October 2013 Archives - The Instrumentalist

Programming for a Recital

theinstrumenta — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 00:42:59 +0000

There are so many wonderful pieces to explore that programming a recital can be full of difficult but wonderful choices. Flutists and piccolo players have good literature from every period of musical history from the Baroque to the present day. There is so much original music for flute and piccolo that there is no need to rely upon transcriptions. It is important to consider the audience when selecting music. A program that is successful and musically satisfying for one audience may be a disaster for another.

When presenting a piccolo recital, it is important to consider whether you would like to include a piece or two on the flute as well. After all, most piccolo players were flutists first before discovering the joys of the piccolo. Some flute music provides tonal variety as well.

Degree recitals are often easier to program because there is an expectation of breadth of styles. Usually, a student will program one work from each of the major style periods to demonstrate command of the periods. An undergraduate recitalist might begin with a Bach Sonata or Telemann Fantasia, move on to a Mozart flute quartet, followed by a French conservatory piece, perhaps an unaccompanied contemporary work, and close with a Romantic sonata (the Reinecke Undine for example). This program would showcase many historical styles, as well as offer timbral variety with the chamber music. Recitals that are exclusively flute and piano can be somewhat monochromatic so change it up with a bit of chamber music (flute and harp, flute and guitar, a woodwind quintet, or a duo with another woodwind instrument). For those concentrating on piccolo in college studies, include a piece or two on that instrument such as a Vivaldi concerto instead of a Bach sonata or a contemporary work on the piccolo. Much of the greatest piccolo literature was composed during the last 15 years so look beyond the classics as well. Another option is to include the big flutes such as an unaccompanied work for alto flute or the entire Claude Bolling Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano which features the bass flute on one movement.

There is considerably more freedom when planning a recital for the general public or for a convention or conference where the audience is primarily musicians. For my recital at the International Piccolo Symposium, I decided to create a themed recital and featured music with a bird theme. There are so many inventive pieces with aviary themes. I varied the palate quite a bit stylistically, including adding a visual component with Michael Horwood’s Birds. Each movement has coordinating images that are projected as a Power Point presentation. (At the time of composition, they used color slides). Horwood’s Birds includes prepared piano requirements in four of the movements and is quite contemporary sounding, requiring the performer to freely improvise on specific pitches in a few spots. I chose two turn of the century polka pieces (Sweet Birdie and the Canary Polka) which were paired together as vocalists do in song recitals. I also chose two shorter works, Outside My Window, Bird by Gary Schocker and Eugene Magalif’s Colibri (Hummingbird) which was a world premiere for piccolo and piano. I included two short works for flute, Messiaen’s Le Merle Noir and the second movement from La Flute de Pan, Pan et Les Oiseaux, because they acted as a sonic sorbet to cleanse the palate. The centerpiece of the recital was Eric Ewazen’s concerto On Wings of Song. I decided that since the work had wings it would defiantly be able to fly with all the rest of the birds, so my theme had a little bit of leeway.

Themed recitals can go in many directions. You can tie together a recital by region by featuring works by Italian composers or all French music (consider a French evening soiree). Other options might be an All-American recital or works from a particular historical period. I have performed recitals with seasonal themes, Visions of Spring for example, and performed a recital of flute and harp music linked to the Chinese New Year. Themes are a fun way to discover new connections between pieces.

I sometimes avoid longer pieces when programming for the general public. Popular songs on the radio are about 3.5 minutes, so an average listener may find a 20-minute work too long. We seem to be a nation of sound bites with short text messages and tweets replacing longer forms of communication.

For all recitals, it may help to speak to the audience and give them information about the composer and work. Play excerpts of the piece to show listeners the inner construction of the work; this will bring the audience along with you on the musical journey. Performers should develop the ability to speak elegantly and eloquently from the podium. It helps break down barriers between audience and performer and may help you feel at ease as well.

Enjoy the process of building a recital. I usually begin with a huge pile of music that I love and then whittle it down.

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Trill Fingering Faults

theinstrumenta — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 00:16:38 +0000

A trill is an ornament in music that results from the rapid alternation of two adjacent musical tones. Flutists often perform trills to add decoration, enhance a melody, or create harmonic interest. Too often, however, students use poor hand position and learn trill fingerings incorrectly, resulting in poor tone, faulty pitch, and sluggish motion. In addition, students may not routinely practice half- and whole-step trills, which in turn leaves them unprepared for the challenges in musical scores. The last exercise in Taffanel et Gaubert 17 Daily Exercises focuses on trills. Expand the range at both ends of this exercise to practice the awkward trills on the lowest and highest notes of the flute.

Any discussion of trilling properly begins with hand position and the relationship of the flute to the body. The left hand cradles the flute at the third knuckle of the index finger between the keys closest to the head joint and supports the flute from underneath. The right hand pushes the flute away from the body and maintains its natural curve with the thumb on its side and the wrist in a neutral position. The flute is balanced at the three balance points: chin, left index finger, and right thumb, which are the only parts where the flute and player’s body remain in contact at all times. Proper balance ensures that the elbows are not up and out, the shoulders are relaxed, the wrists are not overextended, and fingers do not grip the keys. More discussion and excellent drawings of natural hand and body position can be found in Illustrated Fluteplaying by Robin Soldan and Jeanie Mellersh.

When students look for shortcuts to facility, sloppy finger technique often results. Grabbing the flute too tightly means the fingers are not free to move quickly through trills. Fingers raised too high over the keys and then slammed down with great force produce heavy, uneven, and lethargic trills, as do fingers that attempt to slide across the keys instead of an up and down motion. Retaining the natural curve of the fingers over the keys and using a lighter touch typically increase trill speeds and evenness and help eliminate fatigue and pain in the arms, wrists, hands, and shoulders. Some specific trills will need extra attention, such as the ones involving the closed Ab and Eb keys that require a bit more pressure to play. Others that involve many fingers in motion might require a subtle shift in the balance between right and left hands. Increased kinesthetic awareness, a large mirror, and a focused teacher can work wonders in making all trills agile, flexible, and uniform.

