Take Care of Yourself!!!

I missed blogging last week, but in my defense, I had a baby last Tuesday...so I was a bit preoccupied.  In short, at 3:34pm I was blessed with my second son, Haydn Mykel, who was born a healthy 7 lbs 14 oz and 22 in.  And when I say that I was blessed, I mean it in more ways than one.  For instance, he pretty much already sleeps through the night, or he would if I didn't wake him up to feed him every four hours.  This means I am still getting a full night of sleep because my first son, Marcus Aurelius (yes, I did do that to him...his history teachers will think it's a cool name even if no one else does), also seems unaffected, at least in terms of his sleep schedule, by the new family addition.

So this brings me to today's short blog.  Your personal well-being is essential to your flute playing.  A slightly scratchy throat will make your tone seem a little off.  A common cold can make breathing seem like a chore.  And if you don't get enough sleep, eat right, drink water, and have some sort of exercise or active lifestyle, it will impact your playing.  Having Haydn and having even more things to consider in relation to my health has made me remember how important it is for me to take care of myself (not only for my flute playing, but if mommy isn't taken care of, how can she take care of babies?).

You don't have to go crazy and you certainly shouldn't start adding so many things to your daily routine that it has the opposite of the desired effect.  For example, don't start biking 20 miles a day if you don't plan on biking a marathon.  Take a walk to the mailbox or around the block.  If you drastically change your routine, you will just be tired and more than likely unable to achieve your desired goals for the day.  Stay hydrated and make sure you get the nutrition you need.  Skipping a meal to get more work done may seem like the best thing to do at the time, but you might regret it later.

The other side of taking care of yourself is to know when you need a break.  At the moment, I am trying to balance a new baby and my schedule.  Being the type of person I am, I am trying to act like nothing huge has changed in my life.  Last week, I taught as many lessons as I could, kept up my "house-wifery",  played in church...the general reaction I got was "You are crazy!! Sit down, you just had a baby!"  And my parents, husband, and student's parents were right.  I am crazy.  While part of me needs to pick up where I left off so I don't fall behind, I need to lay down every so often and just relax.  If I run myself into the ground, where will that leave me (despite my good intentions)?  What that relates to, in general, is that sometimes you should do something nice for yourself.  It can be as simple as just sitting on the couch with a gossip magazine eating an Oreo or two, or going for a hike (or walking around the mall)  just to get out of the house and do something you enjoy doing.

It may seem hard to believe, but there is a world, a life, outside of playing flute. :)  Make sure you take care of yourself and take the time to enjoy every aspect of your life.

Practice Tip: Playing Without Vibrato

Many young flutists think vibrato is the be-all and end-all of the perfect flute sound; however, vibrato is a double-edged sword in flute playing.  Really, vibrato should be treated sensitively, like an ornament to your playing....not the foundation of it.  Speaking of over-active vibrato, congratulations to Sir James Galway on recording everything ever written for flute and therefore winning the Lifetime Achievement Prize at the Gramophone Awards.  Hate him (or rather his vibrato) or love him, you have to admit that he can play the flute, extremely well.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand.  How is vibrato created?  There are many schools of mind on this, but most would say it comes from your stomach.  So if you are sustaining a pitch without vibrato and you wanted to add a very, very slow vibrato, you would feel your stomach make a short sharp movement (as though someone punched you in the gut) and this action would create a wave in your sound.  Another thought about vibrato production is that it can be achieved by "merely" using the proper, and perfect, air support.  In this theory, it is all in the air and it, sort of, just magically happens.  Give it a try, why not?  One thing I can say is that if you are producing vibrato with your throat, One) ouch, doesn't that hurt? and Two) don't, it's gross.

So why am I bringing this all up?  Because a great technique for practicing is to practice without vibrato.  Why?  Because sometimes vibrato hurts your playing by covering up bad air support and lack of musical phrasing (for the record, I don't think Sir Galway has this problem...I just dislike the heavy use of vibrato ALL THE TIME).  Every so often try playing without vibrato, yes this is hard and extremely frustrating (you won't like how you sound initially, probably), but it will show you where your air support is lacking which will impact your dynamics, tuning, and phrasing.  Taking away the vibrato allows you to actually focus on whether your intervals are in tune, whether you are successfully playing piano, forte, achieving a crescendo/decrescendo, etc., and whether your musical ideas are being communicated well.  As always, you may think you are doing something, but your audience might not be hearing the same thing you are (plug for recording yourself...as always).  If you find your dynamics are less than wonderful, try playing an entire passage at a full forte and/or at a full, supported piano.

