Dear Ingrid, I have been learning the flute for a bit more than a year and am finding it more difficult than I perhaps expected. I’m quite a good pianist so have no problems reading music, but controlling my breath is a real nightmare! So I need all the help I can get!    

I have heard talk about something called ‘throat tuning’ and am not sure what it is exactly or how it might be useful to my playing. I am an adult student and wonder is this something I should be aware of? ...yes, ‘throat tuning’ is definitely something of which you should be aware as a player since working with this concept is very helpful in developing richness and resonance in your flute tone.

I have a new flute which is a silver model. Can you give me any tips on the best way to clean it? ... Thank you for your question, Heather. It is easy to take for granted that we all know just what to do, or not to do, in the care of our flutes – so perhaps this is a good time for a reminder. First of all, keeping the inside of the flute dry after playing is essential. Moisture collected inside the tube can damage the keypads, and it is not so healthy either!

There are nine rules that summarise the basic precepts Quantz sets out in his 'VERSUCH', (ESSAY), 'On Playing The Flute' covering the use of the slur, with one rule that overrides all of the others.....

Puzzle Page contains a flute fingering puzzle, notation puzzle and a riddle.

Your performance of 18th century music should reflect the composer’s intentions and not so much the emotions and feelings of the performer. It must be true to the composer and not impose on his creation the elements of a later style or period. So how do you do that?....

Flutes and their Players have a remarkable number of similarities....

The design of a flute headjoint has enormous influence on the sound of a flute, so what are the design elements, and what does a flute player need to look for when selecting a headjoint? And does any of it really matter anyway?.....

We love this piece. Besides being a real flute piece by one of the best known composers (and not a transcription), this is a wonderful example of French impressionism beautifully written for the flute....

This particular duet is short, cute, and in a jazzy style (a good introduction to swung rhythms), ideal for an encore or one of those ridiculously short talent quest items at school. There aren’t any page turns, and it won’t take up too much of your lesson!

Following last issue’s exploration of internet-related things, I decided we’d branch out in the “How To” column to cover some pieces that one can get, free of charge, on line - if you have access to the internet you can download a remarkable amount of music that is being posted by musicians for sharing with other musicians! ... Cecile Chaminade’s Concertino is a very popular piece for auditions, demonstrating a little of everything and very pleasing melodies. I expect many flutists own this piece, but maybe there are some who don’t, so I found a Russian edition of this piece  

This Baroque-era work is a real favourite with flutists; a beautiful tune that seems familiar, and you can just play the bits you like! ... Marin Marais’ original was published in Pieces de Viole, 2e livre (Paris, 1701). It was also published for other melody instruments, and the solo version for flute, in E minor, is available for free (hooray!)

We’ve begun looking at more standard works and exploring what is available from the internet for free. This “How to” column continues from the last issue; we’re referring to a Russian edition of Cecile Chaminade’s Concertino for flute and piano that one can download piano score. We’re continuing from the passage I referred to as the “dazzling middle section”.

The first thing to consider, before even selecting a piccolo, is to make sure you are ready to begin your piccolo adventure. Although there are a few teachers around the world who start young students on the piccolo directly, most flute teachers agree that it is useful to learn how to play the flute well before beginning the piccolo as a second instrument...

Many years ago I discovered Tim Weisberg, a flute player and recording artist, who among other things musical, played through various electronic effects, including echo units. His work was a true inspiration to me and I just loved his music.

One of my students from Brazil introduced me to the wonderful world of Brazilian Choro. This type of folk music from Brazil often incorporates the flute with other accompanimental instruments such as guitars and percussion. The solo part can also be played on mandolin, saxophone, electric guitar, mini-electric guitar, recorder – the list is nearly endless!  

Sadly, this is the last article I shall be writing for the Flute Focus printed magazine. I just love magazines and to have been part of a very polished and professional periodical for the last four years, about something which has been part of me most of my life, has been an absolute pleasure.

There are many ways that flute lovers, and music lovers in general, can use music to help make the world a better place. Using your gifts to help others is an important thing to do: it is inspiring to be a part of something bigger than yourself, exciting to give others enjoyment through music listening, and humbling to help people who are less fortunate in your own community and throughout the world.

It takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert at anything. However, the investment of time is only part of the story; the practice must be meaningful and mindful. The Suzuki Method includes by design a rich variety of opportunities to practise with other people...

As teachers, we want our students to know what to do and how to do it right. Sometimes this gets in the way of helping them learn to think the way a musician thinks. One of the best ways to do this is to ask your students questions rather than giving them instructions.

“Beautiful tone, beautiful heart”: being more than a role model"
“Beautiful tone, beautiful heart” is a phrase that Dr. Suzuki wrote in calligraphy on certificates given to teachers who studied at his school in Matsumoto, Japan. In just four words, it expressed his belief about what is revealed in a musician’s tone - someone who invested the effort in developing a lovely sound was also, in Dr. Suzuki’s view, demonstrating a commitment to becoming a finer person.

Imagine learning French without ever hearing it spoken. Imagine next that you travel to Paris to test out your new skill. Will you be able to manage in French? Will your pronunciation and inflections be correct? Unlikely. You might be able to read a bit – signage in shops, names of things – but as far as genuine communication with other people, to speak even rudimentary French, you need to hear it spoken. That is the only way to absorb the nuances, tone, and other sound-based qualities of the language.

Do you ever wonder why your student Brittany doesn’t practise the things you ask her to, things that will make her a better flute player? Or why you end up spending Peter’s lesson time on the same issues over and over? When this happens in my studio, I find it rather wearing – it’s pretty clear my students aren’t exactly thrilled about it either. An advantage of Suzuki method is that a parent attends the lessons and knows what the current work is all about. With younger students, the parent is expected to be actively involved in the practice, and we provide all kinds of activities and games to make practising effective. Still, many families find that their child will accept a lot more direction from the teacher than from Mum or Dad.

FLUTE TRIOS for FESTIVE OCCASIONS - Brian Childers, who is well known for his choral compositions and music for handbells, has taken simple, well known tunes and has developed them into more complex and reasonably challenging ensemble pieces, suitable for intermediate level students...

In recent years there has been somewhat of a revival of interest in the music of British composers from the 1940’s to 60’s – composers such as William Alwyn, York Bowen and Sir Lennox Berkeley are again being performed and recorded after a period of relative lack of interest in their music. I am happy to see this as there are many fine works in the flute repertoire from these composers and others of the era...

Playing related injuries among musicians, including flautists, have been widely reported in the literature. While a clear link has not been established between early teaching and later manifestations of pain, it is reasonable to assume that placing the neck, shoulders, hands, or back in awkward positions for extended durations, especially over a period of years, may result in cumulative trauma (overuse/repetitive strain) injuries.

“Les Treteaux”, a colourful trio for flute, alto saxophone and piano written in the 1960’s by the French composer Pierre Max Dubois which encompasses a range of moods from witty to sentimental and completely ‘over the top’. This piece is great fun to play and also to work at with students from a good intermediate to advanced level.

Louis Moyse (1912 – 2007), was the son of Marcel Moyse and equally well known in his own right as a player, teacher and composer for flute. As well as these delightful works for flute ensemble, there are a number of other works to explore by Louis Moyse, two sonatas for flute and piano as well as Introduction, Theme and Variations and three unaccompanied pieces.