C to D

Incorrect trill fingerings negatively affect pitch and tone, just as incorrect basic fingerings do. Some of the worst offenders are those trill fingerings that use the trill keys common to every standard flute (the C# trill key is not considered in the scenarios below). Use the first trill key (the one closest to the headjoint) when trilling from C5 to D5. Use the second trill key with trilling from C6 to D6. If you incorrectly do the opposite, the C5 to D5 trill is wider than a whole step and the trill from C6 to D6 is too flat. Using the incorrect trill key is often heard in pieces like the Aria movement from Taktakishvili’s Sonata.

Common Mistakes

The trill from D6 to Eb6 should be made with the second trill key. Using both trill keys makes the Eb very sharp and using the Ab key makes the Eb flat and fuzzy. This trill is found in the second section of the Enesco Cantabile et Presto. A similar fingering problem occurs with G6 to Ab6. Use the first trill key to be in tune in the second movement of Poulenc’s Sonata.

The half-step trill from C#5 to D5 and C#6 to D6 is always played with the first trill key, but C#5 to D#5 uses the second trill key while the octave higher uses both trill keys. Several of these trills appear in the first movement of the Poulenc Sonata.

Other trills suffer from poor intonation through simple laziness. For example, the trill from Eb6 to F6 is commonly made by trilling the second finger of the left hand, but trilling both the second and third fingers together makes a true whole step, a desirable trait at the end of the Daphnis et Chloé solo.

Similarly, both the second and third fingers should be used to trill from Ab4 to Bb4 and Ab5 to Bb5 while using the thumb Bb. The F6 to G6 trill, found often in band music, is typically made by fingering the F and trilling the thumb, but this makes the whole step too flat. A better option is to finger the high F, adding the D finger, and trilling both the thumb (at the first joint and not the tip) and the right index finger. The best fingering for the G6 to A6 trill is to finger the G and trill the Ab key and both trill keys simultaneously, although many opt for easier trills that are out of tune as they near the recapitulation in the first movement of the Taktakishvili Sonata. Ab6 to Bb6 is often played by fingering Ab and trilling both trill keys, but the one best in tune is the Ab fingering plus Bb thumb and RH 2 3 with LH 23 the trilled keys. A6 to Bb6 is best with the A6 fingering and both trill keys trilled simultaneously.

Natural hand and body position and the use of authentic trill fingerings encourage fluid technique, tonal consistency, and true pitch relationships. Often a technique not of primary concern, trills are common to many styles of music and should be addressed comprehensively, far beyond the scope of this article. Walfrid Kujala’s The Flutist’s Vade Mecum devotes a section to trill drills and additional information on facilitating fingerings, and Nestor Herzbaum’s Alternative Fingerings for the Flute provides an extensive list of trill fingerings. Properly executed, trills can add a great deal of excitement to a performance. Add them to your practice routine now, and those pesky ornaments in Bach Sonatas and Mozart Concerti will soon be a distant memory.

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The Art of Inflection

theinstrumenta — Sat, 05 Oct 2013 00:13:30 +0000

Learning to play musically is similar to learning to speak. Babies listen for many months before uttering their first words. Then they practice speaking the babbling syllables over and over, while refining the inflection to form words until they can be understood by all.

The same process applies to learning music. Often those who naturally have strong listening skills progress through their studies quickly and become outstanding musical players. However, less talented students usually are taught the notes first and then add musicianship later. This process meets with limited success because students do not have the aural or intellectual background to understand the reasons for changes in dynamics, articulation and tempo that lead to a musical performance. It is much better to teach the art of inflection from the beginning lessons.

Square Note

Before teachers can work on inflection, they should teach students to develop a core sound that will become a baseline for future experiments. Using a tuner, have a student play one note (Bb5) blowing the air at an even rate so the needle on the tuner is still. At this point, the only concern is to keep the needle straight, not whether the note is flat or sharp. Students should demonstrate good body alignment with the head balanced on the spine, the shoulders aligned over the hips, and, if standing, the hips aligned with the ankles. The arms and the jaw should be hung to keep any tension from building in the body. The note may be started with the HAH or the T syllable. Often the HAH syllable is a better choice for this exercise because the beginning of the note will not be as sharp as it is with the T. Once the Bb5 is well-produced, ascend up the one-octave scale in whole notes at MM=60. The goal is to begin each note cleanly while keeping the tuner needle still.

Describe the shape of this note to students as a square. It is the same dynamic from beginning to middle to end. Square shaped notes are played most often. When flutists play scales, the objective is to have a square-shaped note for each pitch.

Triangular Shaped Notes

Flutists often change the shape on longer notes, notes before a breath, and those at the end of the phrase. The shape of these notes is usually a triangle. A triangular-shaped note starts as a square note but then diminuendos or tapers toward the end. Francesco Saverio Geminiani (1687-1762) was one of the first composers to describe how a player should shape a note. His treatise, The Art of Playing the Violin (1751), used lines for straight or what I call square notes and wedges for notes where the player either made a crescendo or diminuendo. Geminiani’s orchestral work, Enchanted Forest, includes wedges above notes of longer value. I have often thought that if you took the shading away from Geminiani’s wedges, you would have the modern day crescendo and diminuendo.

Football Shaped Notes

In the Bel Canto school of voice technique, the messa di voce was used extensively. The messa di voce today is referred to as making football-shaped notes and is executed as the hairpin markings sometimes seen on a note of longer value. In vocal technique the singer made a crescendo and then a diminuendo on a whole note. Football-shaped notes are generally not considered a good choice for modern wind players.

Strength of the Beat

The principle of the strength of the beat was used extensively in the Baroque and Classic eras. Since most movements were based on dance forms, it was important for the dancers to know where the stress or inflection was so they would know when to move their feet. Many other composers of later periods also use the strength of the beat principle.

