Flute Clinic A Flute Masterclass By Patricia George dents aside and run a masterclass with them. Although it would be ideal if an area flute teacher was available to come in, this may not be possible everywhere. A masterclass does not have to be performance critique; the aim can simply be to provide much needed information for band stu- dents who do not study privately. The curriculum should include information about the flute, musi- cianship, practice techniques, and something fun in conclusion. Start with the Headjoint Using the headjoint alone avoids the need to talk about balancing the flute, positioning the hands, standing and sitting positions, and fingering. It is better to start simply with the headjoint and make sure that students understand how it works, where to blow; how to tongue, and the basies of vibrato before assembling the flute. These will be topics for future masterclasses I: may be beneficial to take beginning flute stu- Curriculum This curriculum works well for any age level. The goal for the first class is to teach students how to produce beautiful sounds, articulate, and vibrate. This is most easily done using only the headjoint, which they should hold wich theit thumbs and index fingers. The left-hand fingers should not block the air stream as it crosses the embouchure hole. Preparation You will need a one-page handout for each stuc dent, soda straws, small plastic storage bags, a pit ‘wheel, a cleaning rod with a cork placement marker con one end, a tuner, and a Bigio insertion tool. The Bigio tool is available from J.L. Smith in Charlotte, North Carolina or you can make one by drilling a small hole in the end of a ¥4" x 12" dowel rod. Getting Started Each student's headjoint cork should be checked for proper placement. To save time, do this before the class begins when possible. (The box on page 44 offers guidance, although some of the sugges- tions are for more thorough cleaning and adjust- ment at home.) The line on the cleaning rod should register in the center of the embouchure 40 rue mstmunaeTALIST DECEMBER 008 hole. If you are uncomfortable adjusting corks, take a lesson from a flute technician to learn how «0 do it safely or follow these basic directions. Ifa cork is too loose in the headjaint and does not stay in place, remove the cork and place a strip of pipe or cellophane tape around the base of the cork. This quick fix will last until the student can take the headjoint to a technician for a permanent repair. The class will be playing on the headjoint for almost an hour, so you want them to be in tune. Sweet Spot and the Soda Straw Teacher's Goal: Find the Sweet Spot on the headjoint. Every headjoint has what I call a sweet spot ~ the optimum place at which to direct the air to pro- duce a ringing, bell-type tone. A soda straw helps students find the correct location. With the straw in the right hand, as if it were a pencil, and the headjoint in the left hand not touching the chin, have students place the bottom edge of the straw on the back edge of the embouchure hole ~ the edge that would normally be under the lower lip. Then have them blow while slowly moving the straw across the back side from left to right. Listen carefully. There will be one place where the tone will be mote focused. This place is position A, which might be in the center of the back edge or a little off to the left or right. This position depends on the individual cut of the embouchure hole Then, with the straw in position A, angle the straw while blowing the air toward the outer edge ~ the edge furthest away from you~ and move the straw from left to right. When you hear the best focus, that position is position B. As you blow from position A to B you will find the sweet spot. Now try to duplicate that blowing position with the headjoint against the chin. This exercise real- ly helps students understand how to find the best place to direct the air for a great sound and focus. Anatomy and Blowing Teacher's Goal: Align the head, separate the vocal folds, place the embouchure hole parallel eo the cel- ing, release the air from the body. Position the head at the bottom of a very small. nod. To understand how the head balances on the spine, ask students to nod their heads several times and also have them pant several times in order tonotice that the vocal folds are separat ed during inhalation and exhalation, This position, sometimes referred to as an open throat, is what they should while playing. heck that embouchure hol lel to the floor and cei ing back toward the pl: inside edge of the embouchure hole should be where the skin changes from chin to lip While students blow several notes, cl with your hand where each stu PINT ntage Pro Series airstream is crossing the hhure hole. Place the pinwheel ind instruct the flutist t0 wheel spin. This teaches air must leave the body the flute. It also helps the speed of the air them chat dl when playi d Find your first Love CK oo 6 nal: Make a smooth octave Practicing slurred octaves on a head- joint is a quick way to develop the cembouchure. Ask students to slur half eral times, low to high, at mf. Alternate with the seudents ~ you play