•    When you think you have the hang of something, don’t get too full of yourself, lest you be humbled.
•    Be able to make adjustments because life can turn on a dime.
•    Accuracy first, then speed. Better to be slow and right than fast and wrong.
•    If you practice something, two things will happen: you will get better at it, and it will get easier.
•    Focus and concentration is not to be underestimated or undervalued.
•    Whatever you put in, you will get back.
•    Life, baseball, or music is some about talent, but also about access and opportunity. It you have an opportunity, seize it and work harder than ever or it is back to the minors.
•    Never assume that you have completed something until it is over. No lead is too big to come back from.
•    The daily grind is one of the most beautiful things in life. Sure, it is great to perform at Carnegie Hall, but if you live for only that moment, you will be miserable for most of your life. Enjoy the little things: nailing the Flight of the Bumblebee, turning an eloquent phrase, or simply the beauty and art of a daily practice. More often than not, the process is more precious than the result.
   
    Play ball! Or Bach. It is your choice.

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Memorization
    All musicians memorize their parade marches, but it is quite helpful to also memorize field show music. There are lyres that hook onto the left wrist or forearm to hold music, but they can be quite heavy and cumbersome. Having a lyre attached to the piccolo is not the best option either as the instrument is so tiny there is not much weight to act as a counterbalance. Memorization is by far a better option.

Instrument
    Make sure the instrument is in good playing condition. All pads should be set flush in the key cups, and the pads should not extend down into the tone holes. The cork in the headjoint should be in the correct position, secure and tight against the tubing at the top of the crown. Instruments made out of resin composites do well in the various weather conditions. Silver or silver-plated instruments are also a good choice.
    It is advisable to save wooden piccolo for indoor concerts only, so the wood does not become exposed to excessive heat, cold, or moisture from rain, snow or fog. My high school was very close to the Pacific Ocean, and there were some half-time shows where the fog was so thick we could not even see the conductor on the sidelines.
    Be aware of the intonation tendencies of the instrument by checking  with a tuner (long tones at mf, p, and f in every octave are a basic starting place.) Keep in mind the role that temperature plays in affecting intonation. When it is very cold outside, the instrument will be flatter than usual, so adjust accordingly.
    Swab the piccolo out more often in cold weather since condensation will build more quickly when the temperature of the breath is a warmer than the outside air temperature. 

Hearing Protection
    Marching bands are loud. If the section includes a number of piccolo players, it is a good idea to get a set of earplugs for use in a tight formation as a neighbor’s piccolo may be extremely close to your ear (See Flute Talk, for information about Hearing Protection). Hearing protection is also a good idea as you might find yourself directly in front of the brass or percussion sections.

Advice for Flutists
    Some bands choose to march only piccolos instead of flutes since the piccolo projects and adds a distinctive sparkle to the band’s upper register. For those who are primarily flutists, remember to place the piccolo slightly higher on the lower lip than the flute. Since there is a great deal of movement while playing (even dance routines on the field are becoming more common), secure the instrument on the lower lip so that it does not move during the drill routine. The embouchure will be slightly looser and the aperture area is a little more forward in order to channel the air into the tiny backwall area. Do not allow the top lip to be held tightly against the front teeth. 
    Articulation usually needs to be slightly more exaggerated outdoors, so if a note is marked with an accent, give it a little kick from the diaphragm as well so the effect will be perceived. Marching band style playing usually requires more separation between notes, so be listening to match note lengths with other treble instruments. Vibrato should be used to blend within the piccolo section. Try not to use a slow, wide vibrato that sticks out, but instead, match the overall sounds being produced by your section.

Posture
    The postural demands of marching band for piccolo players are quite specific. For example, the director may ask the player to play with the piccolo held parallel to the ground. Obviously certain things are required for the sake of the show and do not take into consideration how the piccolo is actually played in the concert hall. Wearing shakos or headgear of any kind requires the head to be level and in perfect alignment. However, when you play piccolo during the concert season, remember to return to the correct playing position which means the head will be turned to the left and slightly tilted to the right.
    Playing in marching band position with the head held high and level means that the column of the air will hit the wall of the embouchure hole too high. This will cause the pitch to be sharp. If this is the case, pull out the headjoint when marching so you are in tune with the band.
    Marching piccolos players are often asked to march and play with the elbows raised. When you return to the concert hall, play with your arms relaxed with the tip of the elbows pointing toward the floor.

Little Extras
    Keep a swab with you tucked in your jacket pocket for a quick swab when you have some down time. I like the piccolo flag styles which have a piece of chamois permanently attached to a stick that is long enough to go through the piccolo even as it remains in one piece.
    If a bubble forms when playing, tilt the piccolo and blow rather forcefully using a p sound (this helps get the air going really fast) to break the bubble that is blocking the tone hole.
    When wearing a uniform with gloves, ask if you can cut the fingertips out of the gloves to make better contact with the keys. This will also prevent the instrument from accidentally slipping out of your hands, a problem I always seemed to face when I wore full dress gloves.        

Photo courtesy of Henderson State Univ.

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Flute Design
    In the mid-1980s flute makers began building flutes using a new scale based on the work of Albert Cooper and others. Flute makers offered the option of having a flute built at A=440 or A=442. Several redesigned the placement and shape of the keys to make the instrument more ergonomic in the hands. More flutists ordered professional flutes with the off-set G rather than the inline keys. Rollers were added here and there for technical ease, and the C# trill became an almost standard option. Spring tension was lightened so the flute seemed to play faster and easier.
    There are now specialists, especially those who primarily make headjoints, who are experimenting with the construction of the shape of the lip plate (on both sides of the embouchure hole) and with the actual cut of embouchure hole. The term undercutting came into common usage. Craftsmen experimented with headjoints and bodies made with a variety of materials. It is now possible to order a headjoint made of one material, a chimney or riser of another, the lip plate in yet another to be played on a body and footjoint which could be made of other materials. All and all the last few decades have improved the quality of instruments available to students and professional flutists.
    With the expanded growth of flute choirs around the country, many manufacturers began making big flutes such as alto, bass, contra, and sub-contra. Work on the piccolo continued with the addition of a split E mechanism and C# trill key. Piccolo makers also use a variety of types of wood.

