After graduating with a master’s degree, I moved back home, got married, and took a full-time office job to support my family. I knew that if I wanted  to have a career as a professional musician, I would have to go back to school. The path to making that decision included many factors and a great deal of planning.

Assessing the Job Market
    Once home in St. Louis, I assessed the performance and teaching opportunities. I spoke with old friends from college and contacted schools where I might find employment as a flute instructor. I also checked out venues where I might present concerts without incurring too much expense.

Assessing Your Playing
    I came a long way in graduate school and was happy with my progress, but to make a career in music happen, I needed to assess my playing once again. I assessed what needed improvement and what I did well. I knew that I wanted to be an orchestral player but decided to make sure that I was a well-rounded musician so I was not limited to one area. By this point I realized that in order to fulfill my goals, I should go back to school for an intensive performance degree.

Picking a Degree
    The DMA (Doctor of Musical Arts) is a performance degree with more of an academic focus in theory and history and includes intensive pedagogical research that can be worked into a final dissertation. The AD (Artist Diploma) and Performance Certificate programs are for musicians who primarily wish to be performers. The AD program focuses strictly on performance with private instruction and recitals making up the curriculum and the Performance Certificate will usually require a limited amount of additional coursework in electives. However, each school may have different requirements.

Researching Programs
    I began researching where I might like to study. The most important factor was the teacher. I thought about professors I had liked at summer music festivals and masterclasses. I also considered the prestige of the institutions, location, and the possibility of receiving financial aid. I proceeded to email professors and schools asking many questions. I also made a chart of audition repertoire requirements for each program. I was working full-time so my practice time would be limited and I would do better if I could focus my attention on repertoire that I was familiar with and comfortable playing.

Setting a Budget
    Consider the school’s tuition, living expenses, and your savings and income. For auditions take note of the cost of transportation, hotel, and food. Write grants to help with expenses; the Friends of Flutes Foundation offers financial assistance for flutists.

Application Process
    Begin the application process as soon as the schools have been selected. Ask for references early in the fall so there is ample time to complete the forms. Send each person you ask for a reference your current resume so they are up to date with your activities and achievements. If a school requires a pre-screening audition, hire an accompanist as soon as possible. Prepare the recorded repertoire over several weeks so there are several options for submission. Investigate the price of a professional recording service versus renting a recording venue and using your own equipment.

Practice Strategy
    I began my preparation last September. I realized that with my work responsibilities, practicing 90 minutes a day would be all I could do on a regular basis. I divided the 90 minutes into blocks of time in which I focused on a specific element. A typical practice day included 15 minutes on tone, 15 minutes on technique, 30 minutes on solo repertoire and 30 minutes on orchestral excerpts. My practice sessions focused on quality over quantity.
    I selected tone and technique exercises that were specific to the repertoire I was working on. When I was too tired to physically play the flute, I used the time for score study and listening. Since I work in an office, I was able to put a Spotify playlist on a loop and immerse myself in the audition repertoire. This helped me learn the complete score and made a world of difference in my playing.

Small Goals
    One of the best lessons I learned was to set small goals to achieve a long-term goal. For example, a small goal was to clean up the technique in the first five measures of the last movement of the Prokofiev Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 94. Another was to smooth out and tune the chromatic scale in the opening of the Brahms Symphony No. 4 flute solo. On the days I came home from work exhausted, having small goals to focus on kept my mental health intact. More often than not, I began to feel revitalized and practiced for longer than I had planned.

Mock Auditions
    Often my husband would interrupt a practice session, with my repertoire list in hand, and ask me to play selections or the whole list on the spur of the moment. Other times I used my iPhone or Zoom recorders to create a mock audition setting. To this day I still get nervous when I see the red recording light.

Advice
    Sometimes I sent these recordings to flute colleagues and took a few lessons when I had the time. The most valuable feedback often came from my husband, who is a tubist. While he understood the importance of nitpicking problem spots, he also kept me grounded in the importance of playing the music. It was a refreshing perspective that helped me the most to achieve success.

Performing
    Perform in public as much as possible. If I had had more time, I would have performed more frequently at senior citizen and assisted living facilities.

Take a Break
    Sometimes, the distinguishing factor between a good musician and a great musician is a person who knows when to give themselves a break for a few days. This does not mean you are not dedicated or that you don’t care. When you come back to the flute, you will better be prepared to work hard.

Success
    Though it was difficult to follow my plan day in and day out, I am pleased to report that I will be pursuing a Post-Master’s Certificate in Performance at DePaul University this fall, studying with Mark Sparks.   

The post Go Back or Not appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

Guidelines for Web, Social Media and Email Communication
1. Be clear and courteous with each communication.

2. Hey is not an acceptable greeting when writing a teacher or professional. Hello, or Dear Professor Smith, are the best options.

3. Address people by their title and name, especially when emailing someone you do not already know. Wait to be told that it is okay to address them in a more informal way, such as by a first name.

4. Check through correspondence for typos or errors before sending. Autocorrect can often severely change the intention of a phrase, and not always in a positive way.

5. Use Facebook, texting and other forms of social media communication in an emergency only, unless the person with whom you are communicating has indicated this as the preferred method of contact. When you first contact a teacher or professional, it is better to use email and send a more formal correspondence. Though a teacher or professional may be friendly with you on Facebook, always show respect in response.

6. Be careful about commenting on someone’s post or public profile on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Insta-gram or other forms of social media. It is okay to offer appreciation of others work, but avoid critiques and unsolicited advice, especially to those who have far more experience.

7. If you are asking something of a teacher through email, be sure to do it with enough advance notice. Emailing a teacher in the evening about something for the next day is not acceptable. Be respectful of teachers’ private time.
8. If you ask a question of a teacher or other professional, and he or she responds with helpful information, always follow up with a thank you.

9. Information is shared easily and quickly today, so avoid putting anything in your online profiles that may not cast you in the best light. You never know who may be watching. First impressions, good or bad, are hard to break.

Lessons
1. If possible, arrive at lessons five minutes early. Be ready with the flute out, or at least easily accessible, and your notebook, music and recording device ready. Always ask a teacher if it is acceptable to record a lesson, if you are not sure of the policy.

2. Never enter a room, an office or a studio if the door is closed without knocking first – even if you can see the teacher inside. Most teachers will open the door when they are ready. Ask the teacher if you are unsure what he or she prefers.

3. Be sure your cell phone is turned off and put away during the lesson, unless you are using it as your recording device.

4. If you need to talk to a teacher about something non-flute related, it is best to ask at the beginning of the lesson, or in an email prior, if you can reserve a few minutes at the end of the lesson to speak. If it is a more serious issue, set up a meeting outside of the lesson time. Your lesson hour is one of the most important hours of the week, and it should be reserved for focused work.

5. Phrases to avoid saying during a lesson:
•    “I know.” If you already knew, then why were you not doing it.
•    “I’m trying.” The teacher knows you are trying. Before immediately responding to a suggestion with this, take a moment to reflect on the issue. If you still feel you are giving the effort but not getting the result, ask a question instead of defensively stating, “I’m trying”.
•    “I didn’t have enough time to practice this week.” Everyone has a busy schedule, however setting priorities and managing your time are part of learning how to be prepared.
•    “I had so much work to do for other classes this week.” This is a variation on the last statement. although teachers may be compassionate, they do not want to hear that another class is more important than theirs. You would not typically walk into other classes and complain about how much you have to prepare for a flute lesson. Come into each lesson with a positive attitude and motivated spirit.

6. When the lesson is over pack up your items in a timely manner so that you do not infringe on the next person’s lesson time.

7. Always thank teachers for lessons.

Ensembles
1. Always arrive at rehearsals on time (early) and prepared. Do not diminish the experience for yourself or colleagues by coming unprepared. It is disrespectful to your peers, the conductor and to the music.

2. Take advantage of digital resources for your preparation. Download tuning and metronome apps on your phone or tablet to have on hand for practice
sessions. Listen to a good-quality recording of the piece on YouTube, a live-streamed digital concert, or downloadable music library. Look up any musical terms with which you may be unaware.

