Learning New Music Challenge

This post is a challenge to any musician it reaches.  Here are the guidelines:

1.  Find a new piece of music to work on, a piece of which you have never played a single note.

2.  Before looking at this piece for the first time, assess your practice technique.

3.  Listen to the piece, score in front of you (if possible), regardless of whether you have never heard the piece before or you have heard it more times than you can count.

For all three of the above mentioned guidelines, your flute, or whatever instrument you play, should still be stowed safely in its case.  That's right.  Don't even touch the instrument.  Bad habits are far more easily attained than good ones.  The best way to fight off bad habits is not to touch your instrument until you've put some good thought into how to go about working on the piece.

So, now that I've brought up the elephant in the room, how do you practice?  Here, my good friend and fellow flutist, Katie Smyth, discusses one method.  And this lovely post is why I am here today writing the post I am writing.

What really stood out to me from the second link is the following:

1. The set-up: The students were given the music, a metronome, and a pencil.  A metronome and a pencil...

2.  The time of practice varied from 8.5 to 57 minutes.  Hmmm.

3. Some of the mentioned practice techniques from the top 8 practicers:
- "Practice was thoughtful, as evidenced by silent pauses while looking at the music, singing/humming, making notes on the page, or expressing verbal “ah-ha”s."
- "Errors were preempted by stopping in anticipation of mistakes. Errors were addressed immediately when they appeared."
- "The precise location and source of each error was identified accurately, rehearsed, and corrected."
and finally...
- "The number of times they played it correctly in practice...had no bearing on their ranking...What did matter was home many times they played it incorrectly. The more times they played it incorrectly, the worse their ranking..."

You really should read the whole post, it is quite good,but here are my takeaways.  Practicing doesn't have to be an all day nightmare affair.  If you are smart, you can get a lot accomplished in, say, 8 and a half minutes.  Studying the music before you play it is important.  It not only gives you the bigger picture, as in where your part fits in with everything else, but it also can help you identify the tricky parts you will probably spend most of your practice time working through.  You really shouldn't, at any point, just run through the piece over and over and over again.  Most likely, that will lead you to many bad habits.

Instead, isolate problem areas before they occur.  Discover what sort of technical issue you experience: fingerings, tonguing, vibrato/tone quality, breathing (if you are a wind instrument in particular), or dynamic.  Here are practice tips I know I have given before, but let me do it again because as a mother and a teacher I will spend my entire life repeating the same things over and over and over again.

1. Have a pencil with you.  Mark in anything that you need to, including accidentals.  If you missed the note more than once, just mark it in.

2. Practice with a metronome.  Practice way under tempo.  If you can play it perfectly slowly, you have an infinitely higher chance of playing it at tempo perfectly.  Slow practice is everything.

3. If you are having a fingering issue that slow practice doesn't cure, use rhythms (remember from practicing scales for district and state?  I'll post it again.), loops, anything that takes the measure or even one beat out of context so that you can clean up and finesse the part.

4.  Only practice one given problem at a time and for a maximum of 10 minutes at a time (or even a day).  Let's pretend that you have five problem areas.  Now think about it. If each problem area was isolated and received 10 minutes of intensive care, you'd get a lot of work done in under an hour.  An hour! Not 4 or 5 hours of making the same mistakes as you repeatedly do meager run-throughs of the piece.

5. If you are having an air support, or tone clarity problem, get rid of the vibrato in the practice room.

6. Need to work on double or triple tonguing?  Then do that.  Don't continue to hammer away at a passage your tonguing isn't ready for.  Single, double, and triple tongue scales during your warm up.  Flip the double or triple tonguing to engage the back half of the technique ( KTKTKTKT instead of TKTKTKTK).  Ever play a scale with just the back half (KKKKK)?  It's miserable, but it makes you better.

7. Listen to the music!  Honestly, it might be better to spend more time listening to someone play it correctly than you spend playing it yourself.  Also consider listening to, not just the piece you are working on, but other pieces by the same composer and works of other composers from the same period.  This will deepen your understanding of the composer's composition technique and it will make you aware of the proper playing styles/practices.

Learning how to practice well, efficiently, and successfully can take years to master, but once it's done, the results speak for themselves.

Back to my challenge, care to try it?  Want to take it further?  I had an amazing musician, conductor, and educator once suggest that I listen to and study a score for at least three months before I played a single note.  To this day, I haven't been able to wait that long.  But I'll do it if you do it with me.  What do you say?  Come on, jump in the pool with me!  It will be fun, and you'll be the better for it.

