes. My students often record on the same day so that they can help each other.

My teacher, Linda Chesis, advised me to record pieces when I was at the height of my preparation, instead of waiting until I needed a recording for a deadline. This advice was particularly useful for competitions without fixed repertoire requirements. There was one competition in which I recorded a pre-screening tape on a mini-disc recorder at the last minute in my pianist’s carpeted living room. It was no surprise that it was not selected.

Practice Routines

While competitions place high demands on musicians in terms of repertoire, very often flutists forget to pay attention to the basic fundamentals of flute playing. When preparing for a competition, maintain a daily routine of long tones, etudes and technical work that includes a variety of articulations and rhythms. About one month before a competition, I read through half of a book of etudes every day, such as the Twenty-six Selected Studies by Henri Altes. Likewise, once you have learned difficult passages in pieces, continue to practice at a slower tempo to maintain the work you have already done. If over long periods of time, repertoire begins to grow old or stale, infuse different pieces into practice sessions. Listen to great musicians play other compositions by the same composer.

Memorization

Each year more competitions require flute players to perform works from memory. In general, even if memory is not required, or is merely preferred, it may be a distinguishing factor when judges have difficult decisions to make. Although you may opt to use music for chamber works, or other collaborative pieces, concertos should always be played from memory, especially at concerto competitions. Even if memory is not specifically required, it is likely other competitors will perform concertos by memory.

Committing a piece to memory requires a great deal of time and planning. Seek advice about techniques for effective memorization and start as soon as you can play the score. You should be able to perform the piece from memory at least a month before the actual competition. In order to give yourself additional opportunities to perform from memory, plan run-through performances in both casual and formal settings.

The Competition

Rest, good nutrition, fresh air, and exercise should all be seen as part of the preparation. It is beneficial to know in advance whether there will be an audience. Sometimes the rules will specify this. If not, ask colleagues who have entered the competition previously. If you stay with a host family, they may provide valuable insights about the competition. Search online for images of the competition hall as this will help with mental preparation.

I found it helpful to know if the audience would clap for competitors. In general, if an audience claps, the musician should bow. If an audience and jury are silent when the competitors walk on and off the stage, it is important to know how to react to that silence. The absence of clapping can be discomforting and strange for both the audience and the performer. One option in the absence of clapping is to acknowledge the accompanist with a nod upon the completion of the piece and then confidently walk off, instead of bowing in silence. This shows decorum and professional consideration. Feel free to respond verbally if a jury member thanks you, but be prepared to make a confident silent exit if you know there will be no clapping. Be sure to practice all spoken introductions out loud. If you announce a piece that has a collaborative component, be careful to say, “We will play the Hindemith Sonate.”

It is important to practice performing your pieces in various orders, as “What would you like to begin with?” coming from a voice thirty rows back in a concert hall may be unsettling. What to start with should be planned from the beginning. I consider the first four or five phrases when selecting an opening piece because the first thirty seconds of a performance make a lasting impression on the jury.

Comfort and familiarity with repertoire is key. Choose pieces where it is easy for you to capture the atmosphere or mood right at the beginning. Sometimes this is a game of elimination. For example, if you have the tendency to crack the first note of the Poulenc Sonata, or have trouble with the opening runs in Chant de Linos, these might not be the best pieces to start with. If you do not feel comfortable starting with any of the pieces, you have made a big mistake. When deciding on an effective order, know the timings exactly and be careful to include time to walk on and off stage as well as any necessary introductions and tuning.

The Outcome

Every musician has heard the “you are all winners” speech at some point. Typically this less-than-comforting adage is offered during the agonizing moments before results are announced – when our ability to absorb such advice is tragically low. Upon hearing unfavorable results, these words were difficult for me to take to heart, especially after having spent an entire month’s worth of rent and groceries simply getting to a competition and paying for pianists, entry fees and hotels. As time went on, however, I started to understand these wise words more and more.

Regardless of the result, every competition I worked towards taught me something. I learned how to handle a great deal of repertoire simultaneously, and my playing benefitted from thoughtful practice and careful preparation. I gained organizational skills and musical endurance and had the opportunity to hear extraordinary musicians from around the country, which in turn inspired me to work even harder.

