Alexander Studio London

The video can now be found here:
YouTube - Alexander Studio London

Many of you have been asking about what an Alexander lesson is like. Frequently, the first Alexander lesson features rising from and sitting on a chair. This is a short clip demonstrating a "chair lesson" taught by Anthony Kinsley, an Alexander Teacher at The Alexander Studio in London, England. Notice how the student's spine elongates as she raises and lowers into the chair, preserving the balance of her head on her spine.
Wow! I feel taller just watching!

Catherine

Hermeto Pascoal - Música da Lagoa

Brazilian musician, Hermeto Pascoal, and his ensemble prove that music is everywhere in this piece made for Brazilian television. Hermeto became internationally famous after an appearance on a Miles Davis album in 1971. Check out Hermeto's "fluid" technique! The bottle backup players could use some embouchure help...

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!
Catherine

You can visit his website:
http://www.hermetopascoalealinemorena.com.br/english/abertura.asp

More about Hermeto Pascoal:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeto_Pascoal

Non-Pirated Free Sheet Music Download Sites: Play Along with Julius

I had a thought yesterday. Why not play along, imitating physical gestures, while watching the Google Video of Julius Baker playing Brandenburg 5?

Gosh, I don't have this part memorized...

Hmmmm...I wonder if there are any public domain online Bach Brandenburg 5 scores...

Eureka! My treasure hunt was successful.

Later today you will find a folder of complete score and flute part from Movement 3 of Brandenburg 5 in the Articles/Documents list in the Virtual Studio. The folder is compiled from results of a multi site search. Music found at these sites is free to download, print out, perform and distribute.

• Mutopia Project
• Werner Icking Music Archive
• Gutenberg: The Sheet Music Project
• The Choral Public Domain Library
• The International Music Score Library Project

Links lists of other free legal music downloads:

• http://icking-music-archive.org/oth_mus_archives.php
• http://dmoz.org/Arts/Music/Resources/Downloadable_Music_Sheets/

Hope you find some treasures there! Please share your discoveries.


Happy Hunting!
Catherine

Keith Underwood's favorite weekly video

Here it is!

The video Keith Underwood raved about all week in his classes.


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2626723245082747523&q=glenn+gould+brandenburg+5

Notice, among other interesting details, how Baker phases to the left, and moves into his breaths--to the left. Also how he stands with his flute in his right hand with his left shoulder relaxed, then brings the flute to himself, adding the left hand just before playing. Cool stuff.

Enjoy!

Check back frequently in the next few days for more inspirational tips from the classes I attended in Houston this week.
Catherine

Patricia George's "Flute Spa"

On Sunday, April 15, at Meredith College, Raleigh Area Flute Association hosted Patricia George, Professor of Flute at Brigham Young University, to present her workshop , "Flute Spa," 3 solid hours of teaching jam packed with useful exercises, thoughts to ponder, and stories about the legacy and icons of flute playing.

I found almost everything she said meshed with my experiences as both flutist and teacher, and ignited my own creative thought process. With her permission, I am posting the useful booklet from the clinic as a pdf in the Library on my website, www.catherinelegrand.com. I hope you find it inspiring.

In this document you will find:

• Warm up exercises and routines
• Body Mapping Check List and images reprinted with permission from Barbara Conable's Book, What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body, published by Andover Press (Amazon Link in Library).
• "Octave Variations" (quick thoughts to remember high note fingerings)
• "Short Scales" (a quick tour of the high octave of the flute moving through scales in the circle of fifths)-SUPER!
• Useful pattern variations for practicing scales, including advocacy of "chunking" groups of notes in order to learn patterns faster (less practice time) in short, manageable sections. (I call these "bursts of notes".)
• The "Flute Spa" menu concludes with Patricia's 2-page "Ideas on Phrasing 2007" which simplifies the vast, comprehensive subjects of phrasing and expression into well-explained individual elements.

Thanks for reminding us that practicing is a joyful process, one in which we can experience and celebrate measurable improvement!

I highly recommend attending a class with Patricia George.

Also, check out the article:
"Using the 17 Big Daily Exercises for Flute by Taffanel and Gaubert, Published by Leduc" By Patricia George

Happy Practicing!
Catherine

William Kincaid, Principal Flutist of the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1921-1960 and teacher for many decades at the Curtis Institute of Music, was one of the most influential figures in the history of American flute playing.

While organizing and digitizing documents in my studio/office today, I came across a well-worn, yellowed photocopy of a 12-page document, “Notes on Flute Performance” by William Kincaid. I remember that the article (with no copyright indication) was given to me by a teacher many years ago. (I wish I could remember the rest of the story!)

I reread this article, which discusses basic topics including resonance, tone, embouchure, vibrato, articulation, phrasing and line from the context and in the words of William Kincaid.

I have posted a pdf of the article for you to read and to consider under ARTICLES/DOCUMENTS. I welcome comments and questions.