3. Keep your cell phones off and put away during rehearsals, and concerts.

4. Learn to be diplomatic with your section members regarding issues that may arise. In general, it is best to let the conductor address musical issues. If a problem persists or goes unnoticed, it is the responsibility of the section leader to make the section aware of this. Avoid singling people out and just telling them that they are doing something wrong. Instead offer solutions that are helpful and inclusive.

5. Do not do distracting things such as speaking when the conductor is speaking, air practicing by clicking the keys, tapping your foot, turning to look at players behind you, doing homework, watching a movie on your iPad etc. It is important to be attentive even when it is not your turn to play.

6. Cleanliness is important when working in close quarters with others, however avoid wearing strong smelling lotions, or perfumes. Some people may have allergies and certain smells cause reactions, scratchy throats or coughs.

7. Dress appropriately for rehearsals and concerts. If you are sitting down, women should avoid skirts that go above the knee. Men should be sure that pant legs are long enough and that they are wearing the appropriate color socks. Avoid overly flashy clothing, jewelry and shoes. To be in an ensemble means to be part of a team. You want to blend in more than stick out. Be sure to check the ensemble’s specific dress code requirements.

Recitals and Solo Performing
1. If you are performing on an elevated stage, be aware that short dresses will appear even shorter. Err on the side of caution and make sure your upper and lower hemlines are not too severe. Wardrobe malfunctions are undesirable in a performance.
    Be sure to try concert clothes and shoes in advance to ensure comfort and function. You do not want to be distracted by ill-fitting clothing or uncomfortable footwear.

2. If you need to take water on stage, try to have it in a small transparent cup. Avoid large or colorful water bottles, glass that might break, and anything with a cap. It is best to place the water in an easily accessible, yet non-distracting location. Water does not belong on the piano; use a music stand, piano bench or something similar and place it near the back end of the piano. If possible, keep water backstage and take a drink between pieces or intermission.

3. Be sure that you have all of your music organized before going on stage. If you are playing with paper scores, be sure that they are in order, and that no parts are missing. If you are playing from an iPad or tablet, make sure it is charged, functioning and easily operable during the performance.

4. Walk on stage clearly and with confidence. Smile. Be welcoming to the audience as they welcome you on stage. Set their minds at ease and show that you feel comfortable and are ready to share an experience with them.

5. If you are performing with others, prepare ahead of time the order in which you will enter and exit the stage to avoid clumsiness upon arrival and departure.

6. Always acknowledge the pianist and bow together. Practice bowing ahead of time so that it is not awkward. In general when bowing, keep your head down and count to three. 

7. If you are performing as soloist with an orchestra or other ensemble, when you first walk onstage, be sure to shake hands with the concertmaster before bowing. This acknowledges your collaboration with the group. When the piece is finished, first shake hands with the conductor, then again with the concertmaster, before bowing. Include the group and their leader while accepting the audience’s applause.      

photo above courtesy of Indiana Wesleyan University

The post Technology and Good Manners appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    There are many talented professional performers and teachers in the flute world. There are also many opportunities for amateur flutists to continue their enjoyment of music. For students who may not want to pursue music professionally or adults looking to re-start their flute playing again, I strongly encourage them to take advantage of one of the great outlets available to them – such as a community band, orchestra, or flute choir.
    I played flute from age 12 and was actively involved in performing groups throughout high school and college. Although I loved music, I chose to pursue an engineering degree instead. When I finished college and first started working, I had little time to dedicate to music.
    After a few years of playing my flute a little here and there at home, I started missing playing in a musical group. Since I was new to the area, I started asking around and found that in the San Francisco Bay Area there were lots of amateur groups. I was a little hesitant, but I contacted the local community band and arranged to sit in for a rehearsal. I was heartily welcomed, and it felt so good to be part of a group again. I quickly joined that local band and enjoyed it so much that after a couple of years I joined another community band in a nearby town as well. Since then I have played in several local community bands and orchestras here in the Bay Area and have made many wonderful friends.

Benefits of Playing
    Besides enjoying the music and the people you meet, there are other driving reasons to continue with music after school ends. 
    Team Comradery. There is nothing like feeling part of the team in a musical ensemble. When you and your team all pull together and put on a successful concert, there is definitely a sense of pride.
    Sense of Accomplishment and Continued Improvement. My level of performance and skill continues to grow even after many years, and I continue to challenge myself by playing harder music. I also find that with performance experience comes confidence – fewer nerves in general and being able to perform as a soloist. I cannot say enough about how much I learn from playing alongside better players than myself, not to mention from knowledgeable conductors.
    Stress Relief. It is medically proven that listening to music relieves stress and promotes relaxation. I have found this be true of playing music as well. It is cathartic to pick up my flute and concentrate solely on the music after a stressful day.
    Sharing Music with Others. I find this is the most rewarding benefit of all. I enjoy sharing music with friends and family who attend the concerts or giving back to the community or charity at a local event. Recently, I had my first chance to teach beginning flute students. It was so rewarding to share my experiences and watch them learn.

Misconceptions
    People are often reluctant to take up playing again due to some common myths and misconceptions.
Myth 1: I am not good enough to play in a band or orchestra.
    There are amateur groups for every level of player – from beginning to semi-professional levels. If you are not familiar with a particular group, see if they have any video clips online, attend one of their concerts, or ask to sit in on a rehearsal. A good resource for pointing you in the direction of an appropriate music group is a local music store.
Myth 2: You have to audition to join an ensemble.
    Many amateur groups do not require auditions. Ask up front when inquiring about the group. If an audition is required, keep in mind that there are many forms of auditions. Some are only to make sure that you fit within a general level of playing – so that you will not feel uncomfortable later. They are often not high-pressure situations at all. If you have to audition, prepare,  take a deep breath, and relax. You will do just fine.
Myth 3: If you stop playing for years, you can’t start again.
    I find that these are often the musicians who are the most enjoyable to play music with. After not playing the flute for many years, they pick it up with a new zeal for music that is contagious and enjoyable to be around.
    Whether you are a current student who does not plan to pursue a professional music career or an adult returning to the instrument after years away, I encourage you to find a local concert band, orchestra or flute choir to join. There are so many ways to enjoy and share a love of music.   

The post Amateur Musicians: Sharing a Love of Music appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    Seven college flute professors from a variety of schools around the country offer advice for high school flutists and their teachers to help students prepare for auditions and select the best school for them. 

How and when should students start preparing for a college audtion?

Heidi Álvarez (Western Kentucky University): Start researching differences between programs and learn about various flute professors during junior year. All schools have great flute teachers, so it really comes down to which school is the best fit for you. Some considerations might include location and what the music program is like, including difficulty, graduation rate, job placement, and cost. A campus visit is important because it allows you to take a flute lesson with the professor, tour the campus, and meet students at the school. Be aware that the application process includes some financial costs to consider saving for, including application fees, upgrading your instrument, purchasing audition repertoire, audition application fees, recording engineers for a preliminary taped round, travel expenses, and lessons with flute teachers. 
    Make a list of the audition repertoire for each school and keep all of the audition music in one place. Then learn the music early – at least a year in advance. Be picky and use this as an opportunity to improve your playing. Play mock auditions in front of as many people as you can prior to the audition and seek feedback from them. Record your practice sessions.
    During the year prior to college, I meticulously analyzed every note and every phrase as I practiced. I spent countless hours working on the technical areas of each piece and experimented continuously with note lengths, dynamics, color shadings, breath control, and phrase nuances. I took copious notes during lessons, listened to recordings of each piece, studied the full scores, and practiced with an accompanist. In practice sessions, I rarely played through an entire piece from start to finish.
    A few months before the actual audition, I practiced run-throughs for endurance and for visualizing myself standing in front of the audition committee and playing well. Consistent daily victories are what yield successful audition experiences. Students begin preparation for a college audition whenever they pick up the flute. My advice for aspiring musicians is to live in the moment, put the full spirit into every second of every practice session, and treat every practice session like it is the audition itself.
    Schedule auditions with the flute professor or undergraduate music auditions coordinator early fall of senior year as many institutions have December 1 application deadlines. Make travel plans well in advance and plan ahead and make a list of things to pack so that you are not scrambling and feeling stressed out right before the audition. Plane tickets, money, maps, professional-looking attire (dress in layers to adjust for temperature variances), flute, and flute music as the most important things on this list.