For many young musicians, competitions are a rite of passage that teach them how to handle the pressure of performing in front of an audience. Written evaluations from committee members can be extremely valuable; I often found they focused on something my teacher had been trying to convince me of all along. If you can speak with the judges after the competition, ask for any additional feedback. Although prize money is a huge bonus, the true reward is what you learn from the experience. Very few performers make more money from competitions than they spend on them.

Persistence

I remind students that my list of rejections far outweighs the prizes I won. There were many competitions that I entered two or three times before earning a prize. You never know what might happen. When I competed in the Byrd Competition in Michigan for the first time, I did not win. I came back twice more with a vengeance and finally won – plus over time I received five recital engagements from a presenter who happened to be in the audience at my first attempt. Many students get discouraged and decide not to reenter competitions where they were previously unsuccessful. Perseverance is key. No one could imagine an athlete deciding not to enter the Olympics a second time after finishing in ninth or tenth place. Think of the many athletes who return four years later with added experience and win a gold medal. It is also wise to remember that there will likely be a different panel of judges each time.

If you go to competitions simply to win, you will miss out on some rich opportunities. If you enter competitions with the goal to learn and grow, you are already a winner. Click for Flute Talk’s Directory of Competitions.

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Repertoire Ideas

For freely structured competitions, here are three possible programs.

Flute Competitions

Albinoni: Sonata in a minor

Taffanel: Fantaisie sur le Freischütz

Ichiyanagi: In a Living Memory

C.P.E Bach: Hamburger Sonata
(or a more obscure one)

Karg-Elert: Caprice No. 30, Chaconne

Jolivet: Chant de Linos

Young Artist Competition:

J.S. Bach: Sonata No. 5, E Major

Martin: Ballade

Prokofiev: Sonata

Nielsen: Concerto

Practice Routine
A sample practice routine for one month leading up to the big day:

1 hour: Scales Geoffrey Gilbert, Technical Flexibility for Flutists and/or the Taffanel &Gaubert, 17 Daily Exercises

1 hour: Etudes play through half of the Twenty-six Selected Studies by Altes or similarly challenging etudes that incorporate numerous different articulations.

1 hour long tones and vocalises: De La Sonorite and/or Philippe Bernolds’ La Technique d’Embouchure.

2-3 hours repertoire.

Play through your pieces for friends or family casually 2-3 times a week

The post Preparing To Win A Guide to Competition Success appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

A Professor’s Life, An Interview with George Pope

theinstrumenta — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:41:32 +0000

   For the past 33 years, George Pope has been the professor of flute at the University of Akron and has recently added the flute professorship at Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory near Cleveland to his busy schedule. When students audition for him, the first conversation they have includes the difficulties of a career in music. “I tell them they should balance their dreams with reality. Believe in yourself and work hard, but take advantage of all your skills and interests. Classical music has been struggling in this country for a while. Even large orchestras struggle. With fewer jobs in music you have to find your own niche. Many people have discovered their jazz chops, or have started chamber music groups and are very successful at that. I also tell students that if you want to have a life in music, you can make it happen. It may not be exactly what you planned, but you can create a career in music from the many possibilities beyond the narrow list of standard choices.”
    Pope is a demanding teacher encouraging his students to become more discriminating in their listening skills. “It is so easy for students to listen to music today; but often they take the easiest route by watching a video online. When questioned about the performance, they usually don’t know who the performer was. When I was a student, I listened to records all the time. Someone could drop the needle on a record, and I would immediately have an informed idea of who the player was or what orchestra was playing. I listened to everything and still do, including violinists, classically-trained and popular singers, pianists and so forth. I want to sound like them all.”
    Pope requires his students to keep a notebook for their flute studies. The notebook includes handouts received during the term, summaries of lessons (minimum of ten), written comments the flutist has received about his performances from fellow students, repertoire lists, a personal project which changes from semester to semester (research, with a written document), and a practice diary in which the flutist sets and records daily, weekly, monthly and semester goals. The student’s goal may be as simple as “Today, I will remember to lift my left index finger on the middle octave D and E flat,” or a more comprehensive goal such as “memorizing all the major scales by next week, and the harmonic minor the following week and so forth.
    “A student may also plan a series of performances that could lead to a larger project such as a recital, audition or recording session. These plans might include securing performance dates and locations, and if necessary, coordinating the publicity for the events. I have been very impressed by the progress my students make when they organize their work and practice with specific goals every day. After completing the practice diary for just one term, many have said “now I love to practice as much as to perform.” Pope checks the diary weekly and at the end of the term.
    At the end of each term, the student extracts a Top Ten List of things he has learned during the semester. Pope and the student discuss the list and evaluate whether short and long term goals have been met. Together they set new goals for the next term. Pope then grades the notebook on completeness and the quality of the work. This process helps the student focus on his flute studies and gain the most out of his efforts. In the future when the student has his own students, the lesson notebook serves as a valuable teaching resource.
    “I make every effort to assign my undergraduate students a balanced diet of tone and technical studies, etudes, solo repertoire from all periods and in all styles, and chamber music. It is essential that they have as broad a musical experience as possible. Each term the student is assigned at least three works selected from the solo, sonata, concerto or show piece genres. The compositions are also chosen from different style periods and vary in length. One of the pieces will be performed early in the term, another later in the term, and the most difficult sometime in the future. Graduate students get the full treatment in half the time. Regularly we review the flutist’s repertoire list to ensure he has covered the major flute repertoire and explored as much new repertoire as possible.” (click here to download Pope’s syllabus )