Performing in the Community: Singing with Full Heart and Voice

I am currently discussing the idea of putting together a sacred music performance at my parish.  Ideally, this is something that would grow into a more regular occurrence, perhaps with more musicians (not counting the congregation) participating over time.  It could create a choir that performs for and with the congregation, playing music they know but don't hear often and teaching them new music that could be incorporated into regular services.  Either way, it is a bonding experience with the members of my church that I really want to happen.

As I attempt to put together a program to present to the church music director, I am trying to balance well-known pieces with new pieces.  I am trying to create a theme of sorts.  I am trying to make the program fun, filled with songs that the audience will want to sing along to and will continue humming long after the performance ends.

This could be tricky though because every parish has its own musical identity.  I know that Queen of the Rosary in fair Elk Grove Village, IL had its own identity solidified in the foundation created by a musical director that had been there for years.  There were songs you anticipated hearing regularly and he had a set list for holiday masses.  The same goes for Sacred Heart in Notre Dame, IN.  Not shockingly, their identity had a strong Irish lilt to it.  The Celtic Alleluia was a standard and with the presence of fantastic in-house sacred music composers, the parish was set in its musical ways.

In both of my previous parishes, there were certain aspects of sacred musical practice that stick with me today.  QR makes me desperately wish there were a guitarist playing with me and then ND's choir came equipped with not only a guitarist, but a flutist, two violins, a cello, and a percussionist.  Of course, I can't expect Sacred Heart here in Columbia, MO to morph into either of the previously mentioned parishes.  I wouldn't want that either.  But I would be lying if I didn't say there were some itches I'd like to scratch that involve some more instrumentalists!  And from my experience, give the right percussionist the right percussion instrument and the music takes on a whole new life and, generally, the congregation seems to enjoy the addition.

As I progress in the planning and realization of this idea, I will keep you posted and, obviously, invite you!  Two things I know for sure:  It will begin with "All Are Welcome" and close with "May the Road Rise to Meet You" because really, could you do it any other way? :)

An Email From Robert Dick

This morning, I woke up to find an email from professional flutist Robert Dick in my inbox.  It was his response to the "Do Not Read" segment on Monday night.  (begins around 2:18):

He wants to go on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon and I think it is a great idea!  How awesome would it be for him to pull a Lou Malnati's/Daily Show and prove how awesome he is at playing flute?  If it happens, I would expect (and hope) that Robert Dick would not even mention or go into the tasteless joke - that would only put the focus on the joke.  Instead, go on, talk about what you do, laugh and have fun, and play the flute in a way most people are completely ignorant.  But that's just my humble opinion. Here is his email with instructions on how you can help him play "The Other Flute"  on the show!

"Robert Dick Newsletter – March 19, 2015

This is an appeal for YOUR HELP to respond to a horrible sketch on the TONIGHT SHOW mocking me, my name and my book “The Other Flute”.

On Monday, March 16, Jimmy Fallon, host of the TONIGHT SHOW, the most watched TV show in the United States did an infantile “Dick joke” sketch about me and “The Other Flute”. 

Here’s the link so you can see this for yourself.

Do Not Read – THE OTHER FLUTE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG1Q2SkpttI 

 After taking counsel with a wide range of friends -- I have decided that a lawsuit is pointless. Bad taste isn't against the law, and Jimmy Fallon was within the bounds of protected free speech. He was certainly way out of the realm of good taste or respect to fellow humans. Very many of you have suggested that I go on the Tonight Show and I'm giving it my best shot. I NEED YOUR HELP. Go to the Tonight Show website, or the Tonight Show FaceBook page or to their YouTube page --and tell them that they just have to have me on and that I'll play the flute in a way that really is "The Other Flute" -- and in a funny and entertaining way -- will blow their minds. Here are the links:

www.facebook.com/FallonTonight?ref=br_tf

You tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG1Q2SkpttI   start at 2:20

Tonight Show website: www.nbc.com/contact/generalgo to "I have feedback", then "I have a comment or suggestion"

PLEASE WRITE YOUR MESSAGE TODAY AND SPREAD THIS FAR AND WIDE -- THE TONIGHT SHOW NEEDS TO RECEIVE THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS AND REQUESTS.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

Robert"

What do you think? Is this an appropriate response and should Robert Dick go on The Tonight Show? If you think he should, let The Tonight Show know!  

Rehearsals: Performance in Disguise!

I have fond memories from Junior High of early, and I do mean early (6:30am), rehearsals the week leading up to the Concert Band Contest.  These were additional rehearsals outside of the already allotted band rehearsals scheduled during 5th and/or 6th period.  We were expected to get there on time, fifteen minutes early, so that we could warm up and be ready for the down beat.  Remember, "If you are early, you are on time; if you are on time, you are late; if you are late, you are early for tomorrow".