Equipment
    Even equipment has improved with lightweight, indestructible cases, case covers, and bags/backpacks designed to hold to flutes, music, tuners, metronomes, and music stands. Quartz metronomes replaced the unreliable windup variety and the advent of the portable tuner has made it possible for us to work on intonation at home, not just in the band room. Free or inexpensive apps on smart phones make tuners and metronomes available at the touch of a button. Computer technology even allows students to study with teachers halfway around the world. The list goes on and on.

Anatomy Books
    The legendary Chicago Symphony principal tuba player Arnold Jacobs conducted research into breathing and encouraged players and teachers to study anatomy and use the proper names of body parts when teaching. There are a number of valuable books on anatomy and avoiding injury that adult students may want to read. Barbara Conable’s What Every Musician Needs to Know about the Body (1998), and cellist Janet Horvath’s Playing (less) Hurt: An Injury Prevention Guide for Musicians (3rd Printing, 2003) are a good place to start. Alan H. D. Watson, a senior lecturer in anatomy and neuroscience at the School of Bioscience, Cardiff University, Wales shared his research in The Biology of Musical Performance and Performance-Related Injury (2009). There are many other fine books on the market now in this genre, along with medical clinics that specialize in treating pain and pain prevention for actors, dancers, and musicians.

Brain Research
    English psychology of music specialist John A. Sloboda published The Musical Mind: The Cognitive Psychology of Music (Oxford, 1986). One chapter discusses how the eye reads and stores information in the short term memory when reading one line of music. This concept led to the advent of practicing in chunks. Other writers followed in this genre and a whole wealth of information is now available.
    From these writings, musicians discovered that to learn something fast and well it helps to divide music into one inch chunks and play in performance tempo followed by a rest, three times a day for five days. Then on the sixth day play the chunks in performance tempo with the chunks connected. It is better for the body and mind to practice in 25 minute segments and then stretch for several minutes before repeating the process. Recent research also encourages musicians to add  physical exercise as part of practicing.
    Researchers Olive Meares and Helen Irlen have researched dyslexic type problems that may occur from reading words and music printed on white paper. Irlen has a set of gel colored overlays to place over the page which helps many students read music accurately. Publishers have experimented with the size and darkness of the font to make music reading easier.

Historical Scholarship
    The recordings of the legendary French flutist, Jean-Pierre Rampal are said to have inspired a rebirth of interest in Baroque music and performance practices in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1966 Edward R. Reilly translated Johann Joachim Quantz’s treatise On Playing the Flute into English. This made Quantz’s ideas about flute pedagogy, flute performance, Baroque practices and ornamentation available to many more flutists. Other books that expanded knowledge about historical performance followed such as The Rules of Musical Interpretation in the Baroque Era by Jean-Claude Veilhan (Leduc, 1977), The Early Flute by John Solum (Clarendon Press: Oxford, 1992), W.A. Mozart: On the Performance of the Works for Wind Instruments, Concertos, Divertimentos, Serenades, Chamber Music by Frans Vester (Broekmans en Van Poppel B. V., 1999), and The Early Flute: A Practical Guide by Rachel Brown (Cambridge University Press, 2002).
    Along with these publications, specialized masterclasses flourished. The Baroque Performance Institute at Oberlin began 40 years ago. Its success has led to continued research in the Baroque field. In 2009 The Juilliard School began the Juilliard Historical Performance program offering a Master of Music degree or a Graduate Diploma. Board chairman Bruce Kovner fully endowed the program with a $20,000,000 gift, so participants are able to attend the program tuition free.
    Nancy Toff’s excellent books The Development of the Modern Flute (Oxford, 1986) and The Flute Book: A Complete Guide for Students and Performers (Oxford, 1996) and Michel Debost’s The Simple Flute (Oxford, 2002) offer advice for not only playing the flute but answer almost any question a flutist would have about the flute and flute repertoire.
    Online services offer access to web pages, doctoral dissertations, medical research, and almost anything flute wise. Certainly it is a good time to study the flute.

Excerpts
    Learning band and orchestral excerpts has never been easier. While there were a handful of orchestral excerpt books in the past, Jeanne Baxtresser and Walfrid Kujala added detailed instructions, facsimiles of source material, and practice guides to their excerpt books. Baxtresser recorded a CD to accompany her volume. Complete orchestral flute parts (public domain) are available for purchase from one of the flute specialty shops or may be downloadable from The International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP, ). IMSLP also has an extensive collection of flute music including etude books, solo repertoire, flute and piano compositions as well as larger ensemble works.

New Techniques (Extended Techniques)
    In addition to flutter tonguing, harmonics, whistle tones, and key clicks, composers are now writing compositions with the techniques of beatboxing, double stops (multiphonics), jet whistles, timbral trills, percussive tonguing effects, and tongue thrusts. For many of these compositions circular breathing skills are required. To become familiar with these styles, adult students might take a look at the ample instructional videos on YouTube.