Naomi Seidman (Pennsylvania State University): I find that the summer before junior year in high school, when students often have fewer commitments, is a great time to get serious about college auditions. If you do not have a private flute teacher, now is the time to get started with private weekly lessons. Repertoire requirements for auditions at each school usually do not change from year to year, so you can easily figure out what to work on.
    Make contact with flute professors at the schools you are interested in. Start with an email to introduce yourself, ask some questions about the program (if there are pre-screening requirements you can clarify any questions at this time), and inquire about a sample lesson. If possible, attend concerts (live or online via streaming). Look up degree options and double major opportunities, and check the tuition costs. To prepare for performing under pressure at the live audition, take any opportunity to perform, solo or in an ensemble. If you have scheduled a sample lesson with a teacher, it is a good idea to schedule the lesson well in advance of your audition so that you can show great improvement between the lesson and audition.

Leonard Garrison (University of Idaho): Priority admission and scholarship deadlines are sooner than many realize. Most schools require applications, including auditions, to be completed by the end of February or even earlier. Applicants should choose repertoire in the summer before the audition year. Flutists wishing to major in music should take private lessons. In addition to repertoire required for auditions, lessons should cover basic tone and technique, including memorized scales and arpeggios in the full range of the flute. Learn how to play with piano accompaniment, balancing with and cueing the pianist.

Hideko Amano (Carthage College, Harper College): Start as early as junior year. It is important to go on college visits and attend summer camps. Students interested in a performance major should meet the professors and have lessons with them. Check the school’s required repertoire lists and start learning the repertoire junior year. Try to narrow down the schools and teachers you want to study with. Being realistic about your playing level will lead to a shorter path to finding a college and a teacher appropriate for you.

Elizabeth Buck (Arizona State University): I think preparing for a college audition should go hand-in-hand with applying to colleges. Many people advise looking into colleges by the junior year of high school so that once senior year is upon them, they have a pretty good idea of where they might like to apply. This is true for college music auditions. While one could theoretically start preparing for a college audition freshman year, it is better to explore your interests and passions and have fun in high school. At age 17 students often work more productively in six months than they would have at 15, due to mature focus, concentration, and passion. I believe that auditioning for colleges and preparing for that eventuality should occur when students are absolutely sure that they want to study music.

Tara Helen O’Connor (Purchase College, Bard College, Manhattan School of Music): An athlete preparing for the Olympics would not begin training a few months prior to the event. The same is true for musicians. Learning the demanding repertoire takes concentrated slow practice over a number of years. For example, if you have to play the Mozart concerto, start learning it at least a year in advance. While you are learning the flute part, study the score to understand the harmony. Perform the piece before the audition as it will increase your confidence. When taking auditions or planning repertoire for competitions, select seasoned repertoire that shows your strengths. When I listen to auditions, I focus on beauty of sound, pitch, intonation, rhythm, vibrato and technical facility, but I also listen for what the player has to say musically. I can hear if a student understands the style, harmony, and score. It is simply not enough to just play what is on the page correctly. Convey an emotional support of the music, with good musical taste.

Kim McCormick (University of South Florida, Tampa): Students should begin looking into programs that interest them by at least sophomore year and really think about their career goals. Different schools are a better fit depending on whether students want to become professional players, teachers, or just want music as an important extracurricular activity. Some students may not know what they want yet and should consider other careers in and outside of music.
    Begin by visiting the websites of several colleges. Ask advice from professionals such as a school music teacher, private teacher, or other musicians you know. By junior year, try to narrow the search to about five or six schools. Take advantage of opportunities such as a summer band camp or masterclass at a school or with a flute professor you are interested in. These provide a great opportunity to find out about institutions, teachers and to meet other students. Sign up for a campus tour, and if possible sit in on classes and rehearsals. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you do not understand the audition requirements, email the professor to ask. Students should try if at all possible to take regular private lessons on their instrument. Most admissions are determined by the audition process with the applied music faculty. Because of this, lessons are a worthwhile investment. Competition is fierce, tuition is high, and money spent on lessons will pay off in the long run.

What is the biggest playing problem you see with incoming students?

Buck: One of the biggest concerns that I have when working with incoming freshman flutists is the need to be correct and to be right. For them playing the flute is all about getting the right notes and the correct rhythm. Sound is often a byproduct of this mentality, suffering from negligence and inattention, as the student is primarily concerned with hitting all the right notes in the fastest time possible. Many states, in fact, assess players on their technical ability, which is easiest to distinguish by speed and accuracy of notes. Those students who decide to major in music should think about music and not just the notes. Music is sound, creativity, and expression.

Garrison: Students from rural areas often have not had flute lessons – their only experience is playing in band. Many have a marching band stance with feet together and flute held stiffly parallel to the torso. They benefit from adopting a more open and natural posture. A tight, inflexible embouchure is common, and improper fingerings, especially in the high register, are legion. Good intonation has not yet been addressed, and high notes are especially sharp. I am amazed that some students with so little background can become excellent flutists during their college years. 

Amano: The incoming freshmen I teach usually come from a high-level teachers’ studio, but occasionally I feel that their repertoire list is quite short and not as advanced as it should be. I would like students to have learned more pieces from Flute Music by French Composers during their high school years. I often find that they need to improve their tone development and use books by Trevor Wye, Marcel Moyse and Phillipe Bernold for this.

Seidman: The most common problems I see are bad habits that directly affect flute fundamentals, thereby limiting students’ ability to play to their potential. In the first semester, I address tone, vibrato, intonation, technique, articulation and posture. I often use Trevor Wye’s Practice Books for the Flute: Omnibus Edition Books 1-5 (published by Novello) as well as Paul Edmund-Davies’ The 28 Day Warm Up Book (published by Carolyn Nussbaum Music), to help students tune into the fundamentals to create a well-rounded flutist and performer.  

Álvarez: As a university flute professor at a public regional university, I find that many incoming music education majors lack sufficient pre-college guidance. Many freshman flutists have an interest in teaching music, but they have not had regular private instruction prior to college. Because of this, the majority of my students begin their undergraduate studies without a balanced practice regimen, without a developed or disciplined grounding in fundamental concepts of musicianship, and without basic materials such as a sheet music library and a college-level instrument.  

McCormick: The biggest issue with regard to the physical aspects of playing has to do with tone and good intonation. Coordination of the body and embouchure in tone production are usually underdeveloped. Even though many have an appropriate embouchure which produces a basic nice tone quality, it lacks flexibility. Breath support is uneven, so there are significant intonation problems. Many lack the ability to control the sound and pitch at every dynamic level. Students should be taught how to listen, the importance of correcting this problem, and how to do it.

O’Connor: Incoming freshmen often have problems in the basic fundamentals of their playing: most notably breathing, support and posture. These basic intertwined fundamentals affect every aspect of playing. Often, students will do whatever they can to get enough air in to produce a desired sound. This includes raising the shoulders and arching the back when taking in air to play the flute. This, of course, is a disaster as it stretches and tightens the very muscles that in a relaxed state would normally allow proper inhalation. The gasping student is then left with a significantly reduced amount of air and a greatly reduced ability to play long well supported phrases. Students also are confused about what supporting the tone actually entails. Support is a word that is often discussed, but when I ask what it means, students are usually not able to describe it. The muscles used during inhalation oppose the muscles used in exhalation and that resistance is the definition of support. There is a wonderful article in The Flutist’s Handbook: A Pedagogy Anthology (published by the National Flute Association) by flutist Ransom Wilson called “Breathing: The Central Issue Of Flute Playing.” I ask my students to read it as it clearly and succinctly describes what needs to happen when breathing. Wilson describes what a relaxed breath feels like, the concept of support, what the muscles are doing in this process, and how to practice this.

