I'm looking at a summer spent largely close to home this year for various reasons, and I'm planning to create some new, Rocky Mountain-targeted pedagogical materials, including short instruction videos and downloadable exercises, to address the playing issues I keep running into at my inreach activities and school visits. So, let the record show that I AM going to do something productive to share and, more importantly, I am officially soliciting requests from band directors and private teachers in our time zone.
I've avoided this project for years because there are so many instructional videos online already, and many of them are incredibly well done, including the work of Zara Lawler, Amelie Brodeur, Emily Beynon, and for extended techniques, Nicole Chamberlain. I still recommend all of these folks because, honestly, there are some wide variations in "correct" playing on our wonderfully flexible instrument and no one should be limited to just one resource. But we have some issues that I have come to see as endemic in our region and I'd like to help put them to rest for good.
You can go ahead and follow my YouTube channel to see new videos as they drop throughout the summer, follow UWYO Flutes on Instagram for previews, or just keep checking back here in the old-timey blogosphere for updates. Some overarching issues on my priority list include
- developing an efficient, flexible embouchure
- air capacity / use
- hand position and overall healthy posture
- simplifying articulation
- creative scale practice
What's missing from my list? Comment here or where you find this post in social media--all reasonable suggestions will be entertained, but I'm particularly eager to hear how I can help support you hard working band directors without the benefit of local flute instructors to help you!
By the way, there's still just barely time for students going into grades 8-12 to register for the Wyoming Summer Flute Intensive, a little pedagogy incubator of mine that's been going here at UW for 6 years now. Shareable link is here, and thank you in advance for your advocacy! (Sorry for the gross picture.)
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