Look at the example below. In this measure there are two quarter notes. Following the strength of the beat rule, the one on the first beat would be played stronger than the one on the fourth beat.

The following example also illustrates this rule.

Notice that the first two notes begin on the first beat and the second group of two notes begins on the + of beat three. A good musician would play the first group of notes louder than the second because of the strength of the beat rule.

As a second consideration, notice that both figures include two notes. Generally since the time of the Baroque, whenever two notes are to be played together, the second note is softer than the first. If these two notes are slurred together, this gesture is known as a sigh figure. This gesture began early in the history of music as composers employed text painting as a compositional tool. The two notes were set to words like Lov-ing, Dy-ing, Cry-ing, etc. where the emphasis is on the first syllable of the word. Sometimes the note after the pickup was a chord tone while at other times it could be an appoggiatura or suspension. Composers often added a trill to this note for added emphasis.

In the Baroque period this gesture was often preceded by a pick-up note. During Mozart’s time, this gesture was called the Mannheim sigh because the Stamitz family as well as Mozart used this gesture while working in Mannheim, Germany. The pick-up note is played softer than the first of the two-note gesture. I teach this figure by saying, “Lift, strong, weak.” The legendary flute pedagogue Marcel Moyse taught this inflection by using the common phrase “I love you.” You can say these three words in three ways: I love you, I love you, and I love you? When playing a Mannheim sigh gesture, the correct version is I love you.

This next gesture is the basis for the William Kincaid/Marcel Tabuteau phrasing technique that was taught at the Curtis Institute in the mid-1900s and passed on through Kincaid’s legacy of outstanding students.

Since the first beat of four sixteenth-notes proceeds a rest, this gesture would be played with a decay or diminuendo from the first sixteenth. The second grouping of four sixteenth-notes crescendos from the first sixteenth to the last sixteenth which lands on a beat. This first gesture is a perfect example of coming away from the beat while the second gesture is a perfect example of going to the beat.

The next example illustrates the principle of the dactyl and the anapest used in poetic meter. The dactyl is a long syllable followed by two short syllables and the anapest is the opposite (short, short, long).

However in music we inflect the dactyl like poetry but the anapest we do the opposite by giving the strongest inflection on the first sixteenth-note. In music the eighth-note is played half value and a rest or articulatory silence is inserted where the second half of the eighth note would be. How long the articulatory silence is depends on the tempo of the passage. In faster passages the silence is longer than in slow passages.

The last example is concerned with the rule of the dot. If the passage is articulated, the dot is played as an articulatory silence. If the two-note gesture is slurred, the player decays or diminuendos to the time of the dot. The note after the dot is played softer than the first note.

Learning to play these gestures with dynamic inflection takes practice. To teach these concepts Mark Ostoich, the oboe professor at Cincinnati Conservatory, begins by having his students play scales tonguing four quarter notes to each pitch using the strength of the beat rule. This means in 4/4 meter, the first beat is strong, the third beat is less strong, and beats two and four are weak and weaker. Once they are successful with this, he asks them to add in eighth notes after each numbered beat. Of course, the eighth-notes are all played less following the hierarchy of the strength of the beat rule.

Flutists often have trouble counting the numbers in their heads while playing and often think that counting is feeling the pulse as it goes by. Counting is counting. Using a metronome with a voice setting will provide aural stimulation to help you learn to count in your head. Nadia Boulanger said it best when she said, “To live you have to count. One who counts best lives best.” Once these simple rules have been mastered, the music performed becomes much more engaging and interesting.

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Building a Network

theinstrumenta — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 00:28:41 +0000

When you move to a new city where you know no one, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the challenges of finding students or jobs to support yourself. Rather than get caught up in the details, focus instead on networking. Next to individual motivation and determination, networking is one of the most important aspects to becoming a successful professional.
As with any field, it really does matter who you know. In his book The Tipping Point, journalist and best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell discusses The Law of the Few where a relatively small number of key people are responsible for championing a trend to the point it tips into the populace at large. It is especially important as flutists, in a niche field, to pinpoint who you should know and then make connections with them. Networking is relationship building. The goal is to nurture new and existing relationships that will benefit both you and the other person.

Your Brand
    Before beginning to network in any situation or event, make sure the product is packaged and ready. For musicians the product is their skills, whether as a performer or teacher. Decide where your focus will be; it might be as a performer, a teacher, or both. Once you’ve decided on the package, work on ways to demonstrate your brand. Three simple ways to accomplish this are business cards, hook line, and professionalism.
    Business cards are a simple tool to communicate contact information and also demonstrate that you are a serious professional. A sleek, well designed business card is much more professional than a note scribbled on a sheet of scrap paper. To create professional business cards, be sure it includes pertinent information: name, phone numbers, email, website, and perhaps the name of the business or studio. It might even include a list of what you offer. Business cards can leave a lasting impression on new contacts. An attractive, professional card says a lot in a little space. It may be the only physical item you leave with someone to make sure you are remembered past the fleeting moments of superficial discourse.
    While creating business cards, start thinking about what your hook line might be. Figure out what to say that will make you stand out from other flutists and music teachers. Try to sum up your goals and mission into one statement. Avoid the basic, “I am a professional flutist and love to teach.” This is a great time to develop a personal philosophy of music if you have not done so already. A hook line that centers on your passion and what you firmly believe will make a much stronger argument to new contacts. For example, although I could describe myself as a professional flutist, performer, teacher, and clinician, that does not necessarily sum up my greatest goals and leave a memorable mark. Instead my personal philosophy can be summed up in the following statement: Music is my vehicle to assist my students in realizing their full potential.
    Finally, the key to branding and overall presentation is professionalism. Be professional in everything from dress to unified written documents that help create and integrate the image you want to project. Have business cards, letterhead, a website or at the minimum a Facebook presence. Visual aspects should present a unified appearance. How you act and dress speak volumes about your professionalism and desire for work.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
After you create an image for yourself, put your neck out there and meet people. Be confident in your skills and what you have to offer. Believe in yourself and remember that this is what you want, so go get it. Don’t be desperate, remember to smile and focus on relationship building instead of selling.
Target organizations and events. Research what kind of arts related organizations and events are present in the area. Much of the time, the arts are well connected; an art museum may be a great resource. Do not be afraid to go outside the music industry. A business networking event can provide a general feel of the economic and business climate in the community. Organizations such as Kiwanis, the local chamber of commerce, or economic development group can be great resources for connections, referrals and support. Business people who work outside the arts are often well connected and could be a terrific resource or even bring you performing opportunities and students.

