Masterclass Options
Option 1: Creating Your Own Musical Path – Unfortunately, there's no magic formula for creating or sustaining a career in music; the music industry is changing almost by the hour and artists must continue to adapt. This presentation centers around my own musical journey and the things that continue to excite me about making music. I play live and recorded examples of my music with the goal of inspiring students to create their own unique and fulfilling musical path (be it as a hobbyist or a professional). Topics include my love for Ska, the flute transcending genres in general, extended techniques, free improvisation, and most importantly, making music on one's own terms.
Option 2: Extended Techniques Overview – This class includes brief demonstrations, explanations, and instruction of up to 12 techniques. Standard notion is also covered so flutists know what to expect when seeing extended techniques in a piece of literature. This class can be customized based on time constraints as well as the interests and ability level of the students (techniques can either be taken out of the program or given more time).
Techniques covered in this program are:
Natural Harmonics
Whistle Tones
Pitch Bends, Glissandi
Multiphonics
Alternate Fingerings
Flutter-tonguing
Timbral Trills
Residual Tones
Singing and Playing
Jet Whistle, Air in Flute
Tongue Stops
Circular Breathing
Option 3: Extended Techniques as Warm-up and Tone Building Exercises – This program focuses on techniques that are particularly beneficial for strengthening the embouchure, building flexibility, and improving tone. Each of these techniques is uniquely beneficial in regard to traditional flute playing.
Techniques covered in this program are:
Natural Harmonics
Pitch Bends
Singing and Playing
Whistle Tones
Multiphonics
Option 4: Multiphonics – In the past 40 years or so, pioneers like Robert Dick have been expanding the flute's language to include multiple sonorities. The art of playing multiphonics (2 or more flute notes at once) allows flutists to finally break free of the belief that the flute is only a single-note instrument. Practicing multiphonics is also extremely beneficial to traditional playing because it helps build lip strength and requires greater control of the embouchure and breath support system.
Option 5: Flute Beatboxing – One of the most exciting developments in flute technique has been developed and popularized within the last 20 years by flutists like Greg Pattillo. Thanks to his videos on YouTube, tens of millions of people have been amazed by this technique. Beatboxing (the art of making percussive sounds with the mouth) combines quite well with the way the flute embouchure works. This class includes demonstrations, instruction on the basic sounds needed to beatbox, and how to put these together with the flute.
Option 6: Circular Breathing – This class focuses on the technique of circular breathing in which the flutist inhales through their nose while continuously sustaining the flute tone. This technique is essential for playing some contemporary music but it is also incredibly valuable in many traditional solo and orchestral situations. While becoming fluent in circular breathing takes longer than one class, this program provides the tools and practice methods needed learn the technique.
Option 7: Free Improvisation – Becoming comfortable with improvisation is a difficult task but one that is well worth learning if one hopes to grow as a musician. It helps the flutist become more comfortable with the flute and with their playing in general. This class includes group exercises for beginners learning to improvise as well as instruction in a few extended techniques to provide timbral variation within the improvised material. This class does not deal specifically with jazz improvisation but the principles taught can be helpful when applied to learning improvisation in a jazz context.
Option 8: Composing for Flute – This class is geared towards composers interested in writing for flute. It includes demonstrations and explanations of all the extended techniques and sonorities mentioned above and how to notate them. It also includes some general rules of orchestration in regard to flute writing. This class also stresses the importance of collaborating with performers throughout the compositional process particularly when writing a piece that involves non-traditional playing.
Option 9: Traditional Warm-up Exercises – This class stresses the importance of warm-up exercises in the areas of technique and tone-building. It introduces exercises used to develop these two areas written by Taffanel and Gaubert, Moyse, Maqarre, Kujala, and more.
Option 10: Create Your Own – If there are a few topics that seem particularly interesting or valuable, I will customize the masterclass to focus on those techniques. Choosing 2-5 topics to cover allows for more time to be devoted to each technique while still providing a variety of topics.
Any of the topics above can be covered in private lessons in addition to traditional solo and orchestral repertoire. To inquire about private lessons or Master Classes please email me at [email protected] or use the form on my Lessons page.
