Year in the Life – one second a day

If you are wondering what the day to day life of a very specific combination of musician, flute teacher, music college master’s student and concert steward looks like then check this out! It is my year in a second a day (nearly everyday since last September!). Or just check out the bitesize version on my instagram – it is a year in less than a minute.

About the flute

The flute can turn air into many different, mesmerising sounds. Unlike reed instruments, there is no resistance for the player to blow against, the player themselves bends and shapes the air to create their best tone. It is hardly surprising that the flute has a special place in mythology, most notably the Greek God Pan (the subject of much music, including solo flute piece, Debussy’s Syrinx).

Sight reading…

… it’s not as scary as you think! Every time you learn a new piece of music you are sight reading – teachers and students shouldn’t treat it as an intense part of the exam there’s no way to prepare for Prepare in advance: Yes you can practise sight reading. Whether this is with piecesContinue reading “Sight reading…”

Articulation terms

Lets begin with the basic articulation terms and styles. These are the most common symbols you will find. Staccato – a dot above the note means it should be detached (often, but not always, short) Slur – a curved line connects different pitches that are to be played smoothly (only tongue the first note ofContinue reading “Articulation terms”

BLOG: The blur of fourth year

It’s the Easter holidays and, as I’m staring the end of my degree in the face, I thought I’d give an update on what I’ve been up to!   My final year has been busy with lots of orchestral and wind band concerts. A highlight was playing the flute in a lovely, enormous wind sectionContinue reading “BLOG: The blur of fourth year”

Performance directions – basic music terms

Specific music terms are used by composers to direct performers. It tells us their intention and an idea of the mood or style to perform it in.

A beginner’s guide to basic music terms and their interpretation.