youth playing in concert

Flute Choir Messages

Good Afternoon, Amazing Flutists and Families —

Wow, there was so MUCH IMPROVEMENT!  Keep up the great work!  Fantastic rehearsal!  (Our recording engineer, Ron, was SO IMPRESSED too 🙂 )

  • Anyone who missed yesterday’s rehearsal will be required to make their own video performance to submit to the conductors by Thursday, May 2nd.

HOMEWORK THIS WEEK to be submitted to Dr. Merrie and Dr. Sandy by Friday afternoon, May 3

All Benaroya music should be “performance-ready”. Please practice what you need to in order to improve your weakest areas.

As we mentioned, you must submit a SELF-evaluation AND GROUP reflection to Dr. Merrie (FluteChoir@BYSO.org) and Dr. Sandy (flutes@BYSO.org) by Friday, in order to not be asked to a play a music test with the conductors.  This is important and meaningful and will help everyone to perform their best – raising the playing standard for everyone.  Thank you for taking it seriously and being conscientious.

Here are the videos:  https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/hvmn2w2e55l02u2mhvrpm/APnRJqtKBIW7rbNRZLJV_1o?rlkey=td3uahuhrq9u064ldmcfqlj1i&st=8rscq15g&dl=0

Each person will watch:

  • the video recording of their own row – and
  • the full group

You must submit an email of your self-critique (from your “row” performance); as well as a full group evaluation – noting what went well, in addition to what can be improved.  Include an EQUAL number of positive comments along with constructive feedback for improvement.

We would like to receive these by Friday, May 3rd so we have time to create an appropriate rehearsal plan for Monday based on what was observed.

You may submit a list; and you do not need to write in complete sentences. Feel free to see criteria on the Flute Orchestra Conductor’s Page or come up with your own comments/feedback.  You can also use a Horsfall/SYAMFA/Solo-Ensemble adjudication form as a guide for analyzing your own performance and that of the group. Choose a format that works for you – it’s the information and comments that you include that is most important. Try and offer lots of specific comments (remarking on a particular measure/skill/etc.) as well as ‘global’/general comments about the whole piece.

All the comments will be collected and shared with everyone.

Email evaluations to Dr. Merrie (FluteChoir@BYSO.org) and Dr. Sandy (flutes@BYSO.org) by Friday, then use the weekend to work on the areas you identified as needing improvement.

A B C D E F G H I J K L
Row 3 (back) Kaylyn Coco Hannah Noah Arnav Matthew Crystal Jeri Medha Pia Elizabeth Julinna
Row 2 Shiho Ada Isabelle Kaylee Gwen Marcus Samuel Shachar Chloe C Carrie Rio
Row 1 (front)
 Leo Kayla Jackie Chloe K Karthik Hannes Suah Alice Stella Ember Siyu

*** Please write your NEW row number and column letter on your Dance With Me music. *** (And, if I forgot any changes – please let me know! 🙂  [Current as of 4/29]

 

Here’s a list of things to fix and practice, and prepare for OUR LAST rehearsal!!  I have updated the “DANCE WITH ME” list.  Please check it again for clarifications. Really try to improve the Marcato Harmonico sections this week.

DANCE WITH ME (updated 4/30)

For help with airy sounds, visit: https://www.flutexpansions.com/aeolian-colored-air

For help with lip pitch bends, visit: https://www.flutexpansions.com/glissando-pitch-bend

For help with the Marcato Harmonico … ultimately, you are trying to produce the low octave and the higher octave at the same time, which is one type of a multiphonic.  Our technique for this piece is a very easy introduction – that doesn’t require much finesse. It’s easiest if we close our aperture (hug the lips tightly around the air column); tongue super hard (“punch” the roof of your mouth); and use the top lip to aim the air low, into the flute – while blowing lots of FAST air.  If your notes stay too high – make sure your head is up and you haven’t rolled in too much; also check the space inside your mouth – you can change the shape of your oral cavity (make it bigger, make it smaller (how much space is between your teeth?) and use different vowels to help color the sound (ah / ooh-ewe / oh / uh / etc.)  EXPERIMENT!  But you must be committed, convincing and compelling!  Really GO FOR IT!