What are the most common gaps in their training?

McCormick: Incoming students are used to being closely supervised by their parents and educators. Their entire daily schedule was mostly mapped out for them. For the first time they suddenly have quite a bit of independence and must make choices and learn to organize their time carefully. Time management is often a struggle. As a high school student, music may have been a high priority but now it takes on a more significant role as their major. A common problem is putting it all together. This means setting goals and a practice routine that will help them to accomplish those goals.
     Some high schools cover theory as part of their curriculum but most do not. Students come in with very uneven backgrounds in this area. Many know major scales much better than minor scales. Band music is mostly in flat keys so sharp keys are less familiar. I find that sightreading and rhythmic accuracy are one of the biggest gaps in their backgrounds. Even many students from strong high school band programs have not learned to read well. They rely on playing by ear. Mixed meter and complicated rhythmic patterns are tasks for which they are not well-prepared. They have to be taught how to work out these solutions on their own. The concept of really studying the score while listening to it and knowing it as well as their own part is a skill that must be developed.

O’Connor: I find that most students learn the flute part in isolation without understanding how it fits into the bigger musical picture of the whole score. One favorite example is in the Mozart G major concerto just before the closing phrase in the exposition, in measure 77. There is a scale-wise motion from E on the staff to the D above the staff in eighth notes. Often flutists will make a diminuendo to the top because they think it sounds nice, and it feels like an ending cadence. In fact, those eighth notes lead to the violins who finish the phrase five beats later. Without studying the score, it is easy to make the wrong choice. By playing the flute part and then the violin part, you get the right perspective on the dynamic shape. Students also do not recognize phrase structure. They do not see logical patterns and breathe in random places that obscure the musical idea, such as right before a cadence. This is like breathing before the last syllable of the last word of a sentence. Students laugh when I demonstrate this. I then remind them that music is a sensible language constructed of musical ideas that should have proper punctuation.

Garrison: Few eighteen-year-olds have learned that music is a language that has its own expressive meaning. They seem oblivious of harmony and the need for dissonance to resolve. They breathe capriciously without regard for phrasing. Few are curious about expressive indications in Italian, French, or German and have not been taught to look them up. They are unaware of the stylistic differences between Bach, Mozart, Debussy, and Muczynski. A troublesome trend is that many people value originality of interpretation over respect for a composer’s intentions, resulting in sometimes inappropriate interpretive choices.

Amano: My students usually come from excellent teachers, so I do not see major gaps, but sometimes I feel we need to spend too much time working on scales and arpeggios. Students should learn the Taffanel et Gaubert Grand Daily Exercises No. 4 and 10 in high school. These exercises are essential in learning the flute, and by conquering  them at young age, it will help them play new repertoire more easily.

Buck: Much depends on whether students have had private lessons, where their teacher studied, and whether they listen to classical music. There are enormously talented students who simply cannot afford private lessons, yet they listen to music and observe YouTube and online instruction, while others work very hard with established teachers. No matter what the background, a love for music, broader than just a love for flute, is often what distinguishes the most promising students.

Seidman: Musical expression is often a problem. Students often major in music because of inspirational experiences in high school band or orchestra. They are used to being led by wonderful music educators and have rarely performed solo or chamber works. Because of this they tend to lack musical autonomy. I try to build this by working on phrasing, inflection, and musical exposure. I also make sure they have many opportunities to perform solo works in recitals and masterclasses.
    Students also often struggle with time management. While in high school, they divided their time between many extra-curricular activities and could only dedicate an hour per day at most to practicing. In college they have much more time to practice. Deciding what to practice and for how long can be a completely new concept. With some scheduling advice and practice logs this issue is quickly resolved.

Álvarez: Most of my students have never had private instruction, so they have an abundance of untapped, undiscovered, unrefined potential. I often start by helping them develop a work ethic through a regular and consistent practice regimen that can be quite difficult for some. Weekly assignments of scales, etudes, and repertoire are specific prescriptions, and often students are expected to prepare more music than we have time to cover in a single lesson.
    Many college freshmen lack the ability to look ahead to what comes next and figure out what actions are necessary to fulfill various goals. In week one, I assist new students with organization and planning. We discuss basic things such as where to order music, how to use electronic discography databases, how to fill out electronic forms for performing on student recitals, how to fill out jury forms, how to develop and design a resume, bio, and repertoire list, and how to secure an accompanist. I ask them to write flute event dates in their calendars and to write down in their calendar which three hours each day will be used for practicing flute.     

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More Tips for Success
Garrison: Perform in as many situations and as often as possible including solos, band, orchestra, chamber music, and competitions. Listen to a great variety of music – and not just through ear buds while doing other things. Go to as many live performances as possible and observe how professionals act on stage and relate to audiences. Find a friend to sightread duets with regularly. Learn to play piano. You will develop a better understanding of harmony, learn to read bass clef, and perhaps be waived from some piano class requirements in college. Sing in a choir and learn solfege. Take a music theory class. If your high school offers it, take the AP Theory curriculum and test. This could allow you to skip the first year of college theory. Take AP courses in other subjects to open up time in your college schedule to focus on practicing and performing. 

O’Connor: The repertoire you are learning now includes pieces that will stay with you for life. Your practice is not just for the upcoming auditions; it is for you and your aspirations in your art. Learn each piece with the best habits and concentrated attention. Unlearning something is much harder than learning it properly the first time. Inspiration can come from the most unexpected discoveries. Learn about works created at the same time as your repertoire. Listen to great singers like Jessye Norman and Dawn Upshaw to develop your ear and aesthetic. Draw inspiration from other sources. It could be an article on posture that suddenly clicks in your mind when you pick up the flute. It could be releasing a volleyball serve that gives you the feeling of releasing a phrase into the air. Life is music. 

Amano: Make sure you have the passion and dedication to make music your life’s work. Musicians do not have time off as often as other occupations. They work nights, weekends, and holidays. Teaching can last until late at night. This career is for those who are willing to sacrifice a normal lifestyle and be happy and passionate about it. 

Buck: Study hard and don’t let your academics slide. Successful flute students who go on in the profession are often the ones who excel in other subjects. Students who have good time management and study skills do better. The more knowledge you gain, the more you can reflect that in your music. Plato said, “The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future in life.” So be open, be broad-minded and be creative when playing the flute. Study hard and work hard and then see where the future lies.

Seidman: Try it out. Summer music programs are a great way to get an idea of what it would be like to be a music major. Many schools offer a summer study program where students live in the dorms and work with the school’s faculty. Also, don’t be afraid to major in music. Collaboration, performing under pressure, listening, communication and time management are just a few of the skills you will learn as a music major, and they are attractive to employers in many fields. There are no guarantees of a job in any career, so if playing the flute feeds your soul, give yourself the chance to pursue it.

Álvarez: First and foremost, make a commitment to being a disciplined individual who religiously practices long tones, scales, etudes, solo repertoire, and duets three or four hours every day. In addition to rigorous practicing, seek venues that foster a love of teaching and performing. In high school I practiced four hours a day, taught twenty private students a week and performed at local churches, parties, and retirement homes. What I did then shaped and defined who I am now. Surround yourself with great instruction. Seek every opportunity to improve and deepen your understanding of music. In addition to private lessons, participate in chamber music, competitions, local youth ensembles, and summer music camps. Finally, continue to engage in daily activities outside of music that nurture the soul. The best musicians I know are happy, well-rounded people who have a variety of creative and academic interests outside of music.

McCormick: Audition at several schools. It is best not to limit yourself to just one or two choices. Many schools have quotas on enrollment. The year you audition, your first choice may have few openings, or you may discover that they have limited scholarship funds. You should also maintain a high grade point average throughout high school because no matter how brilliantly you play, you may not be accepted at certain universities if your grades are not good enough. (High grades also will help with scholarship offers.) Be flexible and keep as many doors open as possible. At age 18 it is nearly impossible to determine exactly where your career will take you.