Posture
    The physical approach to playing the flute has changed in the past decades, and may require older students to adjust their posture and the way they position the flute. While Jacques-Martin Hotteterre (1674-1763) wrote, “When in a standing position, one must be firmly fixed on one’s legs, the left foot advanced, the body resting on the right hip, all without strain,” most  flutists participated in marching band in high school and played in a symmetrical position with feet positioned side by side. This position carried over to concert band, where chairs were crowded together side by side with three flutists to a music stand. The old “I’ll put my flute in front and you put yours in back” was a common topic at the beginning of rehearsals. However, with the advent of advanced embouchure hole cutting, flutists found that angling the air to the right of the center of embouchure hole (John Krell, Kincaidiana, P. 72) produced a more ringing sound. This meant that the end of the flute could no longer be back, but had to be forward to produce this angle.
    James Galway (Flute, Schirmer, 1982, p. 67) writes, “I like to stand with my feet slightly apart, the left pointing slightly left, the right pointing slightly right, at the angle of ten-to-two on the face of a clock, and with the right leg braced to carry my weight. My shoulders are not parallel with my hips but swiveled slightly round to the left. I judge the extent of this swivel by aligning the (embouchure) hole with my left foot.” Other flutists suggest a similar stance. Clarinets and oboes are played symmetrically, but the flute, along with many other instruments that are played to one side, must be approached asymmetrically.

Hand Position
    Balancing the flute in the hands also presents a myriad of questions and potential problems. Very few teachers addressed the topic 25 years ago, and if they did, it was something about a three-point system of leverage. However with the rise of more professional orchestras, higher demands were placed on the flutists to rehearse and perform more hours a week. Flutists became injured and played in pain. One of causes of pain in the left wrist was the left thumb. Since few teachers bothered to check the position of the left thumb, flutists were allowed to play with a curved thumb. Playing with a curved left thumb forces the left wrist out of a healthy position. Instead the left thumb should be straight and pointed to the ceiling. Depending on the size of a flutist’s hand, the bottom of the thumb key should be placed close to the crease in the first knuckle.

Throat
    “Open your throat!” is a common request from a teacher or band director. The problem with the statement is that no student really seems to know where the throat is. A better comment is “Separate the vocal folds.” The more students learn about anatomy and workings of the vocal folds, the better their flute playing (and singing too) will be. See: for an excellent video of the vocal folds in action when singing.

Vibrato
    The debate continues about where vibrato is produced and about how it should be used. Jochen Gartner’s The Vibrato (Bosse Musik Paperback) is a great resource as is John Wion’s excellent treatise, including sound clips of famous flutists, available on his website: www.johnwion.com/vibrato. A fleuroscope video (in four parts) of my playing demonstrating vibrato and several other things may be found at:  .

Tongue Placement
    The debate about where the tongue should be placed when playing continues to be a topic of discussion. The Complete Method (1848) by Soussman/Popp suggests tonguing on the top lip. Over the last 150 years, pedagogues have encouraged flutists to use a variety of syllables (da/ga, dah/gah, doo/goo etc.) touching on the roof of the mouth behind the top teeth. Others suggested tonguing on the bottom of the top teeth. The term “French or forward tonguing” came into usage after listening to the recordings of Jean-Pierre Rampal’s fabulous tonguing on so many recordings, and it was discovered he placed his tongue very forward with the point of contact in the opening between the lips (aperture). If adult students learned to tongue on the roof of the mouth and it works, they should continue to do it. However, if their tonguing is sluggish and fuzzy, then encourage them to experiment with forward tonguing. (See Michel Debost’s article this month.)
    So, to answer’s my student’s question, “Yes, a lot has happened while you have been gone – and just wait until you explore the new compositions that have been written for flute in the last decades.” As teachers, this is a wonderful time to be teaching and sharing these updates with motivated adult students.         

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The Very Brief Performance
   Many flutists play well, but sound inappropriate or inexperienced when playing an excerpt because they are not familiar with the entire work, do not understand the context of the section, or the importance of clear rhythm. All too often an audition begins with a good concerto performance. The hopes of the committee are raised, only to be dashed with the excerpts as the candidate chooses inappropriate tempos, plays almost everything mf-f with the same tone color, and rushes through the excerpts in a show of shallow bravura. The candidate is dismissed, befuddled as to why his stay on stage was so fleeting, while the committee is disappointed at having to reject yet another fine, but inexperienced player.

Mantra: Listen, Listen
   Make a practice and listening plan. If you have not played the compositions before, much of the foundation preparation should include listening to multiple recordings of the pieces. Pay attention to older recordings especially, as they provide a valuable perspective on the performance evolution of the works. Learn the entire flute part and listen with a score so you can precisely identify the context of the flute line. (Try for vintage recordings and www.imslp.org for free full scores and parts. For more on this topic, see “.)
It is crucial to develop your own style, but at some point it is important to hear someone play the excerpts really well. Jeanne Baxtresser’s “Orchestral Excerpts for Flute” recording (Summit Records Orchestra Pro Series) is an important resource for those wanting to hear accurate and lovely performances of the standard excerpts.

The Excerpts
   The following four excerpts are standard fare for most flute auditions. These comments and reflections are based on sitting on the other side of the screen and should offer some suggestion to help you advance in audition rounds and win a position.