Again, your vibrato, in my humble opinion, is the icing on the cake...not the cake itself.  Happy practicing!  Try not to get to upset with this tip...it is, in fact, good for you in the end. :)

The Importance of Music and Other Arts: In Support of STEM to STEAM

Okay, let me tell you something about my upbringing; my parents loved me (and still do for the record) and gave me everything I needed and more (also a still-do).  But as far as what is important to know for this post, my mother was, and not shockingly still is, a high school foreign language teacher.  I have been surrounded by teachers and the education system they live in my whole life.  When I was a junior in high school, the government introduced "No Child Left Behind" and today the government is still too overly involved in something they shouldn't be.  However, this post is NOT a political rant because quite frankly, what's the point in doing that?

What I do want to discuss is the role being a musician has played in my life and why it bothers me that funding and general respect for the arts is less than what it should be.  Don't get me wrong, being able to speak English is exceedingly important and math and science are important subjects to master.  A big "however" here, they are not the only subjects that should be studied.  And I don't  believe that a child, or our society, can thrive if those are the only concerns of the government's education plans.

For this entire blog, I will be speaking solely from personal experience, but I think there have been some studies done which prove that I am not alone in benefiting from the study of music (and other arts).  For the record, this is what prompted this post.

My music education began when I was maybe 5 or 6 and my mother insisted that I take piano lessons.  I didn't like it at all.  I had to practice and it wasn't any fun.  But years later I got to start taking violin (although I actually asked to play the string bass...they ignored me and handed me a quarter sized violin) and then the following year I started flute.  Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Oboe and so many others followed shortly after.

I had an amazing Junior High band director who told me I could learn any instrument I wanted if I just put some effort into it.  And I wanted to learn them all, just like him, and become a "one-man band".  He also started teaching me basic theory and history.  On top of all of this, music offered me an outlet in the most awkward years of a person's life.  I had a place to go where I was accepted and where I could relax a little.  I had a safe zone.  I had a break from all the pressures of life, including school work.

But he did so much more than that.  He had rules that shaped me and so utterly formed who I am and what I stand for today.  Because I don't want this post to be too long, I am only going to share three of them:

1) Practice isn't optional, not if you want to succeed.  I practiced my flute every night.  And eventually, it wasn't just because I was told to - it was because I wanted to.  I wanted to improve.  I wanted to do well.

2) If you're early, you're on time; if you're on time, you're late; if you're late, you're early for tomorrow.  I don't miss rehearsals.  I show up because they are important.  Furthermore, I am always at least fifteen minutes early to any rehearsal, performance, or any appointment I have.  Why?  Because that's what keeps things running efficiently.  I have time to warm up.  And it just is a way for me to show that I respect other people and their time.

3) No Excuses;  Only Results.  I hate hate hate giving excuses.  I avoid them at all costs because at the end of the day, more than likely whatever I would need an excuse for is my own fault.  I take responsibility for my actions, good and bad, and I accept the consequences that come with them.

All three of these impacted my total educational development.  I did homework, I studied, I showed up to class, I sat in class taking notes and participating, and I took responsibility for the grades that I earned.

But music also pushed me to be more organized and think more creatively.  I have always been a good problem solver and I credit my musical studies for that.  I also excelled in math all through college - again, music played a direct role.  Music and math are linked.  That is a fact. It has also been proven that music has a tie to languages...and not just because all of our "directions" are written in French, Italian, German, English, etc.  And you can say what you want about marching band being a sport or not, but the fact is that you have to be a team player.  You have to know your part and everyone else's.  You are physically and mentally engaged as you are constantly multitasking (because walking and playing isn't actually a natural thing...it is hard and takes skill and practice).

My brother is an engineer, so I completely respect the field and understand its importance.  However, my brother also studied music growing up and now he is one of the most prized workers of his company.  And you better believe that I think my mother making him take piano lessons is part of the reason why.  My brother is also unbelievably brilliant....but music definitely has some part in it.

We need well-rounded thinkers, not just calculators.  In fact, hasn't technology made the studies of math and science, I don't know, irrelevant because of how spiffy calculators/computers are now? (That is a joke and of course not true; I love math and think it is an important skill base).  It is, in fact, sad how many people cannot do basic math equations because they are so reliant on calculators.

So, my point in all this ranting: If there is a chance for you to support a music program or the arts in general, do it in whatever capacity you can!

What I'm Working On: Daniel Dorff's Tweet for solo piccolo

Tweet, by Daniel Dorff, is showing up on a few piccolo competition preliminary round lists and since it is a really cool piece, no complaints here.  It was commissioned by and dedicated to Lois Bliss Herbine and was completed in 2011.  The composer provides program notes on the piece that are an interesting read.  Were I competing in a competition in which this piece was included, his bullet points at the end really ought to be noted and inserted in the performance.  I would also recommend checking out what Lois Bliss Herbine has to say about the piece too because, you know, it is kind of her piece.  At the bottom of this post, you will find a full performance by Gudrun Hinze, the principal piccoloist of the Gewandhaus Orchestra.