Heidi Álvarez is professor of music at Western Kentucky University, the treasurer and a board member for the Flute Society of Kentucky, and second flute in the Orchestra Kentucky Bowling Green. Álvarez holds degrees in flute performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (BM) and from the Florida State University (MM and DM).

Naomi Seidman is assistant professor of flute at the Pennsylvania State University and a member of the Pennsylvania Quintet. She has won numerous solo competitions, founded the Penn State Flute Day, and is a Powell Flutes Master Teacher.

The post Preparing For College appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

College-Bound Flutists
    Knowing that fall is a time when students have less time for individual practice, start college exploration as early as the beginning of the junior year. Discuss career plans with students. If a music major is top on the list, help students make a list of interesting and appropriate schools and organize information about audition dates and requirements using a program such as Excel. Select interesting repertoire that will apply to the most number of applications and present a few challenges to the student. Do not select music that is too difficult. It is better to play simpler music well, than difficult music poorly. Teachers are looking for potential, not necessarily a finished product.
    Audition requirements often include several of the following: the first movement of the Mozart Concerto in G, K.313, two movements of a J.S. Bach sonata, a contrasting piece (many require one of the Paris Conservatory examination pieces), a contemporary sonata, a concerto such as the Ibert or Nielsen, and several orchestral excerpts.
    Have students purchase an urtext edition (an edition in which the publisher strives to reproduce the composer’s original intention based on a manuscript or the earliest known copy in existence) or a performer’s edition for the Mozart Concerto and the Bach Sonatas. Be careful in purchasing a performer’s edition as there is a chance that it may be edited in a Romantic tradition rather than in the appropriate style for the period.
    For several reasons the best choices for Bach are the first two movements of the E Minor, BWV 1034 or E Major, BWV 1035. The first three Bach sonatas (B minor, Eb major, A major) are titled Sonatas for cembalo obligato and flauto transverso, and the last three (C major, E minor, E major) are titled Sonatas for traverso and continuo. In the first set Bach wrote out the keyboard part, while in the second set he only indicated the figured bass. Through the years, various keyboard scholars have realized the figured bass of these three sonatas and published versions. Often when auditioning there is limited time with the accompanist (unless you bring your own), so putting the E minor or E major together with an unknown accompanist is much easier in a limited time frame because the keyboard parts are less difficult. (Interesting side note: recent scholarship suggests that the B minor, A major, E minor and E major are by J.S. Bach, and his son K.P.E. Bach wrote the Eb major and C major sonatas.)
    For the contrasting piece (or Paris Conservatory examination piece) do not select the Chaminade Concertino, Op. 107. While it is a lovely piece and cherished by all, most flute professors have judged too many bad renditions of the Chaminade in competitions and are tired of hearing it played poorly and inaccurately. It would be better to select the Enesco Cantabile et Presto or the Gaubert Fantaisie. These are beautiful pieces that have not been played to death at competitions.
    If you are free to select your own contrasting work look at the sonatas by Hindemith, Martinu, Poulenc, or Prokofiev or an unaccompanied piece by Bozza, Ibert, Hindemith, Ferroud, or a grouping of the 30 Caprices by Karg-Elert. Be sure the student’s level of performance is high enough to play these pieces well.
     It used to be that flutists learned the Ibert and Nielsen concertos in college studies, however, today most advanced high school flutists have memorized and performed the Ibert and Nielsen. If these works are too difficult, then students should apply to schools where the requirements better match their current level of advancement.
    A few music schools request an etude of the flutist’s choice. I like etudes that could be played in a concert. Some possibilities include: Altes, No. 9 in C minor, Andersen, Op. 15, No. 3 in G Major, Furstenau, Op. 107  (any with the accompanying prelude), Kohler Op. 33 Book 3 (No. 1, 2, 3, 4, or 7), or one of the Paganini 24 Caprices. When learning etudes, be sure to chunk in a variety of chunk-lengths from two notes to many notes. Follow the composers’ markings carefully especially observing the dynamic markings. Too often etudes are played moderato and mf.
    The last requirement from conservatories and many universities is orchestral excerpts. Some schools will have a list of selections, while others ask for three or four of the applicant’s choice. Make a careful assessment of the student’s level before making these selections. Some easier excerpts include the fourth movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in Eb major (Eroica), Bizet’s Menuet from L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2; the fourth movement of Dvorák’s Symphony No. 8, Mendelssohn’s Scherzo, and Volière from Saint-Saëns’s Carnival of the Animals. The more difficult ones include Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3; the fourth movement of Brahms’ Symphony No. 4, Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis, Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony and Peter and the Wolf, Rossini’s William Tell Overture, Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, and works by Stravinsky. Teachers should create a strong musical foundation for students and teach the complete work rather than the excerpt. Complete parts for the list above may be downloaded from www.imslp.org. If possible, do not assign excerpts that are more difficult than what is appropriate for the student’s current level of advancement. On several occasions I have taught the Stravinsky Firebird variation to a student who did not have an understanding of compound meter. Better to teach the basics to build a foundation than to teach an excerpt by rote.

Preparing the Repertoire
    Begin learning the repertoire at the end of marching season during students’ junior year with a goal of presenting the material in a recital in late spring or early summer. Record the recital hoping to get a good-quality performance that might be used for pre-screening auditions the next fall. Pre-screening recordings are often due by December 1, if not earlier. It is wise to schedule a recording session after the recital to re-record anything that did not go well. Then put the music away and start new repertoire during the summer.

Summer Suggestions
    Repertoire for the summer before senior year should complement the audition repertoire. For example, if the Mozart Concerto in G, K. 313, first movement is required in the audition, explore the Friedrich Schwindl Flute Concerto in D Major, the Mercadante Concerto in E Minor, or concertos and sonatas by Devienne. These works are less sophisticated than the Mozart, but are charming in nature and certainly the joy of playing them will add a spark to a Mozart performance.
    During the summer have students listen to various recordings of both Mozart concertos and analyze whether the artist is playing in 44 or alla breve. Listen for the hierarchy of the strength of the beat, use of articulatory silence, and the player’s ideas on vibrato. Notice how trills are executed and resolved. Franz Vester’s book W.A. Mozart: On the Performance of the Works for Wind Instruments (Broekmans en Van Poppel B. V. 1670) offers a thorough discussion on performing early music. Vester discusses topics such as tone, meter and stress, articulation, phrasing, tempo, rhythmic questions, ornaments, vibrato, dynamics, cadenzas and fermatas plus an extended discussion on both the Mozart concertos and the Andante in C. Vester’s book also provides an in depth discussion of all the woodwind concertos and chamber works. This book is essential material for all serious flutists.
    For alternative repertoire to the Bach, explore sonatas by Handel, Marcello, Telemann, Quantz, or Sammartini. The Telemann 12 Fantasias for solo flute offer a wealth of musical teaching points that will easily transfer over to the study of the Bach sonatas.
    Works by Faure, Busser, Perihlou, Taffanel, Gaubert, and Casella offer interesting repertoire choices for the Paris Conservatory requirement. If a student is not ready for the standard sonata repertoire, look at Bernard Heiden’s Sonatina, Burton’s Sonatina, or Muczynsky’s Sonata or Three Preludes.
    For summer excerpt study, have students learn the entire composition rather than just the excerpt. A good goal would be for students to play the entire piece with three different CD recordings.
    If possible, have a recital at the end of summer study to put a good finish on the last weeks of preparation. Once marching band begins spend lesson time reviewing audition material learned the previous spring. The summer repertoire should have enriched students’ thinking about the audition material. Make a chart so that each selection is reviewed several times in the fall lessons. Once marching band season is over, then full attention can be directed on the audition material. Try to select later audition dates, so there is ample time to prepare.