Beethoven: Leonore Overture
No. 3, Op. 72b (1806)
Measures: 1 – 24, Adagio
   The opening four measures are one of the most challenging tonal passages in the entire flute orchestral repertoire. In addition to the slow tempo and dynamic demands, the flutist plays the passage in unison with the 2nd flute, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, horns and the entire string section. By measure 3, several of the winds (2nd players, oboe, and horn) have dropped out leaving the flute, clarinet, bassoon, and string sections to continue in unison octaves. Perfect tuning is not optional.
   The opening G6 begins ff and makes a diminuendo to piano exactly on the downbeat of measure 2. Use a tuner to check the accuracy of the pitch. Study your embouchure position when the pitch is correct and make a mental note of it. Most players sound flat in the diminuendo partially because they begin the G6 so sharp. Pace the long diminuendo printed in measures 3-5. It is the primary musical message. The tempo should be a steady quarter=69. Do not use too much vibrato, but also avoid letting the tone be cold and bare. Experiment with a narrow vibrato cycle. Do articulate the F#5 in measure 5.
   As you enter in measure 17 after 11 measures rest, the tone color and vibrato should not be arbitrary. The sound must reflect a misterioso atmosphere. Players often sound too loud and intense here. The flute passage is in octaves with the second violins, only the flute is marked piano to their pp. Make sure the tempo is the same as the opening and continues to be consistent. To avoid the common error of losing the tempo in measure 19 on the half-note, subdivide the internal eighth-note pulse by thinking a background of 16th note triplets. Subdividing the measure before measures 20-23 will prevent a tendency to change tempo.
   Many flutists struggle with tone and tempo in this passage. Rhythmic subdivision is the first priority as the first violins echo the flutes notes an octave lower during the rests. While playing, hear the violin part in your head or have a friend play the passage with you as a duet. With the metronome practice these measures until they are perfect and automatic. Shape the triplets so they do not sound mechanical and play the eighth notes in each measure on the longer side. In measure 20 avoid accenting the first note of the bar since it is a resolution in the key of B major, the dominant. The flute will naturally sound louder on the ascending triplet triads. Try making a small diminuendo on each partial triplet while leading into the violin echo triplets.

Measures 328-360
   Unfortunately many flutists attack this solo like a mad dog. Tame your virtuosity. Do not let the style become aggressive by adding accents or playing too loud and fast. Lightness, beautiful tone, and elegance are more appropriate in this rather Mozart-like, delicately-scored solo. Rushing the tempo tops the list of offenses. While it is true that some conductors prefer a faster tempo, and others something more relaxed, hurrying is always frowned upon.
   Begin subdividing (1+2+) at least by measure 326. The first violin and cellos have quarter notes that should align with the counting. This subdivision will help flutists accurately place the ascending G major scale. The scale is marked crescendo, so to Romantic composers this meant to start softer and grow louder. The natural ascent of the notes will help the crescendo. Do not overdo the fp in measure 330. Rhythmic instability has a tendency to begin at the syncopated rhythm in measure 330 and then snowball through the descending quarter notes in measures 332 and 334. Think about the underlying eighth notes in the violins, violas, and cellos and place the flute’s notes so they align with the strings. A mordent of vibrato (faster vibrato) on the first note of a slur, as in a Mozart concerto, adds a mature touch. Avoid unwritten accents in measures 333 and 335 because the important voice in these measures is the bassoon. This duet continues in measures measure 338 and 339. The grace note in measure 338 and again in measure 342 is played before the beat as an acciaccatura.
   In measures 342-351 concentrate on good tone production and articulation. Tonguing should be rhythmically even. Avoid the common urge to play a shrill fortissimo. The change in subdivision to triplets in m. 346 (over the repeated eighth-notes in the strings, i.e. 3:4 relationship) is difficult partially because the first two notes of each beat are slurred. Record yourself to check the tricky transition. If you play lightly and beautifully in measures 346-349, you will win admirers. It is rare to hear the downward slurs connected properly. In measure 352, the dynamic is suddenly pp. The flute is playing in octaves with the clarinet, bassoons, and horn. This note requires a rather large contrast, and most flutists are flat on the D6. The change in embouchure position must be quite dramatic. Beyond these basic considerations, shape each phrase well. It is delightful to hear this solo played elegantly.

Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98 (1885)
Movement 4: Allegro energico e passionato
Measures 89-96
   As is often in the case in Brahms’ music, this solo demands great expression within the rhythmic framework established by the accompaniment and the performer’s ability to keep the energy of the phrase going through the rests. Flutists often seem in a hurry to get this solo. Stop and smell the roses. Enjoy the lovely, delicate passage in measure 89-92. Rhythm is of prime importance. Do play the first note in measure 89 as a full value quarter note. Then within the piano dynamic (no softer), play the bar lyrically and expressively in tempo, working for the often-neglected little hairpin crescendos and diminuendos in measures 89 and 91. In measures 90 and 92, play a full-length, singing eighth-note on the first beat in duple subdivision. The rhythms in these measures are doubled with the violins and the harmonic anchor is in the first clarinet. The flute is marked dolce and the violins molto dolce. Gauge the dynamic correctly and you should be able to start the scale in measure 93 a bit softer than you left off in measure 92 leaving room for the additional diminuendo starting the third beat of measure 94. Use a shallow vibrato for the descending scale. The 2nd flute and two clarinets harmonically fill out each chord in quarter notes while the violins and violas echo each quarter note on the off-beat. Follow this recipe carefully and you will shine.

Measures 97-105
   Players make similar errors when they get to the solo in measure 97. Some suddenly bring up the dynamic as if accidentally pushing the volume control, some vibrate the tone hysterically, and many change tempo. Ease into a slightly fuller dynamic for the solo without making a statement out of it. It does not need to be loud or intense as there are no competing voices in the accompaniment. The accompaniment consists of piano and dolce off-beat quarters in the first horn, violins, and violas. Keep the same pulse as the previous section. Brahms is quite clear about this. He notes in the full score and flute part that a quarter note in the previous section equals a quarter note in this section. Simply select a tempo that works for both the solo and preceding passage.
   Avoid vibrato accents in the long line, seamlessly adding and subtracting lyrical intensity. Precise control over the duration of recurring eighth rests in the solo is obviously crucial, but many players are good stewards of the note preceding the rest. This takes real listening and patience. Some flutists suddenly and inexplicably vibrate this note before the rest as if it were an arrival, while others rather crudely chop it off. If the rest is to sound proper and fit into the scope of the whole phrase, the note before the rest should be unaccented, rather softer than its preceding note, and long enough to dovetail into the beginning of the rest.
   While the dynamic scope of the passage is left to interpretation, (most players become quite loud at the top of the phrase, myself included) the crescendo of measure 103 is clear, and frequently neglected. You may have to prepare this crescendo by reducing the dynamic a bit in the preceding phrase. Ignore the urge slow down at the end of the solo, and play the last note as a quarter-note, no longer.

Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61 (1842)
Scherzo
12 Measures before P to the End
   Speed demon flutists are united in their determination to play this excerpt faster than written. From the other side of the screen, it sounds rather immature and too aggressive for this light, magical piece. Playing the Scherzo faster does shorten the duration of the long phrases, but frequently also results in a delay in time after the breaths. There are some virtuosic tempos out there, but most of the time the tempo does not exceed MM=88 or 92 to the bar. It is better to save the display of velocity for Carnival of the Animals by Saint-Saëns where it really belongs.
   Play the ascending arpeggio nine measures before P elegantly without accenting the G6. Count the rests before P carefully (it helps to imagine the orchestra playing) with subdivisions as the committee will listen for security of pulse. Sometimes players rush the pick-up D natural into the bar before P. This leads the committee to wonder if you can subdivide.
   Playing a crescendo in the seventh and eighth measures before Q defeats the printed nuance in measures six and seven before Q. On the ninth bar after Q, many flutists are too soft dynamically. Instead, stay a bit fuller, and then continue the diminuendo over the next five measures. This is a lighter alternative to the heroic and gratuitous crescendo executed by many into the 15th measure of Q. Most auditioning flutists do not risk the pp dynamic at the end of the excerpt, but most conductors will insist upon it.
   Beyond these details one of the biggest challenges is tone quality. Without sounding forte throughout, the passage must have enough tone to cut through the orchestra. The orchestra accompaniment is pizzicato throughout this section written at a pp level. Work all the bugs out of your tone and articulation technique to achieve the correct amount of low-register core to the sound.

Debussy: Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune (1894)
   This is a chance to create a dreamy atmosphere with the sound. It is important to have a multi-faceted approach to the use of vibrato and timbre. Many flutists have a fine tone which is cheapened by their vibrato or made boring by a lack of color.

Measures 1 – 4
After achieving a state of inner peace, go for a very gentle start, without the common and abhorrent whistle-tones. In an attempt to play the opening phrase in one breath, many players sacrifice expression. The one-breath approach is entirely possible, beautiful and impressive, but phrase-shaping and good tone production in the soft dynamic should be first priority. Be aware of the specific effect of the vibrato in the phrase. A fast vibrato heightens the energy, and a slower vibrato relaxes it. Either speed can torment the listener if overdone. Keep everything on the level of subtlety.
It is uncommon to hear the C#5 of measure 2 played for the correct duration. For the first C#5 in measure 1, tempo is not as crucial because it is your secret. After the first moving notes, your tempo is revealed; and the committee will pay attention not only to the sound and expression, but the rhythm and tempo. In measure 3, I have heard many distortions of tone and intonation. Match timbres of the notes in this measure and pitch will also improve.

Rehearsal Numbers 1-3
   At rehearsal 1, do not suddenly play ff. The tone needs to be a bit fuller than the opening because the melody is accompanied at that point, but avoid a large change in dynamic. Play with awareness of context also. The C#s at 1 and 2 both should begin without vibrato because the flute is taking the theme from the horn and clarinet, respectively. Three measures after rehearsal 2 make sure to play with a full tone in a solid mf dynamic. The orchestration is a bit thick, and the sound has to project without sounding aggressive. In the following bars crescendo all the way to f or ff. Flutists frequently barge ahead through the 5th bar of 2. It is traditional to take time there. Whereas the tempo is usually quite flexible at 2 and the ensuing bars, keep the pulse steady for the 5 bars before 3. For some reason many flutists neglect rhythm in this passage. Add a gentle ritardando at the very end of the phrase. Sustain the final note for the full value of 8 beats as it is the end of the first section.
   Most flutists seem to ignore Debussy’s dynamic nuances between rehearsal 2 and 3. At 2, there is another crescendo printed at the end of the bar, and yet another at the following downbeat. For these and the other reiterative crescendos (4 bars before 3) gently bring the dynamic back to p momentarily and make another crescendo. It is a wonderfully expressive effect if done well. Do the opposite for the rewritten diminuendo 2 bars before 3.
   For all flutists breath control is a challenge in this piece. Often phrases require the utmost stamina, and many are simply not prepared to take those risks, resulting in extra breaths. Between rehearsal 2–3, the most acceptable breathing spots are: between the 2nd and 3rd bars after 2, 3 bars after 2 directly following the E natural, 4 bars after 2 before beat 7 (only if necessary), 5 bars after 2 following beat 4, 4 measures before 3 while the second flute plays, and 3 measures before 3 after the tied A# on beat 7. Try to avoid the very common breath 2 bars before 3 as it interrupts the dynamic nuances.
   With some of these passages, Debussy mercifully arranged for two flutes to play in unison so breathing is not as difficult in the ensemble. In the audition, you do not have that luxury, and it helps the committee to know that you can play the solos well without the aid of another flutist. Also it is good for collegial relations if the second flutist does not feel that he has to come to your rescue. This applies most notably to the passage from rehearsal 10 to the end, which is tricky for rhythm and breathing. Sometimes committees, especially conductors, like to hear the end of the piece to assure themselves that the flutist is familiar with the final section. Some conductors have enough trouble getting through it themselves. For my performance guide to the complete work, see Flute Talk, March 2003, p. 11.