But let's look at the construction of the piece before we dive in completely.  At quick glance, it might seem a bit overwhelming because it is four pages of continuous movement.  The opening chirps from the robins are daunting to sightread and if you try to just dive in, chances are you won't make it through, even under tempo (we will address how I would practice the grace note passages in the next paragraph).  If that weren't enough, the grace note passages happen repeatedly, consistently throughout the work.  But wait!  There is good news.  Look closer and you will see that there are really only two different grace note passages that are reused.  We will call measures 1-9 "A" and measures 20-27 "C" (yes, I skipped "B" on purpose).   In between "A" and "C" is, of course, "B" which is a sixteenth note passage that isn't that bad as long as you are subdividing to the eighth note.  This section comes back a number of times too although it morphs over the course of the piece, particularly the concluding measures of the passage. In measure 47 we begin "D".  It is convenient that it is "D" and you will see why later.  Again, subdivision will help you get through the time signature changes, so do it.  Also, have fun with the "jazzy" syncopation found at measure 66; it is different from the straightforwardness of the rest of the piece.  Finally, in the last four measures (beginning at measure 151) we have a brief coda that includes a poco accelerando [al fine] which makes for an exciting end.  

Now let's line up all the sections using the letters I have assigned so that you can "see" the format of the piece: ABCAB'DAB"CAB"'Coda.  If I use fancy words, and I will, they would be as follows: Exposition (ABCAB'), Development (D - see, isn't that nice?), Recapitulation (AB"CAB"'), coda.  At least to me, it makes the piece seem much more manageable in terms of the probability of success in learning the piece, meaning it is not four pages of random.

How am I practicing the opening (oddly the toughest part, at least to me)?  I am turning the metronome way down, to quarter = 80, and playing all the grace notes and their quarter note counter parts into sixteenths.  Four notes a beat in an easy rhythm that allows me to actually read all of the notes consistently well.  I also break down the passages by the breath marks.  I've slowed down the movement and have reduced the length of time my brain has to function at a high rate down to a couple of measures at a time.  Infinitely more manageable and a lot less frustrating.  Imagine having a two year old constantly demanding your attention; trying to hack your way through the entire passage would be maddening.  I do this for "A" and "C" and slowly turn the metronome up a click until I am around 100.  Then I try reading it as grace notes to a quarter.  Guess what?  It goes so much better and it has only been a few practice sessions.  Slowing it down like this also gives you the opportunity to soak in the dynamics as you begin working on the piece which should mean that you will have them mastered much quicker as well.  Give it a shot.  It might not work for you, but I sincerely hope it does.

The rest of the piece?  Subdivide the eighth note!  Then the time signature switches won't throw you off.  The last three sentences are a rehash, aren't they?  Oh well, it is true so being a broken record isn't a bad thing in this case.  Don't forget to watch your dynamics, as the composer suggests.  You are robins chirping, not a piccolo on the marching band field.

As promised. Enjoy!

The CCB Season Begins!

The Columbia Community Band had its first rehearsal last week and I am pretty excited about the new season.  For one, I truly enjoy being part of a large ensemble.  Playing with over forty people is different from playing by yourself in your house or even with a small chamber group.  It is a different mindset; I am a team player, not a soloist.  I have to blend in with not only the rest of the flute section but with the entire band.  Somehow, the tubas and I must be one - good thing one of my best friends is a tuba player and tuba/flute duets were a regular occurrence in high school and college.

Our first concert of the season, the Heritage Festival, is in a couple of weeks on Sunday, September 21st at 4 PM in Nifong Park. Then we will have a delightful holiday-themed Sounds of the Season Concert in the first week or so of December.  It is always nice to have deadlines, like concerts, and a folder-worth of music to be working on because it keeps you in shape.

However, first rehearsals can be rough.  The group hasn't played together in a while and who knows how many people actually acknowledged their instrument's existence during the break.  Everyone has to be attentive in order to have any success in the first rehearsal.  Add in the fact that there may be new members, which is fantastic, and that the group will inevitably be sight reading, and  you have a recipe for potential...issues.  It may seem like the rehearsal is a wash, but you have to start somewhere!

So how did our first rehearsal go?  Not too bad.  We read a good deal of music and the people in charge of picking the repertoire for concerts are getting a better idea of what to program for this ensemble.  Here were three highlights of the rehearsal for me:

Bond...James Bond.  This is an arrangement by Stephen Bulla and quite honestly, what gets me most about this arrangement is that Bulla gave the flutes a chance to shine in their lower register (and we are paired with the horns!!!! not the clarinets which would seem the more "normal" convention.  LOVE French Horns).  This is just fun for everyone because, think about it, James Bond has been a staple of the American movie culture for decades.  This piece is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Looney Tunes Overture. Also a great piece for a listener of any age.   Who doesn't like Looney Tunes?!  I mean, most people are familiar with classical music because of this show.  You may not think you know any opera tunes, but if you grew up watching Bugs Bunny, you know a lot more than you think.  Beethoven and Mozart also make repeat appearances during the cartoon antics.  And imagine my joy when I looked at the piece and noticed an asterisk (*)  next to "Piccolo" at the top of the page where it says "1st Flute & Piccolo*".  I love footnotes to begin with, but check this one out: "It is important for Piccolo to play throughout".  DONE!