Networking Events
•    Be early. Make it a point to arrival early, even up to a half an hour. This is a great window of opportunity to start a conversation with others before their friends arrive or groups are formed.
•    Be prepared. Have goals in mind. How many connections do you want by the end of the night? Know who you don’t know but want to know.
•    Don’t show up clueless. Know about the organization hosting the event. Check their website or call their office for an overview.
•    Bring your business cards and hand them out as opportunity presents itself.
•    Put your best foot forward and offer your assistance wherever you can. Make the networking time about the people you meet. Help solve their problems first. People will want to help someone who wants to help them or benefit the community.
•    Listen. Focus on listening more than you talk. You would be surprised at how many people remember those who actively listen, over those that are the center of attention. A good technique to determine if you are talking too much is to monitor who finishes the meal first. If you finish yours first, odds are that you were listening more than talking. Listening will give you added knowledge of the community. You never know when a piece of information will make all the difference as you continue to network and build a business and reputation in the community.

Auditions and Regional Events
    While much of the networking will be done locally, it is also important to make regional and even national connections. Flutists operate in a small niche market, so it is possible, and helpful, to know flute players all over the country. When you take auditions, make a point to introduce yourself and meet fellow auditioners. This not only expands your network, but can help calm nerves. You likely will see them again at other auditions or flute events, so make friends early on.
Additionally, find and attend regional music events. Going to the flute fair two hours away just might make the connection you need. When you go, know what you want to get out of the day: information, new music, or a specific number of contacts.
    Whether it is an audition or a regional music event, remember to bring business cards and exude professionalism. How you present and carry yourself expresses more than what you say. Don’t forget a smile either; people are more apt to spend time talking to someone who appears warm and friendly. Never forget that networking is not all about you, but how you can help others too.
    Technology is another essential tool. The Nielsen and Pew Research Center has published Internet usage statistics stating that a web user visits over 2,600 websites and logs on 57 times in just one month. Facebook alone has just over 1 billion users who log in to their accounts on a monthly basis. Develop and create a website. Like business cards, the ability to have a professional website says much about you. It can quickly communicate your goals and what you have to offer. An unprofessional or confusing site may say the opposite. When you meet or hear about a likely contact, send out an email icebreaker. It is like going up to someone to shake a hand. Be friendly, professional, and concise in your email. Get to the point, emails are easy to send but also easy to ignore. Create a Facebook and Twitter presence. It will help you make connections and create a brand.

Follow Up
The hardest part is over, but don’t let all that work go to waste. A strong follow up is the only way to really make good use of time spent networking. This is the simplest but most commonly overlooked facet to networking and relationship building.
If you attend a fellow musician’s concert, send a note or email to express how much you enjoyed the evening. Pull out those mental notes you took at a community arts event and shoot a new contact an email discussing some of the main points of interest or asking a follow up question that might lead you to more information. Pick up the phone and schedule a lunch date with the non-profit president of XYZ Music Organization to see where you might fit in or how they can help you. People are generally willing to help, but it is up to you to keep the communication lines open.

Keep It Up
    Finally, don’t stop with one or two events or individuals. Stay up-to-date on community events and organizations. Get out there. Be willing to shake hands, put on a smile, and be gregarious. Ask questions. Educate yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for specific contacts and who to call. Most likely, that person has been in your shoes and knows how difficult it can be to establish connections and a helpful network. It takes time and effort to continue networking, but the more you put in to it, the better off you will be in the end. Zig Ziglar, a well-known expert on sales, equates networking and prospecting to working an old hand water pump. The user must first prime the pump and then vigorously pump if they are to expect the reward of a cool drink of water. Don’t give up if the pumping seems to be taking too long. Who knows, the water, or the rewards from your networking might be just inches away.

    Networking is essential for any musician who desires professional growth and opportunities. It can be intimidating to know where to begin, especially if you find yourself in a new city. I used these techniques in two very different cities. I first established myself in Greensboro, North Carolina, and then just as I was getting settled there, I had to move to Syracuse, New York, a city where I knew absolutely nobody. In both circumstances, my studio and opportunities were growing within months thanks to determination, motivation, and networking.
    Don’t overlook the power of networking. It is up to you to meet new contacts and develop relationships. Not everyone is an extrovert who is comfortable networking, but it is possible to be successful if you act confident, friendly, knowledgeable, and determined. The more you network, the easier it gets.

