Author: tyonce

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Flute Trial #1

I find myself in the market for a new flute. I’m not in a hurry to purchase, and I plan to try out many different instruments before deciding what I want to go with. This week, I’ve been playing a wooden (grenadilla) flute made by Powell. The mechanism is sterling silver and it has a B foot joint, French cups, and offset G. It’s pitched at A=442. I’ve tried two different headjoints with it this week. My own personal grenadilla headjoint has a sterling silver tenon; I also tried a grenadilla headjoint with a 14k gold tenon. The instrument has a beautiful, warm sound. I did notice a difference in the sound between the two headjoints. However, they seem to be cut slightly differently, so the differences can’t be attributed to material (silver versus 14k gold) alone. It’s a comfortable instrument to play. It does take slightly longer to warm up than a metal instrument — and I only played it for short intervals, as it was only finished a couple of weeks ago — but once it’s warm, it has a lovely sound. This flute is definitely on the short list.

 

wooden powell
Grenadilla/silver headjoint.
head joints
Comparison of both headjoints.
IMG_1305[1]
Close up of grenadilla/silver headjoint.
lip plate
Close up of grenadilla/14k gold headjoint.
wooden powell2
Close up of sterling silver mechanism.
wooden powell14k
Grenadilla/14k gold headjoint.
IMG_1302[1]
Close up of offset G.

 

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Glissando Headjoint

Flute and Composer Friends,

If you don’t yet know about the Glissando Headjoint, I am happy to introduce you to some of what it can do. It was invented by the flutist/composer/musician extraordinaire Robert Dick, and plenty of information about its conception and eventual construction can be found at other sources. Check out this link for a video demonstration by Robert.

Since buying one of these headjoints a couple of years ago, I am feeling more comfortable and adept at using it. I am happy to have met several people worldwide who also use it, and it has been especially rewarding to have some new pieces written which utilize the headjoint. It is possible to extend the range of the flute downwards, and it produces a true glissando, as opposed to one produced by quickly fingering a descending scale or using the head to bend the pitch downwards.

From the flutist’s perspective, it takes a while to learn the mechanics of the headjoint. It is cut somewhat differently compared to my standard headjoint. Despite the fact that it somewhat resembles a medieval torture device, it is actually quite comfortable to play. The steep learning curve is figuring out how far out the carrier tube has to be extended in order to get the note that is needed. I have found the best way to remember these specific positions is to write reminders in the margins (“Nearly halfway, Fully extended, Very close to home positions,” etc.). Granted, they aren’t precise but they help me remember generally how far the tube must be extended, and then I rely on muscle memory and my ears to tweak. On a side note, working with the glissando headjoint has been the best ear training teacher I’ve ever had. There is an established fingering chart and notation system in place.

Jay Batzner has written a beautiful work that calls for the glissando headjoint, and you can check it out here.

If you are a composer interested in working with me and writing for the glissando headjoint, please feel free to contact me at tammy.yonce at sdstate.edu.

IMG_1286[1]
With the carrier tube in “home” position. In this case, it plays exactly like a C flute. The two wings can be adjusted to fit each player’s face, and those are used to slide the tube.
IMG_1287[1]
With the carrier tube fully extended.
 

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Etude Project Videos

In what seems to be a natural extension to last summer’s etude project, I’ve decided to record some of those that I found to be most useful for my university students, and in some cases, my younger ones. Here’s some Gariboldi, op. 132 and a Piazzolla tango etude thrown in for good measure.

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Time Off

IMG_0988[1]This month, I did something I haven’t done in recent memory.

I took a vacation.

Now, to be fair, I have gone on vacation in the past five years. But it always included work. I brought a computer and flute along, and felt obligated to keep up with email, practicing, reading, writing, and idea generating. While I enjoyed myself, there was always that pressure to work underscoring everything.

This time, I didn’t bring my laptop along. My flute was in the repair shop but I brought a backup. I brought one work-related book. And of course I had my phone, which kept me tied to colleague-friends.  But most of the projects I have been working on, including my ever-expanding etude project, came to a grinding halt. I spent nearly four weeks away from work, visiting family and friends, and spending the last week on the beach. Living in the middle of the country for the past couple of years has made me realize how much I miss the coast, and it is always a restorative place to visit. There the days run into each other, and the passing of time is marked by afternoon thundershowers, amazing sunsets, and the changing tides. It took a while for me to decompress, but I am more relaxed than I have been in a very long time.

I practiced just a bit but it was when I truly felt like it, and it was for short periods of time. I read just a couple of chapters of my work-related book. I came up with a bunch of new ideas, but they were spontaneously generated. I made a note of them and will work on them later. Instead of the usual type of productivity, I picked blueberries and made a bunch of blueberry syrup. I visited parents, grandparents, brothers, aunts, uncles, and in-laws. My husband and I spent an epic whirlwind couple of days with Al Theisen in Asheville, North Carolina; we also had a great time with friends, including Michael Kallstrom, in Kentucky. I visited old high school friends who still live in my hometown. I ate well, including home cookin’ as well as meals at restaurants such as Hugh Acheson’s 5&10, Mary Mac’s Tea Room in Atlanta, and Southern Soul BBQ in Saint Simons Island, GA. I spent time in Athens, GA and St. Louis. I drove through 10 different states. I bought a stack of new books from the excellent bookstore on Jekyll Island, GA. And I spent a glorious week at my favorite place: the Golden Isles of Georgia.

I made my semi-annual trip to the grocery store specifically to buy regional food that I can’t find in the upper midwest. Vidalia onions, honey, muscadine wine, White Lily flour, Cheerwine, Duke’s mayonnaise, pecan rice, cornmeal, and Southern Soul BBQ sauce now fill my pantry until my next trip home.