Younger Students
    For students who do not intend to pursue music after high school or who are below junior year, they often do not face the deadline of an upcoming audition or other event. Do encourage them to continue lessons during marching season (or fall sports season) even if there is little time to practice. Spend lesson time working on fundamentals such as tone, tone color, slow intervals for smoothness and perfect intonation, reviewing the stance and balance of the flute in the hands, and theoretical material such as scales, arpeggios, scales in thirds, and seventh chords plus etudes. If a student has no time to prepare etudes, then sightread simpler etudes at each lesson for phrasing and to develop a singing style. Chunk more difficult etudes with the teacher playing one chunk and the student playing the next, matching quality of tone and note lengths. Etudes from the complete methods by Popp, Gariboldi, and Soussmann are an excellent choice. These may be downloaded from . You can also use lesson time for rhythmic reading and sightsinging to improve skills. Teach students basic conducting patterns. One of the most enjoyable things to do is to play duets switching parts as you go from one duet to the next. Start with canons such as the Six Canonic Sonatas by Telemann or Thom Ritter George. Move on to the Kuhlau Duos Op. 10, 80, 81, 102, 39 followed by one of my all-time favorites the Koechlin Sonatine () or the challenging Hindemith Canonic Sonate. Ask the next student to come a few minutes early, and the two students can play a trio with you. Students learn more about playing musically from chamber music than anything else. Since the marching band stance is so different from artistic flute-playing stance, review the differences reminding students to relax and breathe.
    Students often feel overwhelmed in the fall with new, harder classes, marching band, and other extracurricular activities. Making lessons unstressful but still productive, where learning occurs without a lot of preparation, will be less frustrating to both teachers and students.  

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    I will admit from the outset that I have been a lifelong collector of things – rocks, stamps, shells, books, engravings, music – my family even accused me of having a wire collection. In recent years I have focused my collecting desires on flutes, and this has been extremely rewarding. I thought I would pass on both some reflections on flute collecting and some advice to those who may also find this an interesting undertaking.
    As a performer on historical flutes, the collecting of these instruments comes rather naturally to me. Over a period of 40 years, I have acquired various flutes of historical interest, but I did not begin collecting in a serious, organized, manner until five years ago. Although my main interest is Baroque music, 18th-century instruments are considerably more rare and expensive than 19th-century ones, so these days collecting 19th-century flutes is more common.

nach Meyer, Germany, simple system 10-key

19th-Century Flutes
    A few years ago, I became interested in both the music and instruments of the 19th century. As is usually the case, the more I collected and studied the instruments and repertoire of the period, the more fascinated I became. I found many instruments available and discovered that the flute repertoire was huge, interesting, and virtually unknown. 
    My collection started off in a rather unfocused manner, which is a reasonable way to get one’s feet wet. I simply looked for good deals on what appeared to be interesting flutes from Germany, Vienna, France, England, and America. As one starts investigating 19th-century flutes, it is immediately apparent that there are virtually an infinite number of different styles of flutes and different models within those styles. Even just collecting within a single country presents a huge number of options, both with simple-system and Boehm flutes. Compared to the modern flute of today, the selection that a flute player could choose from in the 19th century was huge.
    In the 19th-century flutes were very nationalistic items. Each country had its own designs and preferences both in terms of desired tone and tuning but also the mechanics and even materials used in the making of flutes. These days flutists are broadening their interests slightly through the resurgence of the modern wooden Boehm flute, but in the 19th century one had a choice of two different types of Boehm flute, either conical or cylindrical, with the conical ones being wood and the cylindrical one available in a variety of woods and metals. Simple system flutes could vary from one key to 13 or more. Many hybrid instruments were also made.

D’Almaine & Co. , Late Goulding & D’Almaine, Soho Square, London, c.1840, 8-key simple system

Flutes of Different Countries
    English flutists had a strong desire for a very big sound (thanks in part to the popularity of flutist Charles Nicholson). Their instruments had larger embouchure holes and tone holes in comparison to other countries. This caused various things to happen. One of the biggest was that the flutes were designed to be played using the keys for the various accidentals and generally not allowing the cross-fingerings in use on flutes from the 18th century and still available in some flutes in the 19th. The 8-key flute was standard throughout most of the century and was not eclipsed by the Boehm flute probably until the 20th century. There are many of these English flutes available today.
    Viennese flutes were particularly fine, and one can still find flutes of the type that Beethoven would have known. These flutes are more difficult to acquire and command higher prices. They are quite sophisticated and often had a B-foot (in a 9-key version). Italian flutes were initially based on the Viennese designs of Koch and Ziegler, but they eventually found their own path and made many fine instruments. They are not as common in the US.
    Germany also produced many different models of flutes that included very sophisticated designs of all types as well as instruments like the nach Meyer flutes, which were produced in great numbers with many being exported to the US and elsewhere. The United States had an extremely busy flute scene with companies like Firth, Hall, and Pond that produced large numbers of flutes of varying quality. Most of the larger flute companies made inexpensive (and often not very good) instruments as well as fine concert and presentation flutes.
    My own collecting focus is on French flutes that come in many different designs from 1-key to 11-keys and encompassing superb flutes of both the Boehm conical and cylindrical models. Pricing for these flutes tends to be reasonable, especially as they are likely to play well. The French had a tonal model which emphasized sweetness over volume.

Firth, Hall & Pond, NY, simple system 1-key

Value of Old Instruments for Flutists
    I have noticed that many top collectors of flutes are not actually flutists themselves, but are interested in the history, technology, and beauty of the historical flutes. On the other end of the spectrum are people like myself who really want to experience playing these instruments together with the music they were made to perform. One learns a tremendous amount from playing music on the flutes the music was written for. Even if one is not eventually going to perform the work on an old flute, it is a wonderful experience to get a feel for things the flutes do very well and those that they do not.
    As an example, although all flutes have a wide dynamic range, early flutes were usually quite a bit softer than modern flutes. In particular, very loud, hard edged playing in the lower register was not a technique that could be used on these flutes. It was clear that for 18th- and 19th-century composers, a scale or arpeggio going up was going to yield a crescendo and probably an increase in energy. The modern flute and modern musical practice tends to want to even out such figures and eliminates an important part of what the musical phrase or figure was designed to accomplish. This phrase shaping is quite natural on most old flutes.

Firth & Son, NY, c.1863-64, simple system 8-key

Other Characteristics of 19th Century Flutes
    A common question is whether a one-key flute from the 19th century will be just like a Baroque flute and suitable for playing 18th-century music. Generally, the answer is no. While the fingerings are basically the same, flutes in the 19th century were designed to favor the high register, while the earlier ones focused on the lower two octaves. The pitch of a 19th-century flute is different as are aspects of the tuning and desired tone quality. These factors create a very different sound and feel.
    Pitch is one of the first problems that people run into when starting to collect flutes. In more cases than not, A=440 was not really the pitch the instruments were intended to be played at. The most common 19th-century pitch was probably A=435 in the mid-century or A=430 at the start of the 1800s. There were quite a few higher pitches used as well. Many English flutes were made at a pitch, almost, but not quite, a half step around A=440. Many French and German flutes were made at A=448 (including flutes of the foremost makers such as Louis Lot.) Sometimes you can find flutes that will play at A=440 if they are all the way pushed in, but they were usually designed to play lower. Many of the silver flutes of the famous French makers have been cut down to make them work properly at today’s pitch. To get the maximum potential from a flute, you should play it at the intended pitch and not try to force it to another pitch or alter the instrument from its original condition. Obviously, there are practical problems with this as with modern instruments people are pretty well stuck in the A=440-442 range. It is important to recognize that the pitch of an instrument makes a big difference in the tonal quality intended for the instrument. There is a large difference between a flute designed for A=430 (dark and rich sounding), and a flute at A=446 (clear and bright). These differences are one of the things that make playing on these flutes so interesting. 
    Sounding Length (SL) is the measurement from the middle of the embouchure to the end of the foot joint. The SL is the best way to make a guess at the intended pitch of a particular flute if you cannot test the instrument yourself. It does not work 100% of the time, but it is the best way to get an idea without playing the instruments.

Here are a few examples:

Important note: If the flute does not have a tuning slide, push everything all the way in. If the flute does have a tuning slide, pull it out 7 mm.