The post Building a Network appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Syrinx Gone Wild

theinstrumenta — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 00:17:25 +0000

    Recently I have been rereading one of my favorite books on music history, Music in the Twentieth Century, by William W. Austin (W. W. Norton, 1966). Austin emphasizes the crucial importance of Claude Debussy in having laid the foundation for a brand new musical language in the twentieth century. As a flutist, I am especially pleased that Austin chose Syrinx and Afternoon of a Faun as his prime examples for describing and analyzing this new breakthrough (pp. 7-18). Regarding Syrinx, he wrote: “The melody seems like a long cadenza, a rhapsodic improvisation. But not a note of it is random…..The rhythm of the melody is as intricate and peculiar and intelligible as its contour.”
    I first learned Syrinx the summer just before going off to Eastman to start my freshman year. My first three or four lessons with Joseph Mariano were mainly on etudes and the Bach E Minor Sonata. Then he asked if I had ever studied the Debussy Syrinx, and I said that I had indeed learned it a few months earlier. He then asked me to play it for him. When I finished, he had a troubled look on his face and said, “Wally, don’t you want to pay more attention to the rhythm? This piece was not meant to sound like a free improvisation. Debussy was very specific in his notation of tempo, dynamics and rhythm. Using a tasteful rubato is desirable, but don’t get carried away with so many distortions, especially in the dotted eighths followed by the two thirty-seconds. You’re playing the thirty-seconds so fast that they sound like grace notes. They need to be treated as vital elements of the thematic structure, not just as fleeting ornaments.”
    Then Mr. Mariano played it for me. What an unforgettable performance! Such a gorgeous tone, exquisite phrasing and interpretation, as one would expect from this renowned artist. But what made it all so utterly convincing was the integrity of his rhythm. Even the specified rubato section on the second page had a recognizable rhythmic logic to it.
    The impact of that lesson on me was so compelling that I think back on it often, especially this year as we observe the Syrinx centennial (November, 1913). Many years ago, in homage to Mr. Mariano, I had written an article for The Instrumentalist (February, 1976, “A Performance Checklist for Debussy’s Syrinx”). In that article I pointed out many of the common rhythmic pitfalls and how to avoid them. Then in 1986 Thomas Nyfenger published his marvelous book, Music and the Flute, in which he lists “Twenty-Five Perversions of Syrinx” (pp. 127-132). With his typical dry humor Nyfenger wrote, “Debussy is said to have wished that his name had been German, as then performers would give respect and attention to his notation. Because he was French, many assume great license and run him over with multitudes of ‘interpretations’, incorporating such distortions as to render the original unrecognizable.” Nyfenger’s Perversion No. 12, for example is at bar 15: “Ah, triplets! Well, sixteenth-eighth-sixteenth is much better, especially since the grace notes are so awkward.”
    Nyfenger and I both agreed on the details of what needed to be done to ensure an honest performance. We only disagreed on our labels. He said perversions, I said deviations. But after listening to over sixty performances of Syrinx in my YouTube laboratory as part of my research for this article (specimens included alto flute, trumpet, flugelhorn, saxophone, contrabass clarinet, panpipes, string bass and melodica, as well as regular flutes), I may be forced to downgrade to the P-word.
    As a way of highlighting some of the more flagrant deviations, I decided to construct a compilation version of Syrinx to illustrate many of the obvious errant rhythms. (An example is shown below; the full version is available at the end of this article.) Of course no single player did all these deviations in performance, but it is interesting to note that a few of the deviations were adopted almost unanimously – gone viral so to speak. Though it’s not exactly comparable, I’m reminded of the melismatically overloaded versions of the Star Spangled Banner as sung by Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Maria Carey, Demi Lovato, Jennifer Hudson, Whitney Houston, et al. (Go online to investigate How to Sing the National Anthem at a Sporting Event.)

One might be tempted to raise an alarm: “Please don’t try the deviant Syrinx compilation at home!” But seriously, it won’t do any harm to play through the compilation several times to better familiarize yourself with these pitfalls. By intentionally experiencing such errors in practice you can reinforce the importance of being able to avoid them in concert.

Three more practice tips that I remember from Mr. Mariano:
1.    For better rhythm on the dotted eighth and two thirty-second note figures, subdivide the dotted eighth into six thirty-second notes as in the example below, tonguing them very gently. Play them all-tongued the first time, then with the two-note slurs, and finally with the three-note slurs.

Rhythm Exercise

2.    Don’t be misled by the tenuto dash over the dotted eighth note. It is more of an expression mark signifying intensity of tone, but not necessarily stretching the dotted eighth beyond its printed value. (Teachers of course use the tenuto dash habitually to identify notes that are being rushed.)
3.    Transpose Syrinx a half-step lower and a half-step higher without writing it out in manuscript. At first this may seem very hard to do because of the numerous accidentals, but it will increase awareness of the intervallic shapes as well as the rhythm. I practice transposing often when I review familiar repertoire. Several examples are shown on pages 126-127 of my Vade Mecum of Scales and Arpeggios where I transpose several passages from the Mozart D Major Concerto, the D Major Haffner Symphony and Marriage of Figaro Overture into eight different keys.
Meanwhile, I would award the Grammy for best rhythm in Syrinx to Onorio Zaralli and Emmanuel Pahud (tied). Except for some undue rushing in measure 13, Zaralli pays careful attention to tempo and rhythm, yet conveys a very thoughtful and expressive interpretation. Pahud’s excellent rhythm comes across in a natural, unforced way, with just the right touch of expressive rubato, and of course with a radiant tone. The venue for his video, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art near Copenhagen, Denmark, is also very striking, not only the gallery but also the exterior wintry landscape. Pahud, wearing a stylish regal costume, is artfully photographed, and there are many well-focused close-ups of his fingers and embouchure.

And finally, here is my nomination for a Syrinx Three R’s centennial slogan: Remember and Respect the Rhythm!

The post Syrinx Gone Wild appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Teaching Flute at the College Level

theinstrumenta — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 00:00:52 +0000

Ask any serious high school or college flute student today, “What are you going to major in college?” Overwhelmingly the answer is music performance. Then when you ask, “What are you going to do with this degree,” the answer is to perform in a symphony orchestra or teach at a university. In the past few years there have been very few openings in the orchestral field and even fewer in academic employment.