To read more about Kincaid read: Kincaidiana by John C. Krell, a former Kincaid student and member of the Philadelphia Orchestra, available at http://www.nfaonline.org/NFA-Store/Product.aspx?ProductID=74

There are several historic recordings of Kincaid re-released on CD available for purchase through a variety of sources.

We can still learn from this great teacher, William Kincaid.

Catherine

Upper Lip Images: "Trunk and Snout"

"Buzzing" the upper lip against the tongue seemed to be a frequent prescription for tone and articulation issues in lessons this week.

I often speak of how the upper lip can be strong and flexible, capable of lifting and extending itself well beyond the upper teeth and the tongue.

Did you know that a elephant trunk has over 50,000 muscles and no bones? Imagine how strong and flexible an elephant trunk is!

Try imitating an elephant trunk with your upper lip, surrounding muscles, and tongue.

Here is everything you ever wanted to know about elephant trunks and more:
http://elephant.elehost.com/About_Elephants/Anatomy/The_Trunk/the_trunk.html




Aardvarks have long tapered snouts and long tongues. Picture your "snout"--your lifted and extended upper lip --sucking in air when you inhale.




For more thoughts on upper lip and tongue position, visit Jerome Callet's website:
http://www.super-chops.com/

Happy "buzzing!"

Catherine

Scale Exam Cheat Sheets

SHOCKING! Well, it's that time of the semester for college students--"cramming for scale juries" time. I hope these documents (added in the ARTICLES/DOCUMENTS Section as pdf's) are helpful. They are, of course, not intended for use in the exam, but rather to serve as a guide during practice and study time:


Full Range Major Scales (Flutes): This is a road map of start note, highest note, lowest note and ending note for each major scale. Notes in parentheses are optional substitute notes-- dominant of the scale.

Thirds Typed: All 12 Major Scales in Thirds on one page! Print out the document and highlight the scale notes (basically every other pitch) to keep from losing your place. Notes in parentheses are optional substitute notes.

Minor Scale Cheat Sheet: A chart which lists the M/m key names and #6 and #7 notes for each minor scale all on one page.

7th Chords: A chart listing all forms of 7th chords for each root note--all on one page. Bolded note indicates which note changed from the previous chord.

7th chords are triads (3 stacked line or space notes) with an additional 3rd on top creating a 4 note pattern in each octave. It is helpful to review the forms of triads before studying 7th chords.

Triad forms:

• Major triad: Major 3rd (4 half steps) with a minor 3rd (3 half steps) on top
• minor triad: minor 3rd with a Major 3rd on top
• diminished triad: minor 3rd with a minor 3rd on top

Forms of 7th chords:

• MM7--Major triad with Major 7th
• Mm7 (Dominant 7)--Major triad with minor 7th
• mm7--minor triad with minor 7th
• half-diminished 7--diminished triad with Major 3rd on top
• fully diminished 7--diminished triad with minor 3rd on top

May your practice go smoothly and without haste.

Catherine

Flute Alignment or How To "DeClaw" Flutists

In my "ABC's of Wind Playing" this topic belongs in Category C: Physical Orientation to the Instrument.

Many tonal and fingering difficulties experienced on the flute can be attributed to less than ideal alignment of the instrument and/or inefficient physical orientation to the instrument. Improving alignment of the instrument can eliminate many of these problems which can distract us from what is important, the enjoyment and satisfaction of playing beautifully.

I often say, “One of my missions in life is to declaw flutists.” The meaning of this statement is twofold; flutists tend to squeeze their flutes with their thumb and index finger combos on both hands (their “claws”) causing unnecessary tension and wasted air, and, also, I don’t well tolerate “catty” comments or thoughts about other flutists, especially among my students—we’re all in this together!

It is useful to think of balancing, rather than holding the flute; to avoid squeezing the flute, be sure that the instrument is properly balanced on the inside of the top joint of the right thumb and the area just above the lower knuckle of the left index finger while also lightly touching the chin area below the lower lip. (for good placement on lip, please see my “Lip Line and Lippies” video:
http://www.catherinelegrand.mobi/audiovideo/070204lippies.mov

If the flute is properly balanced, it will not roll backwards toward the face. Squeezing with the “claws” is usually caused by expending energy to prevent the flute from rolling backwards. If the keys are slightly turned forward (rods almost pointing to the ceiling) the flute can balance with stability, improving finger dexterity and musical performance. In order for the head, neck and jaw to be comfortable and for the embouchure to function properly while the keys are somewhat forward, the headjoint will need to be turned in some. I often suggest aligning the inside edge of the embouchure hole between the rods, though this varies some depending on the physical height and finger lengths of the individual flutist.

While searching for online resources on this topic to share with you, I came across an excellent article by Canadian flutist Jennifer Cluff, complete with historical background, diagrams and photos:

http://www.jennifercluff.com/lineup.htm#align

For those of you with right pinky issues, this is her footjoint alignment discussion:

http://www.jennifercluff.com/footturn.pdf

I welcome your questions and comments.

Catherine