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