Full-Time
    At most universities a full-time teaching load consists of 18 one-hour flute lessons, plus other courses including flute choir, chamber music coaching, woodwind methods, and performing in a faculty woodwind quintet. Non-musical duties include faculty meetings, committee work, and recruitment. If a flute studio load is less than 18 hours of flute lessons, extra courses such as music appreciation or music theory may be added to the professor’s schedule.
    Most teachers are hired at the assistant professor level and work on a probationary basis for 3 to 7 years before being promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure. Depending on previous professional experience, some flutists may enter at the associate or full professor level. Each university has its own path to a full professorship.
    Lecturer or instructor positions are typically full-time, but not tenure-track. In some situations, a doctoral degree is not required for a non-tenure position, but all others require a terminal degree or equivalent work experience. According to the College Music Society, the followeing were average faculty salaries in 2011-2012 based on 9 or 10-month contracts. (As a side note, salaries for visual and performing arts are the second lowest in the field of higher education.)

Instructor            $44,002
Assistant Professor        $52,835
Associate Professor        $63,372
Full Professor             $81,257

Other benefits to full-time university positions include health insurance, a retirement plan, and sometimes a parking spot close to the music building. If you think this sounds perfect, keep in mind that college teaching can be a grueling lifestyle with many evening and weekend commitments. Even after students graduate, professors often continue to help them with recommendation letters and supportive calls and emails. While the number of flutists with a doctoral degree rises every year, there are only 1,122 college flute teachers in the United States.

Part-Time
    Due to funding concerns, part-time or adjunct work has become a popular option for universities because these positions do not include health benefits, retirement plans, and moving reimbursement. The adjunct workload is similar to that of a full-time professor. These responsibilities include teaching flute lessons, coaching flute ensemble, and sometimes classes in music theory, music appreciation, or woodwind methods. Usually adjunct professors are not required to attend faculty meetings or serve on academic committees.
    The educational requirement for an adjunct position is usually a master’s degree in music; however, it is becoming more common that applicants with doctorates or ABD (all but the dissertation) status are winning these positions. Adjunct teaching can provide valuable work experience to help a flutist progress to full-time teaching. Since part-time faculty usually work only a few days a week, several adjunct professors may share the same office space.
    Adjunct professors usually are paid on an a la carte system. This means they are paid per student and also per course. In actuality the adjunct will be paid about one-third the salary of a full-time assistant professor. For example, at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, an adjunct professor teaching a 3-credit music appreciation course meeting 45 hours per semester is paid around $2000.
    It is a misconception that developing the flute studio to 18 students will turn the part-time teaching position into a full-time contract. The university gives the music department a set number of tenure or full-time teaching contracts. However, due to the large number of teachers and variety of courses offered within the curriculum, music departments favor the adjunct model. Another hurdle for part-time adjuncts is the Affordable Care Act, which goes into effect January 2014. In response, universities are cutting adjunct hours to avoid having to provide health insurance.

If you look past these bleak statistics, many adjunct professors are highly satisfied with their positions. For the recent graduate, an adjunct position offers teaching opportunities to build a resume. For others, teaching part time may be the perfect complement to raising children and performing professionally. Since the tenure process is not required, adjunct teachers can simply enjoy teaching.

For a better understanding of life as a college teacher, five flute professors answer questions and share their insights.

Describe your teaching position.
Jennifer Amox: I currently teach at a small 4-year liberal arts state university in the south. I teach 2 flute performance majors, 11 music education majors and 3 flute minors, in addition to a 1-credit hour flute choir. At my university this constitutes an 11 and 1/3 credit hour teaching load. In addition, I generally teach a Humanities class every summer. (I have asked to teach additional music history or theory classes in the future.)

Mary Karen Clardy: I am Regents Professor at The University of North Texas. My teaching load consists of undergraduate and graduate applied lessons, a weekly studio class, and chamber music coaching. I joined the faculty as an assistant professor in 1980.

Tereasa Payne: Until recently, I taught as an adjunct professor at two universities: Bethune-Cookman University and Daytona State College. I taught flute lessons, flute choir, and woodwind quintets at both schools. In the past I have also taught clarinet and saxophone at both schools. I typically had 5-8 flute majors at BCU and anywhere from 1-10 students at DSC.

Diane Boyd Schultz: I am the flute professor at The University of Alabama, the flagship institution of the state, which is located in Tuscaloosa. Eighteen flute majors is considered to be a full load; however, I also coach flute choir and other woodwind ensembles, teach the flute portion of the methods course for music education majors, and teach graduate courses in flute pedagogy and other special topics. I began in the fall of 2005.

Patricia Surman: Five years ago, I began as an adjunct professor at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. This year I return as a full-time professor (non-tenure track). In addition to applied lessons, I have taught chamber music, music appreciation, rock music history, and courses in the music theory sequence. Previously I served as an adjunct professor at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Southwestern Adventist University, and Tulsa Community College.

What are some benefits and rewards of teaching at a college or university?
Amox: When I was initially hired, I held a full-time position teaching band at the secondary level. I could easily teach one night per week at the university and continue my day job. It was the perfect combination of “what I wanted to do” (teach applied flute) and “what I needed to do” (hold a salaried position with benefits). As the studio grew, it became difficult to juggle both, and I eventually returned to graduate school to obtain my doctorate. My university was incredibly supportive and allowed me to work around my class schedule. I am able to enjoy teaching and performing without the added stress of required committee work or additional duties while I am writing my dissertation.

Mary Karen Clardy: Developing artistic, musical and technical autonomy is the primary goal of my teaching. My job is accomplished when a student’s growth reaches a level of confidence and maturity to demonstrate the capacity for creative thinking and problem solving with new repertoire, musical phrasing, and technical challenges. One of my greatest joys as a teacher is welcoming former students as colleagues and then serving as a mentor to guide them through an orchestral or academic career.
The teaching process is also rewarding because I constantly learn from my students. Solving common problems in new, creative ways adds an element of excitement to learning, and I often find the solution carries through in my own practice. Observing a class of students develop and grow is exciting.

Payne: I love teaching adjunct because the schedule can be adjusted to suit my touring schedule. Both schools are very accommodating and let me set my schedule as needed. I also am permitted to teach students via Skype when I am on the road for an extended period of time.