  • Everyone needs to have everything learned and memorized! Performance-ready!
  • Please don’t bounce to the music on the 1st page.  Turn the bouncing on at Letter F – the 1st page should be commanding and intense
  • For all pitch bends: the note MUST begin in tune, before you begin the fall or rise.
  • By now you should know how to produce that airy wind sound and marcato harmonico – and can produce it confidently and consistently.  If you can’t – you need to practice more and take the music to your private teacher.  They are important features of this piece.
  • To all in Row 3 – as of last night, only 1/3 of you can play the music and do the choreography accurately.  YIKES!  Please step up and be more committed to the success of this performance.
  • You have to practice on your own and experiment to find the best way that works for you to produce the special effects / extended techniques.
  • Additionally, we still don’t always hear the pitch bends.  I see lots of flute movement, however. Don’t sacrifice the actual playing – we need to hear the pitch rise on the G’s, especially.  For the Pitch Bend on the G … establish a good G, then roll in to out for the pitch rise.  At the same time, lift your head to help aim the air higher (and create more of pitch rise).  The lifting of the flute is only for show … for the audience 🙂 . For the C# in the rapping section – remember you are fingering a very low C# but overblowing to the printed octave.  Aim your air down and duck your head down – as you roll in.  But be sure to recover to a good/normal playing position to continue with the D’s (fingered like a low D, and overblown).
  • I acknowledge that there may be a few students who did play with dynamics, used the proper wind/airy tone, and successfully demonstrated the pitch bends in their playing.  However, since the majority did not, anyone who was doing what they were supposed to, had all their hard work erased.  TRAGIC! Let’s do better! Let’s support each other with our best efforts!  Everyonemust positively contribute!  I love L’s idea of performing with sincerity 🙂
  • At D, F, and I – the 8th notes on count 4 should be short and accented.
  • Rehearsal E and J – your feet move on counts 1 and 3;  your elbow lifts on count 4
  • At Rehearsal H – it’s full sound plus full windy.  (try “kuh” as your tonguing syllable)
  • For all the marcato harmonico sections – high knee lifts! AND ACCURATE notes – with the cracked/split tone – you can do it, I promise! 🙂 This is what needs the most work from everyone. The notes on the last page are different than page 2.
  • Add elbow lifts to go with the airy sound in measures: 27, 28, 29, 51, 52, and 53
  • At K – bend forward
  • At L – move your feet slower (more like cut time), keep feet close to the ground, and your body more still – definitely no bouncing.  You should glide and float and bend backwards. Movement:  m. 59 take only 4 beats to rise; / m. 60 start sliding/gliding backwards; / m. 61 slowly begin bending backwards. / By m. 65 you should be looking up to the ceiling. It’s like an uber slow motion sequence in an action movie 🙂
  • For the Airplane section at Rehearsal M – keep your feet slow; and bend your knees a bit – but no bouncing / keep your hips still.  Rehearsal L and M require our best traditional tone and intonation (double check your Eb into a tuner); with smooth phrasing.  It should be a huge contrast to what came before and what comes after.
  • The ending pose will be like how the composer does it in the performance I shared with you. Left foot steps forward, bend the knee (lunge); and bend over your left knee (your body will turn a bit to the left).  Hold the sound (a middle D, with the LH 1st finger down) for 4 counts; but Swoop the end of your flute downwards on the 4th beat of the note – it’s totally ok (and preferred), if there is a cool “effect” at the beginning and/or end of your note :). Freeze; then rise when Hannes and Jackie do – with a huge smile on your face. We will bow together at the end  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyzB7t_DU7M

THANKS FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION!

 

Sponsors & Partners