There are lots of things we need to think about when we play and perform. Tone, air, notes, as well as staying together with our pianist, recording track or other people. One thing that sometimes we forget is that texture is an important thing to think about too. If we are supposed to think about this, in the words of one my students “how can [we] learn to understand “texture” as musician[s]?” And why do […]
What Does Texture Mean In Music? Read More »
Alright! Your big day has finally come! All of the hard work you have been doing is about to pay off. Its performance time, and you have butterflies spinning all over your stomach. You tighten your grip on your flute and find that it feels cold and slippery to the touch. Oh boy…..here we go….. Whether its performing in front of family friends, or at large concert somewhere, having the spotlight on you can be
Practicing to Perform the Flute Read More »
I am here to attest that stage fright for flutists is a very real condition. When I began performing (even at a young age), I had a few very LARGE problems that prevented me from performing at my best. In fact, they prevented me from performing a lot of times because they were such a big deal. First, my heart would start beating rapidly,.. very rapidly. I was always worried that I would have a heart-attack before
3 Ways to Cure Stage Fright for Flutists Read More »
This article will help you to get that timing performing on the flute right on so there isn’t any confusion or frustrating spots. In short, you’ll be able to have a wonderful experience performing.
How To Improve My Timing Read More »
Have you noticed that all notes, scales, and keys make you feel a little different? How they even make you think of something specific? Well, that’s what music does! It’s supposed to make you feel emotion-happy, sad, excited, scared, etc. Some people even see colors when playing in a specific key! One way they do this is through the key of the song. In this article I will focus specifically on what major and minor
What Major and Minor Keys Feel Like Read More »
Everybody is different in how they memorize or perform, but taking care of distractions while performing on the flute can help a lot when trying to play things memorized. It’s especially fun when you can just take your flute and go play. Sometimes, though, we have some pretty crazy distractions that keep us from having fun. Most common distractions to flutists: 1. Sweaty Hands. Don’t freak out but you may drop your flute
Distractions While Performing On The Flute Read More »
Do you have a hard time playing music memorized? Especially in front of a group of people, or even judges? This is not uncommon so don’t be alarmed. There are many stage frightened flutists. In this article there will be some tips and hints to help you perform music memorized beautifully. There are many reasons as to why some people can’t play music memorized. To help overcome these, find the “weakness” of yours and try
Stage Frightened Flutists with Memorized Music Read More »
The older I get the more thankful I am that I chose the flute as an instrument I wanted to excel at. It is the most perfect instrument for worship services. I have been able to use my talent literally hundreds (maybe pushing thousands) of times! I feel a responsibility to help bring the spirit into the meetings and feel honored to be able to be a part of it. I am very careful when
I was involved in a 4 hour master class yesterday at a University here in Utah. During the master class on 2 different occasions, students had troubles with the entrance into their performance pieces. The first time, the student just continued on after all the blurping at the beginning, and continued to blurp the whole song long. (blurp = messing up) The second student however, blurped (on the 3rd note and not able to
I get this question every once-in-a-while. Do I bow or not at the beginning and the end of my performance – or just the end? Answer: It depends. If your audience is applauding as you enter the performing area (ie; stage), then yes, you do bow. It is your courteous acknowledgement of their applause. If your audience is not applauding when you enter, you do not need to bow. (unless your teacher told you to)
To Bow or Not to Bow? Read More »