Buying an Old Flute
    Proceed carefully when you buy an old flute. By far the largest market is through eBay. Traditional auction houses sell an occasional old flute, but they are generally in the more expensive price range. Flutes are still found in antique stores or even flea markets, especially in Europe. There are some complexities to purchasing on eBay. First and foremost, sellers often know nothing about the instruments they are selling. Getting a fix on the condition is particularly difficult and finding out things like pitch are pretty much impossible. One has to become very good at examining the limited photographs provided to try to see what may be wrong with the instruments and even if all the parts are there. The sellers often just don’t know. There is a positive side to this as well, as sometimes you can find bargains on fairly valuable instruments. There are usually other savvy buyers, so you may still have to compete to get the flute.
    Another problem for inexperienced buyers is that the flutes for sale are usually the most plentiful and cheap instruments of the era. The most common of these are nach Meyer flutes. They are 19th- or 20th-Century flutes copied from the original designs of Heinrich Friedrich Meyer in Hanover. This is certainly one of the most popular designs of the flute ever made, and many were exported from Germany to the US. At any given time there are ten or more for sale on eBay. They are often cheap, under $300, but virtually never playable. They are wooden instruments with a metal-lined headjoint and tuning barrel that almost always cracks. The pads also usually need to be replaced as well as corks and occasionally springs. They can almost always be fixed, but the cost is usually going to be higher than the real value of the flute.
    When they are fixed up, some of these flutes actually can play well at A=440, especially ones made for the early 20th-century American market,  but the quality range is great. If you look in a turn-of-the-century Sears & Roebuck catalog, you will see many of the same types of flutes you see on eBay and get an idea of their relative worth. 
    There are dealers, such as myself, who generally sell only flutes that have been fully restored, tested, and properly documented. Many people who sell in this manner also do their own restorations. Their prices are generally higher, but there is a much smaller risk involved with your purchase.

Maison Souchette, France, simple system 5-key

Learning More About Old Flutes
    There are a small number of fine books every serious collector should own. The New Langwill Index, A Dictionary of Musical Wind-Instrument Makers and Inventors, William Waterhouse is a valuable resource. It is out-of-print, but you can find a copy if you look. If you are interested in English flutes, Robert Bigio’s book Rudall, Rose & Carte: The Art of the Flute in Britain is an excellent investment. Woodwinds in Early America by Douglas Koeppe contains superb information on American flutes. Ardal Powell’s book, The Flute, provides a wonderful historical overview of the development of the instrument. 
    There are many museums in the US with fine collections of historical instruments, including flutes. In addition, visiting people with private collections can be the best way to experience a flute as you are much more likely to hear them played and may be able to try them yourself. Many collectors treat their instruments as an educational tool.
    Facebook groups are one of the best source’s of information for flute collectors and players of original flutes. These are great places to ask questions about a flute you have or one you are considering purchasing. The two I frequent most are Flute History Channel and The 19th-Century Flute. There are many knowledgeable people on these pages including collectors, players, teachers, makers, and restorers. There are also a couple of websites that are useful, especially if you are trying to identify an instrument. Look at and my site .   
    Flute collecting is a wonderful pastime which if you are careful and patient can yield exciting things. I would urge all flutists to experience trying the various styles of historical flutes – if possible  hopefully with the help of someone who does play them well. For modern flute players a little time with a conical Boehm flute can be especially interesting. These instruments were very popular well into the 20th-century although they are virtually never heard today.

Foot joints by Barfoot, London – Goulding, London – Godfroy, Paris – Palanca, Italy

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Tips for Buying Flutes on eBay
 
    Here are some suggestions for buying on eBay. Although they are not trade-secrets, many people are not aware of these things. They apply equally to most anything one would buy on an eBay auction.
 
1. Unless you know otherwise, do not accept an item description as being accurate. Do your homework

2. Condition is a huge factor in determining the value of a flute. Most things can be fixed but that can get expensive. A nice original case and accessories like a grease pot, screwdriver, or swab stick, will raise the value.

3. Try to determine the pitch of the flute if that matters to you. 

4. Examine photographs very carefully. The sellers may not be trying to deceive you, but they sometimes list a flute as being in excellent condition” when it is really missing a key or worse. If you do not see what you need to, request more photos and be specific.

5. Remember to check the embouchure hole carefully. Embouchures were often enlarged, especially on cheap flutes. This is never a good thing.

6. If you are planning to bid, think hard about how much you really want to spend and bid that amount. 

7. Best-Offer auctions can be quite good. If you are interested in an item make a reasonable offer

8. There is no reason to ever bid on an item until it only has 10 seconds or less until the auction ends. Bidding early forces the price up. Sellers want you to bid early, but as a buyer you should wait. Remember if you bid late, you will probably only have one opportunity before the auction ends, so bid the maximum you are willing to spend.

9. Don’t bid on an antique flute expecting that you can send it back if you don’t like it. A few buyers offer that option, but generally if you buy it, it is yours.

Monzani & Co, London, 1825, 8-key flute

The post Flute Collecting: Curse or Pleasure appeared first on The Instrumentalist.

    In addition to an international career as a soloist and recording artist, flutist Luisa Sello is an ambassador of music and Italian culture and professor of flute in Trieste. She specializes in multi-media projects combining flute performance with poetry, visual arts, dance, and acting. Her repertoire encompasses a wide range of musical styles from Baroque through contemporary techniques. Sello’s principal teachers were Raymond Guiot and Severino Gazzelloni.

     This past April Luisa Sello and pianist Bruno Canino presented a recital and masterclass in Pittsburgh sponsored by the Italian Ministry/Mondo Italiano (local Pittsburgh Italian cultural liaison). The concert featured Italian opera composers including Donizetti, Verdi, and Rossini. The masterclass was hosted by the Pittsburgh Flute Academy where attendees asked the following questions.

What was music education like in Italy when you were a young student?
     At that time the only music education in Italy was offered through local conservatories of music in larger towns. There were no classes, bands, orchestras or choirs in the local schools, and no formal music classes at the primary and secondary schools except a bit of singing. However, my parents were members of a parish choir, so I grew up singing and improvising in counterpoint with the choir. My father was delighted with my natural musical abilities and presented me with a small accordion. I started to play by ear, searching for harmonies and melodies without any knowledge about reading music. Eventually, they sent me to a class hosted by our local parish. In Italy today it is quite different. There are schools of music in every village and conservatories of music are very popular. You can find live concerts and concerti everywhere.
 
Why did you decide to play the flute?
     This is quite a funny story. The flute just happened to choose me. When I was 10 years old, my mother wanted me to enter the local conservatory of music when she noticed that I was singing and playing on any instrument I came across. After about a year of private piano lessons, she had me apply for the entrance exam. Waiting for my examination, I suddenly realized that it was the wrong day. I started to cry, and a door man at the Conservatory took pity on me and scooted me into a non-piano room saying, “Go there, and once you are on the accepted candidate list, you can move into a piano class.” I asked who was in that room, and he told me that it was a flute committee. “What is a flute,” I asked innocently. “Go. You will see,” he answered. I never moved from the flute class after that day. That was my fate and how the flute chose me. The flute became a part of me.

Who were your teachers?
     My first flute teacher was Milos Pahor who was at the Conservatory of Udine, the town where I was born. He was my teacher from age 11 until the Final Degree when I was 19. In Italian conservatories  there is a strict adherence to a tradition. When you begin with a teacher, you stay with that teacher until graduating. My particular tutor was a Baroque specialist, and to this day I am grateful for my nearly 10 years spent learning about early music – historic flutes, embellishments, harmonies, counterpoint, and performance practices. After earning my diploma, I went on to study at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, recognized for its famous Summer Academy of Music. (The school was founded by Count Guido Chigi Saracini in 1932 as an international center for advanced musical studies.) The flute professor at that time was Severino Gazzelloni, a flute legend. There were flutists from all over the world applying for only eight places, and much to my surprise, I passed my audition. I was privileged to study with him for three years.
     I then began traveling to study with Europe’s celebrated flutists including Alain Marion, James Galway, and Konrad Klemm. Only after meeting Raymond Guiot (Principal Flute at the Opera National de Paris and a student of Marcel Moyse) did I stop traveling. I settled in Paris and developed my flute repertoire for an additional eight years. I also took a break from my teaching career to devote attention to improving my playing. It was a great school that utilized a pragmatic approach to practicing and learning and made students conscious of their talents as well as their weaker points. I was so grateful and committed to Mr. Guiot’s pedagogical principles that I wanted to introduce his method in Italy where he had never visited nor taught. I invited him to Cividale (where he wrote the Cividale Duo dedicated to me), and he loved it so much that he remained in Rome for ten years, creating a real Italian school of flutists.
     Besides these great flute teachers, I also had the opportunity to pursue a course in conducting and interpretation with the conductor, Luigi Toffolo  who was Toscanini’s student, and spent time with an expert in Bach and Baroque music. I also studied historical flutes for two years, analyzing and interpreting Bach’s Partita in A Minor, Telemann’s Fantasies, and Hotteterre’s Suites to better understand the performance practices of this period and to be better equipped to perform these works on the modern flute.