The Complete Package
   Following this advice may help keep you in the committee’s good graces for a time, but it is far short of a recipe for success. The most frequently asked question by those who do not get the job is, “what was the committee looking for?” The answer can certainly be elusive, but perhaps it is fair to say the committee is looking for a complete package: a player who has mastered the fundamentals, demonstrates a thoughtful and appropriate approach, and within this framework performs with passion, contrasts and imagination. This is a tall order and easier said than done, but basic good judgment, insight and integrity can go a long way towards success. By confronting the most common challenges in the excerpts you may yet find yourself in the finals.             

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How did you get started playing flute?
   The first instrument that I played was actually the bandoneón because my father liked tango music. A pink flyer publicizing music lessons appeared under the door of my house when I was eleven years old, and I decided to give it a try. I started to play that magical instrument while learning music theory as well.
   At that time, my mother’s brother, Domingo Rulio, was principal flute soloist at the Colon Theater and also well-recognized as a tango player. I had an LP of him playing tango pieces, but instead of trying to play them on the bandoneón, I was mimicking the flute. Noticing this, my father said, “Claudio, your uncle is a great flute player in the Colon Theatre. Would you like to play the flute?”

Did your uncle teach you to play?
   My uncle was a great flute player and friend of Jean Pierre Rampal; they even performed together at the Colon Theater when Rampal visited Buenos Aires in 1967. Initially my uncle was reluctant to teach me since I was a family member. My aunt intervened and also convinced him to let me have his very old wooden flute with silver keys. I will never forget Christmas 1971 when I got that flute. I began to discover a new world.
   Once lessons began, we moved fast. I think perhaps my uncle had been expecting a disaster, but instead he was amazed by my attitude, talent, and progress. He stressed the importance of good technique and started me on Marcel Moyse’s, Le Debutante Flutiste, and Taffanel and Gaubert 17 Big Daily Exercises. Lessons always included some discussion about the passion and poetry of music. He taught me strategies for efficient practicing and focused on scales, arpeggios and long tones.
   Soon the lessons with my uncle moved from my house to the Conservatory where he was teaching, and he began showing me off to his colleagues there. He had me play in front of any conductor or musician who came to perform with the orchestra, and of course I played for everyone in the family. My uncle was very demanding with me, but to everyone else he said, “This boy is a phenomenon, a genius.” I enjoyed that time so much. All I needed to do was practice and perform.
   I performed at the Colon Theater when I was twelve. I was already playing Bach Sonatas and the B Minor Suite, Rossini’s The Thieving Magpie, Vivaldi’s Il Cardellino and C Major Piccolo Concerto, and piccolo solos from Tchaikovsky’s Fourth and Shostakovich’s Ninth Symphonies.

Did your parents support your flute playing?
   Flute was easy for me and made me feel so happy. I played all the time. All the approval that I was receiving from others certainly didn’t hurt. Neither my father nor my mother were musicians, but they loved music and encouraged me. They never complained about my constant practicing at one, two, or three o’clock in the morning. When Julius Baker visited Buenos Aires with the New York Philharmonic, I played for him. He told my father, “Your son is great.” My father was very proud.

When did you start playing in the Buenos Aires Philharmonic?
   I started playing with the Buenos Aires Philharmonic on April 2, 1974, the day after my 14th birthday. I was a baby compared to the other musicians, but everyone liked my playing and encouraged me. I was practicing all the time, learning about a whole new world, and earning money. What more could I ask?
   We played a new program every week, so I had to learn a lot fast. I listened to many recordings, but not just flute players because a musical education should not be limited by the instrument you play. The brass and the bass inspired me to create many colors in my head and then try to produce them in the low register of the flute. There are great performances on violin, piano, cello, and voice, plus wonderful conductors. Barenboim is an example. of a pianist whose playing has been influenced by the colors of the orchestra. Sitting in the orchestra, I learned just by paying attention.
   To me, the piccolo was like a little toy, but the flute, with its deeper sound, was different. I began to think about the direction of the music and what I wanted to express. I listened to Rampal, Baker, and Galway and was tremendously influenced by their playing. I started to think about what sound I wanted to have. I really did not establish my own sound until years later, but even when I was young I knew what I wanted to change. I imagine I was thinking like Michelangelo who said, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”
   I practiced for hours and hours, and it brought me such joy. I began to realize that flute playing gave me a sense of peace like I had never felt from anything before. I still feel like that every day. When I begin my warm-up, my long tones are like a meditation.

