This issue: January 2007 (Issue 9)

The De La Calle Quena Flute and The Peruvian Flutes


Luis De La Calle

The Quena is the most representative wind instrument of Peru, the name deriving from the words ‘Q’uena-q’uena’, meaning ‘hole’, from ‘quechua’, the language still spoken by the people of the Andes mountains. This flute was present in the pre-Colombian cultures as early as approximately 5000 years ago, something known through pictographics from the Nazca and Mochica cultures. Originally the Quena was made out of bones, cooked clay and condor feathers, and was used to play pentatonic melodies, interpreted through improvisations. Today the Quena is made out of hollow bamboo canes called Mamaq found in the jungle, and is used to play diatonic melodies found in the typical folk music of the Andean countries. Subscribe to read the full article

Playing At High Altitude


Alexa Still

My teacher Samuel Baron often talked about his concert career, a lot of which involved touring with the New York Wind Quintet. I remember him grimacing while telling me about a concert they had done at the Aspen Festival (7907ft/2410m) and how he could feel his lips becoming chapped during the concert. Many years later I was based in Boulder, Colorado (at the foot of the Rocky Mountains) and got to experience this first hand. I lived at 5344ft/1629m, and for a year or so while my husband was working in Breckenridge (9602ft/2927m), I spent a few days a week visiting him and practicing at his apartment. In theory, it takes just a few weeks to get fully acclimatized to high altitude. I recorded the Lowell Lieberman Sonata for flute and piano (contains notoriously difficult phrases for breathing) in ‘mile high’ Denver (5200ft/1585m) but I wouldn’t have considered recording it in Breckenridge!

So what happens? Flutists complain bitterly about their suddenly diminished breath span at higher altitudes. New students in Boulder would complain about having difficulties climbing a staircase, and even of headaches. It is true that the air becomes far less dense as one ascends, and therefore oxygen levels drop also. Subscribe to read the full article


Concert Apparel For The Flutist


Joan Sparks

The audience’s first impression of any performer is visual. In the time it takes the player to cross the stage, stand in playing position and start playing, the audience already has an idea of what the next moments will bring. Those impressions, good or bad, are lasting. Concert attire is critical for creating a favourable first impression, allowing the audience to feel comfortable and enhancing their musical experience. Clothing should be comfortable for the performer, and function well in performing positions. The apparel should reflect the same professionalism as the performance and should be appropriate for the hall and time of day. Finally, it is important to remember that as concert musicians one of our most important roles is that of entertainer - our clothing should reflect that role. Subscribe to read the full article


Getting started with jazz flute


Andy Panayi

Yes, the Associated Board jazz flute syllabus is here and musicians of all ages will love playing the tunes and trying to improvise. Now, for all of you who think ‘I can’t teach that’, well think again. Here are some helpful tips which you can master in no time and which you can pass on to your students.

Playing The Quavers

There are two specific ways to approach playing quavers: straight/even quavers – as you play them in a classical piece; and swing/jazz quavers – where you play the off-beat quaver later than normal whilst also trying to emphasize the off-beat. This would be like playing three-quaver triplets with the first two tied. For an example, think of the classic Beatles tune When I’m Sixty Four, where the quavers have a jazzy feel…. Subscribe to read the full article

Other features & columns


Interest articles:
Heavenly Flute Players No. 1 - Trevor Wye
Unravelling the Mysteries of Bach's 'Flute Allemande' Part 2 - Betty Bang Mather
Student Boot Camp – Nicole Esposito
And more…

Columns:
Teaching notes - Helen M Colthart
Jim on Jazz - Jim Langabeer
Irish flute - Brendyn Montgomery
Maori Flutes - Richard Nunns
Dear Ingrid - Ingrid Culliford
Piccolo notes - Rosamund Plummer

Recent CD & Book reviews
Happenings in the World
Junior section

And more....

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Flute Focus Ltd, 112 Postman Rd, RD 4, Albany 0794, New Zealand
email: mary.obrien@xtra.co.nz