Practical Experience
    “Many years ago my students and I started the Northeastern Ohio Flute Association, a registered student organization at the University of Akron. The NEOFA sponsors and organizes an annual Flute Festival for which we bring in guest artists from around the world. Not only do my students experience the artistry and inspiration of our guests, but they learn to organize, fund and run a festival.
    “The most challenging aspect of running an organization or a festival is learning to deal with bureaucracy. Last year we submitted four different sets of paperwork to the university requesting funding for one guest artist’s appearance. That is both frustrating and educational.
    “The students develop professionalism by working with the music industry community through the solicitation of corporate sponsorships and organizing exhibits for the annual flute fair. Students also gain sales experience by selling coffee and chocolates. This work takes time and patience.
    “On the flute festival day, the students are organized into several committees. One committee sets up the exhibit area and the stage. This entails moving chairs, tables, pianos, and music stands as needed. Another committee handles the financial affairs of the day and writes a final report of the event, while another committee is in charge of the program, food and hospitality. After students have participated in NEOFA for several years, they have the confidence and knowledge to organize events themselves.”

First Music Experiences
    Pope’s musical aspirations began after he watched a television broadcast of Julius Baker performing in one of the legendary New York Philharmonic Young People’s Concerts. Pope knew he wanted to play the flute and began his training in a public school music program. He grew up in Dewey, Oklahoma, population 2500 where he had previously studied piano with his mother and sung in local church and community choirs. Through his parents’ influence he was no stranger to classical music, and the first record he bought at the age of 10 was of Stravinsky’s Firebird, The Complete Ballet. He played in All-State orchestras and bands in high school, and in the fall of his senior year was invited to join the Tulsa Youth Symphony and began his first private flute lessons with Marion McNally, principal flutist of the Tulsa Philharmonic. McNally had actually studied with Julius Baker while she was a student at Oberlin.
   Pope relates, “McNally had me play long tones while standing in front of a large mirror. She taught me to examine my embouchure and discover what I needed to do to sustain the focus in my sound. We discussed the size and shape of the aperture and how it functioned at various dynamic levels and to control intonation. As I left my lesson each week, she handed me a stack of music to sightread during the next week. Of course this music was in addition to the material I was to prepare for my next lesson. Years later when I was programming recitals, I would realize I knew so many compositions thanks to McNally’s lending library.”

Arts Exploration
“During my senior year in high school, I wanted to do everything. The local community theater put on a production of the Broadway musical Oklahoma. While most flutists my age would want to play in the pit for the production, I wanted to be on stage. I auditioned and was placed in the chorus and also given a role as a dancer. This experience rekindled my fascination with both classical and modern dance. Later when I entered the University of Tulsa as a Music Education major, I sang and danced in a production of Gian Carlo Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors. From 1976 to 1978, when I lived in New Mexico, I studied ballet and modern dance seriously. In my flute teaching, I have developed exercises based on the concepts I learned from this instruction. For example, both dancers and flutists should learn to center the body to achieve balance. I often have my students plié (bending the knees), relévé (up on the toes), and stand on one leg while playing to discover the secrets of good balance. We should learn to express our internal rhythm and explore the meaning of the musical gestures. Once in sync with the music, we learn to breathe in the most efficient and successful way.
“When I am learning new music or relearning something for a concert or recital, I often choreograph the music phrase by phrase. Once I find the proper physical gesture, the musical phrases come alive for me. In fact, every note I play is choreographed in my head.”