Was your uncle your only teacher?
   In 1979 I won a scholarship to study in Berlin. I had no idea who my teacher would be, but I knew that I would have the opportunity to hear many soloists and play in the Berlin Philharmonic. I had the opportunity to observe von Karajan every day, conducting and making recordings. My teacher for the two years that I was in Berlin was Karlheinz Zoller, who may be heard on many Berlin Philharmonic recordings. I recorded with the Berlin Philharmonic while I was there, under the direction of Claudio Abbado. Playing piccolo and assistant principal flute with the Berlin Philharmonic was a dream come true.
   My lessons with Zoller gave me a lot to think about. There were things that we did not agree on, but even so they made me realize that I could change some aspects of my playing. I started to ask myself, “How would Rampal play this? What would Galway do here? And what about Nicolet?”
   One difference was that I always played with my tongue out, because Marcel Moyse told me to do that on page 15 of De la Sonorite: “With the tongue out, try to get a consistent note, rather like a vibrating pizzicato; therefore, each note should be short but not harsh; in a word, let it be as lively as possible in the shortest possible time.” My tongue was out, like I was spitting, and I played everything this way. Studying with Zoller, I realized that I had to change this position, but it was not easy to do. I persisted, and found that my low tones became bigger and richer.
   I won another scholarship in 1988, this time to go to the Aspen Music Festival and study with Nadine Asin. While there, I also took a lesson with James Galway. Nadine Asin is a remarkable teacher and player. She played flute and piccolo in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for many years.
   I was preparing for a solo appearance at the time, and had always performed from memory. Someone pointed out to me that most other flutists played with their music in front of them and asked me, “Don’t you think you look arrogant?” I considered this, but thought to consult Nadine about it first. She asked, “Are you the soloist? So, play by memory. Of course.” I have always performed without music since then.
What happened after Berlin?
   In 1981, upon completing two years in Berlin, I returned to Buenos Aires as principal flute soloist with the opera company of the Teatro Colon. That was another amazing experience for me as I learned how to accompany without overpowering the singers. I heard many sensational musicians. They had technique, were excellent sight readers, and also had the ability to seduce the audience with their sound. I decided to set a similar goal for myself, the combination of skill and technique, plus sound and artistry, just like a singer.
   After two seasons with the opera, I won the audition for principal flute soloist with the National Symphony, followed in 1983 by principal flute soloist of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic, the position that I hold today. Through the years I have played almost all the standard orchestral repertoire, and some interesting new works as well. I have worked with hundreds of wonderful soloists and conductors, and performed as concerto soloist dozens of times. I will celebrate my 40th anniversary with the orchestra in 2014, and am planning two concerto performances. I play quite a bit of chamber music as well, as flute soloist with the Bach Festival Ensemble of Buenos Aires, Quadro Barocco Chamber Ensemble, and a founding member of Quinteto Filharmonico, the wind quintet of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic.

How do you begin your daily warm-up?
   I start with long tones, beginning on low B, holding each note as long as possible, and ascending chromatically up the entire range of the flute to high F. For my second practice, later in the day, I sometimes start on high F and work my way down to low B. Each note is articulated only with air. This exercise usually takes 20 or 25 minutes, and I don’t stop at all except when I need to take in air. Since this is before each note, I am only breathing 42 times in 25 minutes. Not stopping helps me with concentration and power. My brain starts to feel clearer. I feel like I can see everything when I do that exercise, but from another perspective. That exercise brings me peace, just like being in a state of nirvana. In fact, there are mantras that are sustained like that.

What advice would you give other flutists?
   When I play, my focus is always on my sound, intonation, expression, and flexibility. This may not sound like anything new, however, I always keep that focus as a starting point. For example, if I am working on trills, I am focusing on a beautiful tone and trills. If I am working on staccato, I am focusing on a beautiful tone and staccato. If I am learning a new piece, I play long tones and scales, and at the same time I think about the piece, consider what colors I want to use, and memorize it.
   This carries over into all my activities. If I am enjoying a book, I try to transmit my feeling of happiness into my sound while playing scales and arpeggios. If I fall in love with something (philosophy, aphorism, poetry), I use the energy that I feel inside to make my sound more beautiful and find new enjoyment in my life. What works for me is to find something that I love and continue incorporating new things – taking walks, meditating, playing piano, learning English, and always keeping the focus on the music that I am learning.

How do you memorize?
   Playing from memory has come naturally to me, ever since I was a child. I remember learning Bach partitas and sonatas spontaneously, without even thinking about what I was doing. As a result, many students have asked me how I do it.
   Sigmund Freud wrote that memory is selective, that the psyche can cause us to forget unpleasant thoughts. I read that Freud himself was in an uncomfortable situation during a conversation when he was talking about an artist and could not remember her name. It tormented him for days, and then he began to think. He realized that her name was similar to that of a patient who had committed suicide. The issue was not that he forgot, but that he did not want to remember. He had repressed the memory.
   The great Argentine poet Jorge Luis Borges said, “El olvido es sólo una forma de la memoria.” Forgetfulness is just one form of memory. But in flute playing, that could be a disaster. Understanding this, how can we use our intelligence to make sure that our bodies remember what we want for a good flute performance? How do we practice that? The answer is not easy. Playing flute from memory can be more difficult than any other instrument.
   When we play the flute, we can’t see our hands. Pianists look down and have a good companion at the keyboard. String players can see their hands, as can all the other wind players. This is a very important point for flutists, because they are missing the visual sense to aid memory. To make matters worse, standing in front of an audience without a music stand can be a distraction.
   The key is to visualize everything from inside to outside. It is not necessary to close the eyes in order to do that, but flutists should change their thought processes when they practice. To play confidently from memory, I start without the instrument and sit in a comfortable place to read the score. I look at the key signature, time signatures, changes in tonality, rhythms, note values, everything, trying to remember what I’ve seen. I begin playing long tones, one by one, in a chromatic scale, from low B. I think of this like a meditation. In my mind I am thinking about the music that I have just studied, bar by bar. I make sure that each long tone is very clear. No matter how fast the piece is that I am thinking about, I am still meditating and playing long tones.
   I sing the piece to myself with special focus on the rhythms and visualize what is happening on each beat of the measure. If the piece has four beats in a measure, I mark the notes within each beat with a bracket while studying the score. Then later, when I am playing my long tones, I can see those beat divisions in my mind.
   If a tempo is very fast, as in the Khachaturian Concerto, I think in terms of a geometrical map. Instead of visualizing beats, I visualize bars. In the third movement, for example, instead of thinking of four bars in 38, I visualize one bar in 128, with the conductor’s hand moving down on the first measure, to the left on the second, to the right on the third, and up on the last measure. I mark the music accordingly.
   I have always had a habit of moving my fingers as if I am playing, even when I am not holding my flute. Taking this a step further, I practice difficult passages in the reverse position, as if I’m holding my flute on the left. I think this helps muscle memory.
It is also important to think about what else is going on in the music. If it is a solo piece, then there are no additional concerns, but it could be with orchestra, piano, another flute, or quartet. It is important to learn those parts as well and see how they interact.
   This entire process can take a long time, but I take the score with me and read it whenever I can. That could be anywhere from the sofa to the train. Eventually I have a photograph of the music in my head. I can hear the sound that I want, the intonation of each note, and the rhythmic groupings. I have learned the music visually, aurally, and kinesthetically. When I pick up my flute, the notes just come. If at any point there is a problem, I return to the score and fix the mistake.
   Playing from memory gives me the freedom to focus on my sound, breathing, and phrasing. Being able to see what is happening around me keeps me calm, and enables me to connect with the other musicians and the audience. The goal is always to present a superior performance.