What insights did you gain from your study of Baroque performance practices?
     I found the experience of studying and performing on historical flutes extremely interesting. I could compare how difficult it is to jump quickly among the octaves on the modern Boehm flute, compared to the Baroque one. I also discovered that modern staccato can have completely different results on the modern flute if flutists apply the historical articulation of le-re-le-re instead of the current tu-ku-tu-ku. In addition, especially for Bach’s music, it is important to know that the final note (top octave A) of the first movement of his Partita was impossible to play loudly because the Baroque flute has a naturally loud low register and an extraordinary naturally soft high register. So, the answer to how to play that last note is obvious.

 
How did you become an ambassador for Italian music and culture?
     Even as a student I was very interested in contemporary music – especially the Italian composers Berio, Castiglioni, and Maderna. Several years ago, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was seeking interpreters to promote Italian composers abroad. I began working for the Ministry introducing and promoting contemporary Italian composers to the world. Eventually it evolved into my current ambassadorship, including not only contemporary Italian works, but all eras and styles of Italian music.

How do you develop multi-media projects that incorporate text, poetry, dance, and electronic music in your concerts?
     I began to create new projects and programs when I realized that the traditional music market for classical proposals was in crisis. I thought an infusion of creativity and innovation would help revive the live concert scene. This would mean a totally refocused and reimagined format. Since my interests include acting and literature (I earned a PhD in Modern Literature), I began imagining concerts from this point of view. I combined natural interpretive gestures with musical expression, bringing exaggerated gestures combined with text, acting, and micro-theatre, where symbolic colors and direction become metaphors of art. I then intertwine gesture, flute playing, and texts, with dance and acting, creating new plots with the signs and meaning of the music itself. This idea took off, and I received national recognition and awards for these concerts and started to perform in many countries. Many of the reviews referred to these performances as “an artist one-woman show” because I am acting, singing, dancing, and playing. The text is often one of my own – either poetry or drama or just a presentation. I really enjoy these events which involve the audience.

What are your thoughts about Alexander Technique?
     As a young flutist my posture and playing position was not suited for the number of hours I devoted to practicing. So very early on I had problems. It became so painful that the doctors recommended that I stop playing and seek a cure through medication and therapy. After periodic breaks the pain returned repeatedly because my posture was not aligned for proper playing. I have long arms, a long neck and was not able to hold my flute without using tension. Fortunately, I met Conrad Klemm during one of my summer courses. He was a famous flutist, an Alexander teacher, and a great musician. He immediately understood my problem, and from that moment on I discovered the huge benefit of the Alexander Technique. I became so dedicated to these principles that I reached the so-called monkey position in a very short time. It was my salvation. I could return to my rigorous schedule and artistic activities.

Where do you teach?
     I am flute professor at the Conservatory of Music of Trieste. It is one of the leading institutions in Italy and because it is geographically close to Austria and eastern European countries, many foreign students come to study there. In my class there are students from Austria, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Macedonia, and of course from Italy. I teach all repertory from Baroque to Contemporary including orchestral excerpts. My students are preparing for competitions and recitals. There is opportunity for them to coach with my colleagues to gain further insight into Baroque repertoire or contemporary techniques.
     During my concert travel I often teach masterclasses. I recently returned from Thailand where I gave one at Bangkok Music University. In the coming months I will be performing and teaching in Melbourne, Australia, Valencia, Spain, and at The Juilliard School in New York.
     I spend my summers teaching courses, giving concerts, practicing and of course spending some time at the beach. I cannot rest without getting bored. A few days at the beach or in the mountains are okay, but never without my flute or working on music. My favorite summers are spent in research, not only with music, but with literature, history and human traditions. Wherever I travel, I like to discover local traditions and embrace the local cultures. My recent journey into Thailand brought me together with the Myanmar refugees tribes (the ones with women with the long necks). This was an incredible experience; I presented them with some of my art, sharing my knowledge with them. I also played and sang some of their local, traditional songs. This was an unforgettable summer.

Which concertos do you enjoy performing?
     Over my career I have been privileged to perform numerous concertos with various orchestras. There have been many Baroque concertos: the entire Opus 10 by Vivaldi, J.S. Bach Suite No 2 in B Minor; and concertos by C.P.E. Bach. I also recorded Classic era concertos by Stamitz, Haydn, and Mozart. Romantic pieces include Saint-Saëns Odelette and Romance and the Cecile Chaminade Concertino. In addition to the standard works, I have enjoyed performing contemporary masterpieces like the Flute Concerto by the Austrian composer Rainer Bischof and the Five Elements by the Chinese/American composer Zhou Long.
    Not many musicians can claim this, but I have my own personal string orchestra to work with, an unbelievable luxury. I enjoy working on Baroque pieces with them, and from time to time I resurrect the less frequently played repertoire of Quantz, Telemann, Galuppi, and Donizetti. I believe it is crucial to work with strings in order to comprehend and execute the proper articulation and sonorities that are not apparent when playing with a piano reduction. We spend our entire careers preparing solo parts with wonderful pianists, but then when we play with strings we discover that the tempo is much slower, the harp needs more time to express its part, or the strings are a bit louder, etc. I am always grateful to the pianists, but I feel more comfortable and at home when I can practice with a real orchestra. For these and many more reasons I decided to create my own orchestra.

What are your upcoming projects?
     In the fall of 2016, Stradivarius will release my flute and guitar CD and in July 2017, Falaut (the Italian flute magazine) will release my solo flute and flute and piano CD. This performance was recorded live. I will be returning to the United States early next year. I will be in Pittsburgh February 17-19, giving masterclasses at Carnegie Mellon and at the Pittsburgh Flute Academy. On May 22, I will give a recital in Carnegie Hall with Chinese flute colleague Han Guoliang and Australian pianist Amir Fadir. We will perform the Doppler Andante and Rondo, the J.S. Bach Trio Sonata, and Kuhlau’s Trio for two flutes and piano besides the Borne Carmen Fantasy and a duet by Mozart. 

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Lessons Learned from My Teachers
Tone
     The most important meeting in my flute life was with the French flutist Raymond Guiot. He was a student of Marcel Moyse and knew exactly what Moyse was writing about in the De La Sonorite. Besides this, Guiot was excellent in creating exercises for me to develop sound and flexibility.

Musicianship
     My first teacher was Milos Pahor. He paid a lot of attention to singing on the flute. For me this was natural because singing is one of my favorite modes of expression. When he asked me to sing a phrase on the flute, it was quite natural to do that. Later during my career, I went back to those lessons many times and am thankful to him for them.

Ornamentation
I always was interested in Baroque repertoire. I read many theoretical books and studied the Baroque flute with Stephen Preston for two years. I was able to play the Bach Partita, Telemann Fantasies and Hotteterre Suites on the traverso. Playing this music on the traverso was very helpful in understanding ornamentation as well as the articulation and phrasing of Baroque music. My thanks also go to organist and friend Sergio Gaggia who helped me understand the similarities and differences in the Italian, English, and French Baroque which I applied to the modern flute. 

Multimedia Performances
    To see Sello’s multimedia projects go to Click on videos and then on Pierrot Solaire (the title of the show). There are different performances from China and Italy.

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