Further Studies
After graduation from the University of Tulsa, Pope studied privately for two years with Maurice Sharp, who for 50 years was principal flute of the Cleveland Orchestra. “Sharp immediately put me on a technical diet, covering important essentials. I felt as if he was cleaning all the rust out of my brain. I still use and teach some of his original exercises.”

   In 1974 Pope became Walfrid Kujala’s first graduate assistant at Northwestern University. “It was an eye-opening experience due to the quality of the school and the level of professionalism that existed there. My main responsibility was to organize Kujala’s teaching schedule. He was a very busy man. Not only was he playing piccolo in the Chicago Symphony and teaching 25 students at Northwestern, but for that year he had assumed half of the flute professorship at the Eastman School of Music, his alma mater. “Kujala was completely committed to the instruction of his students. He set up a reel-to-reel tape recorder in his studio and asked every student to record an hour-long practice session each week using the state-of-the-art equipment. So, for each of the 25 students, I not only scheduled a lesson time, but also a recording practice session. I also taught the flute methods class, attended all the flutists’ dress rehearsals, and started the first flute choir at Northwestern.
   “In my lessons Kujala shared very clear musical and technical ideas for me to experiment with and explore. For example, he suggested I try the Rockstro position for holding the flute. After a week, I found it uncomfortable so he said fine, and we went on to something else. He talked about playing with confidence, and when I expressed any negative attitude, he would instruct: ‘don’t go in that direction.’ He was wonderful at analyzing all aspects of my playing, and I felt that he treated me more like a young professional than as a student. He is truly one of the great pedagogues and kindest gentlemen of our time.”
   Pope continued private studies in Florida with Geoffrey Gilbert, London Symphony Orchestra principal flute and well-known pedagogue; and British flutist and soloist William Bennett. “I believe I had the best of both worlds with these teachers. Gilbert would say, ‘This is how you do it. Now make music.’ Wibb (William Bennett) would say, ‘This is what the music means. Now let’s figure out how to do it.’ Coming at the musical product from both directions helped me to be more flexible and creative.”
   Pope continued, “I have always been impressed with Gilbert’s approach and attitude about playing the flute. This was a man, who in mid-career, decided to undertake a major overhaul of his embouchure. He became the first English flutist to embrace the French style and continued to have a brilliant career as an artist and an inspired teacher.”

Orchestra and Chamber Performance
   Pope won his first professional orchestral job at the age of 19, playing second flute in the Tulsa Philharmonic during his years at the University of Tulsa. When he began teaching at the University of Akron in 1978, the job also included playing principal flute in the Akron Symphony, a position he held for 24 years. He also has played with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, was co-principal of the Canton, Ohio Symphony and performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Toledo Symphony, Lyric Opera of Cleveland, the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, and is currently principal flute of the Blossom Festival Orchestra.
   Pope has always enjoyed playing chamber music as well. He performs with the Solaris Woodwind Quintet, the faculty quintet at the University of Akron. The group has previously recorded two CDs of American Quintets featuring the works of Northeastern Ohio composers Dan McCarthy, Nikola Resanovic, Jack Gallagher and Roger Zahab as well as some well-known American icons like Samuel Barber, Henry Cowell, Scott Joplin and Stephen Foster. Solaris will soon release their third CD, a collection of 16 newly arranged Scott Joplin Rags. ()
   Pope says he has performed chamber music with most of his university colleagues at one time or another. He played in a flute, cello, and harp trio for six years and started a chamber series in Akron that is now in its 15th year. He also in his fourth season performing at the Swannanoa Chamber Music Festival that plays concerts in and around Asheville, North Carolina during the summer.

Future Projects
“My first goal is to finish a project I started too many years ago; a collection of Maurice Sharp’s technical exercises that I have collaborated on with many of his former students, primarily with my friend Susan Waller. I want to continue to practice and play my best. I want to record a solo CD which I have not had the time to do so far. I want to serve as a good example to my students and help them find their own musical way. I also have a huge stack of music that I want to arrange for woodwind quintet, flute choir or flute and piano. My partner Todd and I will celebrate 25 years together in 2012 and that will be quite a party. The bottom line is I want to maintain a healthy, happy balance in life.”

(click here to download Pope’s syllabus )

The post A Professor’s Life, An Interview with George Pope appeared first on The Instrumentalist.