This post is a departure from the usual, but so was this month. And guess what? The world is still spinning, my career still seems to be intact, and I am refreshed and ready to jump back in. Maybe I’ll make this vacation-thing a regular occurrence.

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Whole Musician retreats

I had the pleasure of chatting with Dr. Megan Lanz this week. Megan is a flutist based in Las Vegas, Nevada; she and I met over Twitter, where so many good connections are made. Megan and several friends have recently organized themselves in a group called Whole Musician and have just wrapped up hosting their first flute retreat. We chatted about their goals for the retreat, what makes it different from other masterclasses, and their future plans.

Some of the members of Whole Musician have known each other for a while and others have only recently been acquainted. While at the most recent Canadian flute convention, the future Whole Musician faculty — Meg Griffith, Megan Lanz, Christopher Lee, Rik Noyce, and Niall O’Riordan — quickly realized that they shared the same philosophy in regards to a holistic type of flute pedagogy.

Their first class was held in Big Bear, CA earlier this month. They wanted to avoid a “cookie cutter” type of experience. In addition to traditional instruction in flute, such as masterclasses, recitals, and orchestral excerpts, they also incorporated classes such as yoga, fitness, personal training, Feldenkrais, mindfulness, life coaching, and effective learning. These classes vary depending on the goals of the participant. Therefore, each retreat takes a slightly different shape and is entirely flexible. Participants indicate areas they would like to work on when they submit their applications, and the faculty customizes classes to ensure the participants’ challenges are addressed.

The faculty as well as the participants found the recent event to be quite a bonding experience. They feel that including classes which address musicians’ issues slightly differently cuts down on unhealthy competition. It is the hope of the faculty that attending this retreat will help flutists rediscover the reason they started playing flute in the first place.

Future plans for Whole Musician include an August retreat in London on the heels of the British Flute Society convention. Three of their faculty members — Niall, Meg, and Chris — will be teaching this time. For future workshops, they hope to be able to accommodate all musicians, not just flutists. They feel that their offerings address challenges common to all musicians, regardless of specialization. They have recently been named finalists in the National Flute Association‘s Arts Venture competition, which recognizes new thinking and viable, innovative ideas; winners will be announced at the upcoming NFA convention in Chicago in early August.

If you’re interested in a summer flute experience that goes beyond the traditional, this might be what you’re looking for. For more information about Whole Musician and their retreats, check out their website at www.wholemusician.net.

 

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Scott/Garrison Duo – Perennials

Perennials
Albany Records
Performed by The Scott/Garrison Duo: Shannon Scott, clarinet; Leonard Garrison, flute and Rajung Yang, piano

Perennials for flute, clarinet, and piano (2011)
    I. Joyous Overture
    II. Romanza
    III. Scherzo
    IV. Winter Prayer
     V. Spring Awakening

Three Romances for flute and clarinet (2007)
     I. Languid
     II. Sultry
     III. Frisky

Invention No. 1, BWV 772 by J.S. Bach, arr. Dorff for flute and clarinet

Andante con Variazioni for flute and clarinet (1975) 

Invention No. 4, BWV 775 by J.S. Bach, arr. Dorff for flute and clarinet

Three Little Waltzes for flute and clarinet (2010) 

Invention No. 6, BWV 777 by J.S. Bach, arr. Dorff for flute and clarinet

Two Cats for flute and clarinet (2007)
    I. Hootie
     II. Tiki

Invention No. 8, BWV 779 by J.S. Bach, arr. Dorff for flute and clarinet

Dances and Canons for flute and clarinet (1976)
     I. Waltz
    II. Canon
     III. Ballade 
    IV. Canon
     V. Invention
     VI. Dance
     VII. Nocturne
     VIII. Canon
     IX. Dance

Pastorale (Souvenirs du Frög) for clarinet and piano (1994)

This newly-released collection of works for various combinations of flute, clarinet, and piano by Daniel Dorff is expertly executed by the Scott/Garrison Duo, joined by pianist Rajung Yang. Shannon Scott is Instructor of Clarinet at Washington State University, and Leonard Garrison is Associate Professor of Flute at the University of Idaho. Rajung Yang is Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Idaho.

Dorff’s music is fresh and highly listenable. This album primarily includes works written quite recently but there are a few works – Andante con Variazioni, Dances and Canons, and Pastorale (Souvenirs du Frög) – that date from earlier in Dorff’s catalogue. Each work is consistently a pleasure to hear. The title track was commissioned by Walfrid Kujala and Sherry Kujala for their friends Helen Ann Shanley and Richard Shanley, and Dorff explains that his approach to composition includes building repertoire that lasts, much like perennial plants. He expands this idea further to apply to the long-lasting relationships between people, and the work (as well as the album) suddenly had a name. This relationship-based, friendly approach to composition is apparent throughout this album.

Three Romances is a delightful collection of movements for flute and clarinet. They are highly contrasting and provide the performer with ample opportunity to be expressive and show different colors. It’s a very conversational piece and allows for much back-and-forth between the two players.
Scattered throughout the album are several two-part inventions by J.S. Bach that Dorff arranged for flute and clarinet. They are lovely to hear and would work very well in a recital setting either individually or grouped together.

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New Piece

IMG_0769[1]I’m really looking forward to performing a brand new work for glissando flute and piano by John Griffin. We first met at the National Flute Association Convention in New Orleans in 2013, where I performed another work using the glissando headjoint. We got the details for a new work ironed out, tweaked it a bit when we saw each other at the regional College Music Society conference in Fargo in 2014, and now it’s ready to be practiced. It was great to work with John, and I’m looking forward to giving the premiere of this work during the fall of this year.

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