What did we do at these rehearsals?  We didn't play more than two notes, maybe.  We rehearsed standing as a ensemble, sitting as an ensemble, uniform (by section) instrument placement depending on where the conductor was or what his arms were doing, bowing as an ensemble, and "NO[T] GAWKING"  at the audience.  Basically, we rehearsed the performance minus the playing.

Why do I bring this up?  Well, in every ensemble I have been in, ever, I wished and continue to wish that such etiquette was practiced on a rehearsal to rehearsal to performance basis.  I find the older I get, the less the ensembles I play in are lectured about such things.  Posture goes by the wayside and performances seem less prepared.

The following are my two cents on rehearsal to performance etiquette.  Much of this is from my Jr. High Band director, but it is an important part of performing.  Music is a form of entertainment and therefore theatrical in many ways.

Posture:  I was told, very early on, to sit near the edge of my seat so that my feet could comfortably rest flat on the floor, providing the rest of me a solid foundation.  Sitting near the edge of the seat made it infinitely more difficult to slouch against the back of the chair.  I had to sit up straight; this is good for breathing, so not much to complain about there.  Sitting that far forward also made it difficult to rest my right elbow on the top of the chair - this is primarily a flute problem.  Lazy players will put their elbow on the back of the chair to help support their arm, because, you know, the flute is a super heavy instrument.  All you other instrumentalists can laugh, but every section has its bad habits.  One more thought: when you are playing your flute, the flute should be, roughly, parallel to the ground.  No odd angles, please, as it will mess with the rest of your posture and your ability to breathe.

Stand Placement:  Your stand should be set up so that it is high enough for you to read music easily, but low enough that 1) your sound isn't blocked, 2) you can see the person across from you (in my case it is always a clarinet player. Unless I am in orchestra and then it is the back of the heads of the viola section), and 3) you can easily make eye contact with the conductor.  There is a happy medium stand height range in there.  And remember, your eyes can move up, down, left, and right.  Your head shouldn't move.

"Silence is our canvas":  This was said in the middle of a rehearsal while I was in college.  It made all of us laugh because of the timing and delivery of the line, but it is so very true.  Talking and unsolicited noise prior to the beginning of a piece ruins the atmosphere.  It also creates an unstable foundation for the first note of the piece.  And of course, it is a distraction that could cause someone to miss their entrance.  It would be unrealistic to have no talking during a rehearsal, but keep it to a minimum.  And as soon as the conductor raises his arms, you should be able to hear a pin drop.  Furthermore, being aware of the need for silence and observing it will make it easier to transition into the performance atmosphere.

Beginning and Ending the Piece:  Each piece begins and ends with silence and minimal movement, if any.  When the conductor's hands go up, you ought to immediately prepare to play.  Your flute goes up to playing position and you take a breath to prepare for the entrance.  At the end of the piece, after the last note, you maintain playing position until the conductor lowers his arms.  If the piece ends and you immediately drop your flute, the moment is ruined and the ambiance is gone.  Finally, before the piece begins, make sure that you are ready to play.  What I mean is that there is a process that many young musicians ignore.  The flute comes to playing position, you take a breath, you set your embouchure, and then you begin to play.  I have been guilty of the following and I see/hear it a lot as well: the breath, and then simultaneously set the embouchure and begin playing.  Has anyone ever gotten a clean articulation that way?

Uniform Instrument Placement:  This is perhaps a bit nit picky, but theater is theater.  When you are "at ease" and the piece has yet to begin, the flute can lay across your lap.  That's a natural and comfortable position.  Once the piece begins, if you are not playing, I like to see the flute standing on the right thigh.  It shows that you are alert and that you are part of the music that is happening.

Rests during the Performance: NO GAWKING!!! So you aren't playing because you have the piccolo part and there are at least forty measures of rest before you come in - whatever you do, do not stare mindlessly out, anywhere really but especially at the audience.  They are here to watch and listen to you.  Not the other way around.  Try to look at either your own music or the conductor (occassionaly - don't awkwardly stalk the conductor).  Look like you are still part of the music being heard even though you aren't necessarily contributing to the sound.  However, there are times when you acknowledge the audience, usually when they are welcoming someone on stage or clapping at the end of a piece. Those would be appropriate times to turn and face the audience and smile at them.  They should feel like you are excited to be playing for them and that there is nowhere else you would rather be.  Besides, that's true, right?

As tedious as it may seem, thinking about these tiny details during each rehearsal will help you in the performance because they will become second nature.  Break a leg in your upcoming performances!

Another Busy Week: Preparing for the Weekend

This Friday I have the honor of participating in the Four '15 Quartet Flute Fest which benefits the Voluntary Action Center's Youth Enrichment Fund.  I will be co-hosting an extended technique workshop with Katie Smyth and Justin Cook; considering the topic and the amazing flutists with whom I am working, I cannot imagine this workshop being anything less than just a bunch of fun!