   For me music is a refuge. It provides me with the ability to rebuild and strengthen my walls every day. I am very happy playing De la Sonorite and Daily Exercises for hours. I believe that it is a good thing to play pieces that you know already just for fun, to improve your already well-known repertoire or explore them with a partner. For me, this focus on the present, continually improving what I already know and building on that, is my refuge. I take piano lessons, and they make me happy in the same way.
   This energy spreads over to other aspects of my life as well. I like to walk for an hour every day. I enjoy reading, particularly philosophy, and have returned many times to the books of Baruch Spinoza, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Jose Ingenieros. I have fallen in love many times. I believe that in the time we are connected to the earth, the earth responds. This harmony in my life is a way to reach heaven. Mozart is said to have exclaimed, “I can only be creative when I am in love!” I agree.

* * *

Thoughts on Circular Breathing

   One piece that I love to play is Paganini’s Perpetual Motion. For that, I must use circular breathing. The great mathematician and philosopher Rene Descartes (1596-1650) wrote in his Rules for the Direction of the Mind, Rule V: “Method consists entirely in the order and disposition of the objects towards which our mental vision must be directed if we would find out any truth”and Rule VI: “In order to separate out what is quite simple from what is complex, and to arrange these matters methodically, we ought, in the case of every series in which we have deduced certain facts the one from the other, to notice which fact is simple, and to mark the interval, greater, less, or equal, which separates all the others from this.”
   I learned circular breathing from Robert Dick’s book. I met him when he visited Buenos Aires in 2002, I bought his book, and I followed his instructions. Keeping the writings of Descartes and Robert Dick in mind, I will try to explain circular breathing in small, understandable steps.
   Flutists don’t have a reed, a mouthpiece, or anywhere to lean our lips. All we have are the lip plate of the head joint and our bodies. But we do have what we need for circular breathing, two channels where the air can go in and come out, the nose and the mouth.

Exercise 1
   Take the biggest breath you can, and hold the air in the cheeks. Close the back of your throat with the tongue. Keeping the air in your mouth, try to inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale; use only the nose to breathe deeply in and out and continue to hold the air in your cheeks. Don’t open your throat, or the air in your mouth will go right down your lungs. Stay confident about the independence of the two channels. You can test this by holding water in your mouth and breathing only through the nose.

Exercise 2
   Play just one note while your cheeks are blown up with as much air as they can hold. This will be easiest in the 2nd and 3rd octave. Try B, D, F, or G. Try to relax the lips into a globe embouchure, storing air behind your upper lip in the moustache zone. You may have to rotate the head joint a bit to make a sound, since the lips are doing complicated acrobatics. Don’t give up. People often become frustrated at this point, but don’t worry. Tone quality will improve later, and because of the work you are doing, it will be better than ever.

Exercise 3
   Use only the air that is in your mouth and blow up and down the range of the flute. Then focus on playing second octave G and B, and third octave D, E, F, G. Relax the right and left edges of your lips, but use your moustache muscles to push the center of your lips toward the front teeth. Use only cheek air and a puh articulation to blow a single note. Try to control your intonation. Repeat this exercise.

Exercise 4
   Play one note with cheek air. Breathe normally. Repeat the process and try to hold each note for longer, maybe 5, 6, and then 7 seconds. Remember to keep the tongue at the back of the mouth, blocking the throat. Hold the note with good intonation for a few seconds.

Exercise 5
   Blow bubbles into a glass of water using a straw. Use only the air in your cheeks.

Exercise 6
   Remember the first step in which you inhaled air through the nose while air was in the mouth. Now the difference will be to exhale air while inhaling. Blow out with your cheeks and try to breathe in through the nose at same time, then stop. Stop after each note. Stay slow, and visualize the actions. Give the brain time to process the movements.

Exercise 7
   Say gong. Keep the throat closed and the tongue in this position, like the last part of the consonants “nnnng.” Test yourself using the resistance of a glass of water once again. The cheek movements must be strong to push the air out. Use “puh” for the initial attack. The air that you are using in your cheeks will give you the time to breathe in through your nose.

Exercise 8
   Now, if you are a beginner, here is a strange challenge for your brain. Play one note, like second octave G. Blow out the note, and at same time take a breath. Stop, exhale the air, and instead of inhaling air you must exhale. Then, play second octave B flat. Blow the note and at same time take a breath. Stop, exhale the air, and then play second octave D. Blow the note and at same time take a breath. Stop, exhale the air. Now the question is, what to do with that air? Well, blow it into the flute. Play the next note. Try to avoid tension in the throat, which must open and close.

Exercise 9
   With a metronome set to quarter=60, play and breathe until your body becomes more comfortable with the movements. Then go (legato) up to B, D, and F. Play G, and hold it as long as you can. As soon as you need more air, take it in through the nose. Now, play scales such as the Taffanel and Gaubert #4. Do the circular breathing after every three notes. Then try to do it with arpeggios. At first try not to interrupt the sound with your throat, which must open and close. Keep practicing. It’s better to begin with high notes, second octave notes, and trills. For low tones, push the air with the tongue, it works better than the cheek. This is more difficult to do, but be patient, persevere, and do it anyway.

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