The Art of Jean-Pierre Rampal - Radio-Canada Telecasts 1956-1966.

Greetings,

Almost 2 hours of Rampal in his prime! So wonderful!
Enjoy!

Catherine

Introducing Fluteachniques™: Harmonics+2 Note Slur Tone Study

Greetings,

I recently started having students combine two favorite tone studies for a great warm up. The results have been improved evenness throughout the range of the flute and richer tone in the high register.

I will be sharing more teaching tips in the future. Look for Fluteachniques™in the LeGrand Virtual Studio in coming months!

Best,
Catherine

Sir James Galway at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention

I had the pleasure of meeting Sir James Galway after an "informal conversation session" at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention yesterday.

He delighted the many attendees with his witty responses, personal stories, and opinions and advice in response to questions on flutes, recording, warm-up routines, and flute pedagogy.

Here are a few of the things I learned:

• Sir James uses top-of-the-line Neumann microphones for all of his audio and video recording.
• In response to a question of maintaining physical flexibility, Sir James proudly announced his age, 68, and suggested shoulder stretches for range of motion, forearm and hand self-massage, and, when nothing else works… just keep playing and enjoy the music!
• He practices studies regularly from the Moyse’s De la Sonorité and advocates practicing scales and patterns always with the best tone and musical expression and style. He pointed out an obvious, but seldom considered, fact: if you practice scales and patterns in a boring, unmusical, way, not only is practicing boring, but you are actually practicing to play boring and unmusical music (music is largely created from these patterns)!
• He also advocates practice of the Boehm Caprices and Andersen Etudes, in particular, to develop a fluid technique and legato while maintaining tone and musical expression.

I encourage you to join to Sir James online forum, Galway Flute Chat (Yahoo group) and to watch the videos posted at http://www.thegalwaynetwork.com/ for access to Sir James’ teaching and thoughts.

Many thanks to Sir James for reminding us that joy and expression give meaning to music-making--and to life!


I also attended the fine Valentine’s Day evening concert performance by Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway with the San Antonio Symphony. They performed the Cimarosa Concerto in G Major for 2 Flutes and a lively encore, an arrangement of “Rondo Alla Turca” from the Mozart Piano Sonata, K. 331. They clearly had great fun together on stage!

After intermission, Sir James performed “The Pied Piper Fantasy” by John Corigliano, attired in festive costume and joined by dozens of local young flutists performing with Sir James while parading on stage and following him out of the theater. Quite a spectacle!

Sir James’ final encore, Badinerie from the J.S. Bach Suite in B Minor, BWV 1067, brilliantly played, was a rousing ending to an evening celebrating the love of music-making and flute-playing—perfect for Valentine’s Day.

I will post more notes from other clinics and events I attended at the TMEA Convention later this week in the LeGrand Virtual Studio.

Best,
Catherine

Flute Duo Chopstick Exercise

This video has been reposted under a different account name.

Bravo to both members of this duo who have studied the buzzing and chopstick via Skype and ichat.

Wow! What impovement!

Congratulations! Catherine

Aralee Dorough, Principal Flutist of the Houston Symphony Speaks on Buzzing, Chopstick and Finding your Sound

Greetings,

The following video interview was recorded in the Houston studio of Aralee Dorough, Principal Flutist of the Houston Symphony, on September 22, 2007.
Aralee talks about:

• benefits of practicing and teaching "buzzing" and "chopstick" (from Keith Underwood)
• embouchure lessons she learned from Robert Willoughby --and from her horse!
• finding and sculpting your tone

Many thanks to Aralee for sharing her experiences and her wisdom. You may visit her at her website, www.araleedorough.com.

Aralee, her husband, Colin (Houston Symphony oboist), and her father (famous jazz pianist,Bob Dorough), recently put out a CD, "The Houston Branch," with terrific Houston jazz sidemen. I enjoy this album often. You will find it here:

• http://cdbaby.com/cd/dorough
• iTunes (search for "Houston Branch")

All the best,
Catherine