In general, I am excited to have the opportunity to participate in this event because, quite simply, I think the whole idea is outstanding!  What an opportunity for anyone involved including, but not limited to, the four young flutists throwing the shindig, the local flutists who will perform or teach workshops, and all in attendance.  If you are able to take part in the evening's various activities, you really, really should.

On Sunday the Columbia Community Band has its "Winds of March" Concert.  There will be another featured soloist and I get to revisit a piece that I haven't played since high school!  It is one of those pieces that you play and you later wonder if you will ever have the liberty to do so again.  Here is a hint as to what the piece is:  it opens with a delicious melody set in the lower register of the flute and then flows seamlessly into a presto section that could not exist without the percussion section.  Any guesses?  It's really something and if you have no idea to which standard band literature I refer, you definitely need to come to the concert!

I hope I will see you at least once this weekend!

And Until We Meet Again

I know that this post has nothing to do with playing flute, but last week a community with which I deeply identify lost an inspiring and loving figure.  Father Theodore Hesburgh, former president of the University of Notre Dame, was an educator and man who demanded the absolute best from his students.  There are many who are grateful to have known him, to have known of him, and to be part of the loving family he fostered.  It was during his tenure as the university's president that women were first admitted and it goes without saying that I would never have been able to study at Notre Dame without his belief in a good, well-rounded education for everyone.  My roommate said it best, but I will paraphrase: I am so fortunate and honored to have been, in my own very small way, part of Fr. Hesburgh's life.  I only met him once and he very politely asked what I was doing in the back of an NDSP SUV (for the record, someone stole my bike and I cannot remember why I was in the NDSP SUV).  I choose to celebrate your life, your love, and your influence Fr. Ted.  Thank you for everything.

Sitting in the Flute Section

Last week's CCB rehearsal got me thinking about all of my ensemble experiences and in particular the way I felt sitting in the flute section of any given ensemble.  I feel as though I have spent most of my life just "sitting" in the section rather than actually being a member of the section.  What I mean is that I was there physically, but my mentality and preconceived notions on how I should behave kept me from fully integrating myself into the group.  Up until graduate school I was uptight and closed off from building relationships with my flute peers.  This sounds awful, and it somewhat is, but it is more normal than you might think.  I wasn't mean or rude, but I didn't always go out of my way to get to know anyone who wasn't immediately to my left or, more preferably, to my right.  

I may have missed out on relationships that I could still have now and relationships that could have made me an even better flutist.  It is not that I want to be best friends with every flute player, but I want to know them and I want them to know me.  I didn't talk much during rehearsal, which is not a bad thing.  In fact, if more people would stop talking during rehearsals groups could get more done.  Talking, unless it directly pertains to rehearsal, is for breaks and time outside rehearsal.   Okay, mini rant over.  Back to the topic at hand.  When I say I didn't talk much, I mean, not really at all.  I probably couldn't name most of the people I have played with over the years even if you showed me their picture.

At my first University Philharmonic rehearsal in grad school, I sat down and pulled out my flute, warmed up, and then sat there until Maestro began rehearsal.  Except that this other flute player, who will remain nameless (although anyone who has played with them probably knows who they are), sat down next to me and as they put their flute together they turned to me, introduced themselves, and started talking to me about, really, random things.  They were so chill and so comfortable being in rehearsal.  The funny thing is that I didn't realize how uncomfortable I was in rehearsals until I realized how comfortable they were.  And I became instantly jealous.  Why couldn't I be that chill and relaxed?  Was I so uptight that I was alienating my peers? (Yes, I was.) 

The more I played with this flutist, the more I began to relax and enjoy rehearsing with the people around me.  I started to know other flute players in my section.  They challenged me and pushed me because some of them had the nerve to be better than me in various aspects of flute playing.  And I realized that this was the best situation.  When I think back to high school band I remember how tense I always was in rehearsal because I rather disliked the other talented flute player in the band.  Yes, she made me work hard because I wanted to beat her in reseatings, desperately, but I missed out on improving in a far healthier manner.  We probably still wouldn't have been best friends because of her mentality, but I would have been happier.

So, finally, back to CCB rehearsal.  I can name everyone in the front row of the flute section.  I am not sure I can say the same for the back row.  And that makes me feel horrible.  Fortunately, some of us in the front row have been considering coming an hour early for rehearsal and playing quartets and flute choir music (depending on the number of people that show up).  This is exciting because I love playing music in any ensemble setting.  But I am also hoping to get to know the flutists I play with in band better.  Some of them have been in the band for a decade and this is only my second year.  I want to know them and I want them to know me. 

Besides, a flute section that plays together [outside of rehearsal], plays together [better].  :)