cone slur and then the class responds. When the class is small, you can work with students individually. IF has difficulty making the sla entire class to play the low ne seated and then tise to a standin tion for the upper note. The energy that is used to stand is whar was miss- ing in the previous attempts t0 pro duce the upper note. By asking the entire class to do this exercise, you don’t embarrass the student, lengthen the not interval was a fourth of m Generally, when playing slurs from a musical perspective, we play large intervals small and’ small intervals Tange. Octaves on the headjoint are fot in tune, even when the cork is in the proper place because the headjoint flue Maesic Festival hes caught Music Preparatory Sate Universi andis not completely cylindrical. How- left?" [was glad I had not followed the ka several times quickly to achieve the ever, the parabolic shape makes third- advice of aless-informed band director snake-like tongue motion. The jaw cctave notes ess sharp when using the whose only flute playing experience was should hang with the upper and lower entire flute in a methods clas. teeth separated, and the tongue should Encourage each student to play with Over the years I have changed only _be placed through the teeth. his natural face. I prefer to let about 10 students’ embouchutes. When the air comes before the embouchure's evolve rather than giv- When I have made an embouchure tongue, a hoot attack is produced. ing explicit instructions about mouth suggestion, Ihave prefaced it with the Remind students over and over again shapes to young students. Exercises words, “This is only a suggestion.” that the tongue releases the air. When, with harmonics will help students’ ‘Those I have encouraged to change an attack is harsh che beginning of the ‘embouchures to evolve naturally. were students with apertures on the note is sharp, and then the note settles Every criticism sheet that 1 right. While they were able to get into the pitch. A tuner will show the received during the years I was play- beautiful sounds that way, I was con- beginning of a note. ing school solo festival competitions cerned with how far back their right Ask students to hold the ends ofthe mentioned that I did not play with a shoulders had to be in order to play. 1 headjoint with thumbs and index fin- smniley face. The corners of my worried that they would not be able to gers and start the rone (using the sweet embouchure were down naturally, play this way without pain for four or spot) with the tongue outside the lips and my aperture was on the left side. more hours a day for 40 years. as if making a face. Pull the tongue The judges suggested that I change However, before any changes were back horizontally to release the ait and ‘my embouchure immediately. made, we studied the arm's anatomy make a tone. Repeat several. times ‘Thank goodness 1 was a stubborn and talked about what modifications until they understand the motion and youngstudent. [thought I sounded pret- might be made. The goal is to teach can easly start the tone with the ty good. [was winning contests and did the student so that he may continue tongue out. Now repeat the stroke ot se why I should change, Then perorming all rough long career placing the wongue othe sop lp an played for the legendary Frederick é drawing the tongue back while saying ‘Wilkins at the Tri-State Music Festival Tonguing thi in the rhythm: thi, thi, thi, rest. in Enid, Oklahoma, who commented, Teacher's Goal: A perfect attack. “You have a beautiful embouchure. The The tongue releases the air to pro- Musicianship ccomersare down and youraperture son duce a sound. The general movement Goal: Smength of the beat concep. the left. Did you know that all the of the tongue should be horizontal Each masterclass should teach basic famous flutists had an aperture on the rather than vertical, Say che word thic- musicianship fundamentals. In. the Aligning a Headjoint Cork Crown ‘Cork assembly joint with a corkjétem remover 5. To replace the cork assembly, drop ‘ool, This tool has a hole drilled init into the headjoint, screw end cone end so you can place the hole frst, from the flute-body end of over the srew part ofthe sem the headjoine. 6. A wellfitted cork should drop into the headjoint and come to rest o that the disc on the end of the cork rests in about the middle of the embouchure hole. The cork should also be shaped so that 4. When the cork has been re- _ itissmaller toward the screw end. roved, wash the headjoine inside and out with dishwashing liquid 1. Unscrew the crown several turns. 2. Place the end of the crown ona and hot water. Hot water re- padded surface and gently push moves the wax and other debris the crown in. Keep your hands ftom the inside of the headjoint. away from the embouchure plate Dry the headjoint thoroughly. 7. Use the cleaning rod to position Sakae doing thie the cork. The line on the cleaning rod should register a the half-way 3.Once the cork/stem assembly is free, mal sea ota remove the crown and push the 8. Replace the crown and use the cork out the far end of the head- crown for the final adjustment. 44 mie smunaevTaLsr pecan 08