Schultz: With over 33,000 students and a variety of programs, the university offers all sorts of cultural, educational, and athletic events to the campus and surrounding community. Students and faculty come from all over the United States and abroad.

Surman: I enjoy guiding my students, so they can realize their inherent potential. Seeing them achieve their own goals through intelligent practice is the most personally and professionally fulfilling experience that I could imagine. I feel honored to be able to teach a set of core values through music. These include self-esteem, hard work, service, goal setting, etc. We all know how incredibly joyous and challenging it is to play the flute. For me, teaching young adults how to create their own career with the flute is rewarding beyond measure.

What challenges do you face at your school?
Amox: Until this year, I shared an office with five other adjunct teachers. Scheduling make-up lessons was terribly difficult. We were always accidentally walking in on each others’ lessons. There also was no storage for sheet music or files. This year I finally have my own office, which will reduce the stress.
   I teach three days a week, so that I can attend school in a neighboring state the other two days. There are no lunch breaks or time to practice during the day. (I teach 5-7 hours straight with no breaks.) At times, this can become taxing and I have to plan my meals and practice accordingly.
   As an adjunct teacher, I cannot function as my students’ academic adviser. This is inconvenient at times, as I do assist them with their course planning, but must send them to someone else to submit their schedules. The biggest problem with adjunct teaching is the lack of benefits. My institution does not offer health insurance to adjuncts, even if an offer to pay the entire premium is made. I also cannot contribute to a retirement plan through the university. I am paid on a per-course basis and will barely make above poverty level this year. (Thankfully, I have other income sources.)
    This is an ideal situation since I am in school; however, I am not certain I could maintain it long-term. The conundrum of adjunct teaching is finding the balance of growing a studio while still maintaining a schedule flexible enough to work around additional employment. Even with a full-time load, I cannot support myself financially merely on my adjunct income. I have to design a schedule that allows me to hold an additional job.

Payne: It is difficult to feel like an integral member of the music faculty when you are adjunct. Both the department chair and I have to work hard to make sure that we are communicating about changes, needs, and students’ progress. Often, I come in to teach for the day and never have contact with any of the other faculty. I appreciate when I am included in emails and memos that are circulated between the full-time faculty regarding the school of music and its students. As an adjunct faculty member, we have to work hard to not be a “check-in and check-out” teacher; but to truly be a member of the music faculty circle.

Schultz: Enrollment is increasing in the school of music as well as university-wide, which places a strain on our physical spaces. While the Moody Music building has some wonderful features, we are now expanding into some facilities on the opposite edge of campus. Like most institutions of higher education, there are fiscal challenges, particularly as we work to modernize our facilities and academic programs, and students face escalating tuition costs.

Surman: It is a challenge to meet the needs of a diverse flute studio; my students are pursuing a wide variety of goals from music education to performance, music therapy, and music entrepreneurship.

What advice would you give to current music majors or high school flutists considering a career in college teaching?
Amox: To gain experience, I suggest developing a large private studio while you are in school. This will teach you how to plan recitals and events, in addition to scheduling lessons and handling finances. Be flexible with career plans and willing to take whatever employment you can find as you piece together enough to be financially secure. Accept an adjunct position even if you are only offered one student or one class to teach. It is quite possible that your load will increase as you display your enthusiasm and work ethic.

Clardy: My advice is to begin teaching as soon as possible to gain experience, build a resume, and expand future career options.

Payne: I think adjunct teaching is underrated, even though I do not get benefits. The hours are flexible, the variety is exciting, and there are many students who truly value a great instructor at a smaller school. I have a very close relationship to my students that continues throughout their careers and lives.

Schultz: Find the best teacher and college or conservatory you can. Then practice, practice, practice. Seek a variety of avenues for performance, study scores, and make listening a habitual part of your musical routine. Since most institutions require MM and DMA degrees, be prepared for several more years of training. Those programs usually are demanding both musically and academically. Find ways to improve your teaching by working with local music organizations, observe great teachers while they teach, read those wonderful flute pedagogy books that are available, and use technology to strengthen both your teaching and performing. Create a high-quality professional portfolio that includes a CV, teaching philosophy, a recording of your playing, a video recording of your teaching, a reference list, and a repertoire list. Different schools ask for different things in the audition and interview process. Be ready when the opportunity arises. It takes many hours of hard work and dedication to be successful in the field, and college professors of music often work days, nights, and weekends.

Surman: Develop musicianship skills, both technically and artistically. Gain as much orchestral, chamber music, and solo experience as possible, and work with a teacher who will mentor you not only as a performer, but also as a future educator. Get involved with organizations such as the National Flute Association, College Music Society, MTNA, and local flute clubs and build relationships with others in the music community. Always be professional and learn how to be teachable. Consider learning a subspecialty within the field of music that will enhance your teaching and research portfolio. Most importantly, commit yourself fully to your dreams.

Diane Boyd Schultz is the flute professor at the University of Alabama, principal flutist of the Tuscaloosa Symphony, and flutist with the Capstone Quintet. She is a reviewer of new flute music for Flute Talk.

Mary Karen Clardy, the Regents Professor of flute at The University of North Texas, appears as a soloist and chamber artist. She records for the EPR label and is published by Leduc, Schott, and Universal Edition. She is a Consulting Editor of Flute Talk.

Tereasa Payne – Flutist/Ethnic Flutist/Woodwind Doubler – performs throughout the US with orchestras, artists, and Broadway shows (in NYC and on tour) and can be seen in the pit orchestra on the NBC series, SMASH. Tereasa is a founding member of the Areté Woodwind Doubling Quartet, premiering works for multiple woodwinds.
Heather Small has performed at the NFA Conventions in Kansas City (2008), Charlotte (2011), and Las Vegas (2012). She is currently on faculty at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and Southern Adventist University, and is the high school soloist competition coordinator for the Mid-South Flute Society.

Fulbright Scholar Dr. Patricia Surman is Artist Teacher of Flute at Northeastern State University. In demand as a soloist, Patricia has recently performed in Taiwan, Korea, Canada, France, and Spain and has played solo recitals and taught masterclasses across the United States.