Red, White & Brass.  This piece is interesting and towards the end a mild frustration, for me personally.  So, it is a medley of American music originally arranged for the Canadian Brass.  It has since been arranged for orchestra, obviously (see above), and wind band (what CCB will play...again, obviously).  I think it is cute, corny, and cheesy, as it should be.  But what I struggled with at rehearsal was the last featured piece: Stars and Stripes Forever.  I have been playing it since I was twelve, and apparently I am very stuck in my ways.  This arrangement plays around with intermingling the melody of the Trio and the Piccolo solo...at first not in the original key.  When it finally is played in the "correct" key, the octaves are all wrong and it just feels...awkward.  Sort of funny that I will have to look at this outside of rehearsal just so I can wrap my head around a creative arrangement of the classic march.  Just goes to show you...flexibility is essential.

And that is only three of the pieces in our folder!  With American Salute, The Barber of Seville, and the pieces yet to join the folder, this season looks like it is going to be a good one!  Stay tuned for concert details which you can also find, as I learn them, on my website!

"Something For the Cheap Seats" Recital Sept. 13, 2014 5:00PM

The Pipes and Keys trio will be giving a recital in one week!  So that is exciting.  This recital is meant to be purely entertaining.  We aren't performing pieces that are complex; in fact, our goal was to play music with which our audience will already be pretty familiar or to play pieces that are extremely easy to grasp.  Only one of the pieces is longer than 5 minutes, and it is a grand total of maybe 8 minutes.  Maybe...

I suppose I should introduce the other people with whom I will be performing.  Playing flute with me will be Katie Smyth.  We went to graduate school together and while our babies have a play date, well, so do we! :)  Our pianist is Taylor Burkhardt.  We met her while in we were in graduate school because she also plays the flute and was therefore a part of our studio classes.  It was always nice to have a "resident" pianist in studio class...no need to find an accompanist to bring.



On to the music!  We will be performing a variety of mediums including trios, duets, solos with piano, and unaccompanied solos.  The styles of the pieces are pretty varied as well and we hope that, with works by composers from J.S. Bach to Robert Dick and Ian Clarke, everyone in the audience will have a good time and perhaps a personal, musical enlightenment.  But mainly, let's have fun!  One of the things that makes the repertoire of this recital interesting is that Katie and I will be playing arrangements of well-known piano pieces.  We also manage to steal a piece written for violin that will stretch me to my limits as far as breathing while being pregnant.  Let it also be known that we will be playing exceedingly familiar music from an exceedingly famous opera.  As previously stated, this recital is meant to be light-hearted, but it will not lack for drama!

I find this music particularly challenging in the breathing department and I am sure to feel very accomplished by the end of it all.  The repertoire includes the use of a multitude of extended techniques and the full range of the flute: seriously, we will play low B's and C's frequently and we will play notes that are uncomfortably high...really high. Fourth register high.

Anyway, below you will find the flyer and I hope to see you there!  Oh, I should also mention that there will be a surprise guest artist on one of the pieces!!! You do not want to miss this uber talented player.

What I'm Listening To: The Greatest of All Fight Songs, The Notre Dame Victory March!

It's the fight song with the most notes (different pitches, use of chromaticism, and let's be honest, the piccolo part has lots of sixteenths) and one of the most recognized pieces of music.  You may hate it, you may love it, but you can't deny knowing it.  It is unique and no other school can claim it as theirs.

The Notre Dame Victory March stands out as one of the most profound fight songs - I will battle anyone on this.

The chorus of the song is one of the most recognizable collegiate fight songs in the United States, and was ranked first among fight songs by Northern Illinois University Professor William Studwell, who remarked it was "more borrowed, more famous and, frankly, you just hear it more."^[1] The eminent college football analyst and historian Beano Cook ranked the Victory March "the fourth most well-known song in the country, behind only 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' 'Happy Birthday' and 'White Christmas'."

Bam! You just got Wikipedia quoted!

Anyway, I spent four amazing years at ND, spent three of my years in the student section cheering on the Irish, (although, perhaps our football team hasn't been quite so remarkably epic in the past decades as the fight song) and I continue to bleed (a lot...sadly) blue and gold!

So, go ahead and compare the fight songs I recovered from my flip book from college.