The post Teaching Flute at the College Level appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

A Conversation with Composer Katherine Hoover

theinstrumenta — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 23:49:52 +0000

    Katherine Hoover graduated from the Eastman School of Music in 1959 where she studied flute performance with Joseph Mariano. She received a bachelor’s degree in music theory and a performer’s certificate in flute. She spent two years in Philadelphia, where she worked with William Kincaid, and in 1961 joined the faculty of the Juilliard preparatory department to teach flute. In 1969 she joined the theory faculty of the Manhattan School, where she had previously earned a master’s degree in music theory.
    During the 1970s, while continuing to perform actively, she began to arrange music, and then to compose. During the early 1980s she wrote Medieval Suite, Lyric Trio, a Double Concerto for two violins and strings, a piano Quintet Da Pacem, and orchestral works. During these years she continued to perform, playing for summer ballet performances at the Metropolitan Opera House and as principal flute for New York Grand Opera. For ten years she soloed with the New York Concerto Orchestra at Damrosch Park in Lincoln Center, performing all three Mozart Concerti, the Bach Suite in B Minor, Telemann Suite in A Minor, and the premiere of her Summer Night.
    In 1990 on a trip to the Southwest, she wrote Kokopeli which has become her best known work and sold over 10,000 copies. She started her own publishing company, Papagena Press, with this piece. (Papagena Press is now distributed by Theodore Presser Company.) In 1994 she received an Academy Award from the Academy of Arts and Letters and a grant from the NEA. That same year she conducted the Harrisburg Symphony in the premiere of her tone poem Night Skies. She continues to work on commissions and projects of many kinds. She has given masterclasses at various colleges and other venues.

What is your compositional style?
I’m familiar with Western music from Gregorian Chant up to the latest, and also with some music from Greece, India and the Middle East; not to mention Native American influences. So I draw from different sources that seem to fit the piece I’m writing.

What were your influences?
William Kincaid’s stringent work with me on basic phrasing and some Dalcroze work on movement with rhythm were pivotal to my development. At Eastman, our theory classes were based on Bach, two hours a day for two years. This covered chromatic harmony and counterpoint thoroughly. While teaching theory at the Manhattan School, I analyzed numerous scores from all periods, copying and studying like early composers did.
Barbara Tuchman’s book about the 14th-century inspired my Medieval Suite, and another non-fiction work Eleni by Nicholas Gage inspired my most performed orchestral work Eleni: a Greek Tragedy. Art works have inspired me as well as in Masks or Night Skies for orchestra.

Are your works programmatic or absolute music?
Though many of my works are inspired by extra-musical sources, very few are actually programmatic, as if following some sort of script. I’m happiest when a piece finds its own form.

What are your thoughts on the essence of music?
Music is based on movement in time, as is our very physical existence. Therefore, rhythm is the basis, whether it is free flowing, as in Kokopeli, or totally structured as the Dizi Dance in my Mountain & Mesa. In general, music makes sense to us as long as at least one element – melody, harmony, or rhythm – has a shape we can hear and understand. Beyond that it’s free play in the sandbox for composers!

What should a performer know when performing your works?
It is best to learn the piece by yourself, and not listen to others. Develop your own musical ideas. Start by carefully following the dynamics, rests, and tempo indications and listening carefully to shapes of the phrases. (Keep in mind that tempi are often set at a piano or computer and can be too fast for instruments that breathe, are bowed, or otherwise sustain.) Questions can be referred to your teacher or coach, and if some aspects are still unclear, contact the composer.

Works by Katherine Hoover
Solo Flute
Kokopeli (1990) (Recorded by Katherine Hoover, Mark Sparks, Laurel Zucker, Eugenia Zukerman, Stephanie Rea, Leone Buyse, Teresa Beaman, Tadeu Coelho, Kristen Stoner)
Winter Spirits (1997) (Recorded by Wendell Dobbs, Laurel Zucker, Stephanie Rea, Katherine Hoover, Christina Jennings, Rachel Rudich, Kristen Stoner)
To Greet the Sun (2005)
Reflections: Variations on a an Ancient Norwegian Chant (1982) (Recorded by Wendell Dobbs, Eugenia Zuckerman, Stephanie Rea, Katherine Kleitz)
Etudes (2011)

Flute and Piano
Medieval Suite (1986) (Recorded by Alexa Still, Jannine Dennis, Don Bailey, C. Thorspecken, Susan Levitin)
Masks (1998) (Recorded by Marilyn Shotola, Katherine Hoover, Merrie Siegel)
Mountain & Mesa (2010) (Recorded by Mimi Stillman)

Two or More Flutes
Celebration (2001)
Sound Bytes (1990) (Recorded by Claudia Anderson, Karen Yonovitz)
Trio for Flutes (1974)
Three for Eight (1996) (Recorded by Uptown Flutes)

For Multiple Flutes
Peace is the Way
Kyrie
Clowning Around
Mariposas
Concertante “Dragon Court”

Flute and Guitar
Canyon Echos (1991) (Recorded by Bonita Boyd, Wendell Dobbs, Laurel Zucker, Susan Morris DeJong)
Caprice (1999) (Recorded by Jan Boland)

Other Chamber Music
Homage to Bartok (1975) for wind quintet
Flute Violin, Cello Divertimento (1975) (Recorded by Wendell Dobbs)
Flute, Cello, Piano Lyric Trio (1982) (Recorded by Christiane Meininger, Diane Gold)
Dances & Variations (1995) (Recorded by Wendell Dobbs, Laurel Zucker) for flute and harp.
Three Sketches (Recorded by Christina Ledford) for piccolo and piano.
Summer Night for flute, horn, and strings (Recorded by Katherine Hoover)
Two for Two (alto flute and piano, bass flute and piano) (Recorded by Laurel Swinden)

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