Jen Cluff ~ Advanced articles for Flute Majors

Canadian Flutist and Teacher

• Jen's homepage
• Site Map
• Donate 
• Jen's Blog

• Flute articles
• Biography
• Flute links
• Music bookings
• Upcoming performances
• Flute lessons
• Upcoming flute book

• Favourite repertoire
• All flute articles

Articles on this site for college/university flutists 

• Playing at University flute levels

• Tips on advanced flute practicing

• Perform well flute solo or ensemble

• Advice from the Flute Experts

• Wow, I didn't know that about the flute!

• Great flute related stuff on the internet

• Teaching the Flute

What level of flute playing do I need to achieve for University Performance programmes?

• Chart of flute playing levels comparing Canadian, UK, Fluteworld and NFA flute levels. University students want to be at a grade 9, 10 or ARCT level.

• Flute career information: Have you decided to enter college as a flute major? Need career info. and direction?

• Preparing to become a University Flute Student - what you'll need to know

• A day in the life of a University Flute Student (how to organize yourself)

• A University Flute Program Sample including repertoire and scale expectations from Dr. David Klee. Four year programs clearly delineated.

• Canadian Flute Exam 1992 RCM syllabus listing flute pieces at grades 9, 10 and ARCT.

• Flute skill levels required for transferring to University music programmes How a University programme would rate incoming flute students.

• Advice for auditioning for Universities, and developing your career as a flutist

• The top ten reasons why first year college/University flutists don't do their best

• Shopping for a University-level flute

• Amy Porter's Tips for University Flute Majors Click on TEACHING CORNER on left side bar when arriving.

• Graded Flute Repertoire lists online

• Most commonly requested Orchestral Excerpts in Auditions

• Help, I need music theory information NOW

I need tips on practicing flute at the advanced levels of flute playing:

• James Galway teachings on MP3 (free)

• How to progress really quickly on the flute a quick list of things to do for the aspiring high school player hoping to major in flute in University

• Technical articles of all kinds Flute tone, breathing, flute posture, flute practicing, tuning, tonguing. All topics in detail.

• Practicing: 4-part series of articles on practicing. Everything you need to do. How to rotate your technical practice.

• Working on Flute Vibrato

• Flute Vibrato Sound Samples of Famous Flutists and advice on vibrato from John Wion

• Intensive Summer Practicing by Jonathan Brahms. A student's question about how to produce a great deal of flute work over the summer. (reprinted here with author's permission.) 

• Trevor Wye's Speedy Improvement Practice scheme Instead of "warmup", Wye says "hotup!".

• Links to "how to" practice articles by other teachers

• Technique with a Purpose an intermediate flutist asks exactly what to focus on during flute technical practice

• Flute related reading list A great summer reading list, or great flute books. Also a list of advanced method books for flute practicing with description of each book.

• Alternate Fingering Article How to know when to use alternate flute fingerings and how to work out passages that contain them.

• Flute and Piccolo fingering charts online for printing, including alternate fingering charts, trills and tremelos

• Jen's Favourite flute repertoire You will practice lots if you have the coolest sheetmusic to play! :>)

• What's the best way to align my headjoint to avoid arm/hand pain?

• Flute repertoire lists with great pieces

• Repertoire lists for flute & band, or flute & orchestra

• List of graded flute etude books

• How to execute Baroque Gruppetto ornaments
  

• Help I have pain from practicing too hard a long article that considers causes of sudden onset flute pain, RH & LH damage causes, and releasing the 'deathgrip' on the flute.

How do I train myself to perform well as a soloist or ensemble member?

• Most commonly requested Orchestral Excerpts in Auditions

• Orchestral Excerpt books for flute

• Tips on preparing a flute recital

• Ensemble Deportment How does one best behave in a rehearsing ensemble in order to get invited back again?

• What can I do about stagefright? Four great articles from novice first-time performers to advanced performers.

• Help I have sudden loss of tone!!! You're innocently playing along and your tone disappears? Why? How to fix.

• Alternate Fingering Article How to know when to use alternate flute fingerings and how to work out passages that contain them.

• A thousand & one flute tuning ideas help with expert levels of intonation work for intermediate and advanced flutists.

• Piccolo Information, links, articles and repertoire lists

• Buy MP3 piano accompaniments online to practice your flute repertoire with at home

• Advice on recording your first flute CD.

Advice from the Flute Experts

• Robert Dick article on judging the Geneva Flute Competition

• Articles by Michel Debost from Flutetalk
  

• Interviews with famous flutists by Don Bailey

• Incredible dissertation on Peter Lloyd's teaching including tips about professional level flute playing

• James Galway's masterclass; embouchure exercise to avoid "smiley embouchure" and to allow flexibility of lower and upper lips. Also full report and links to sound files of this class.

• James Galway interviews with professional flutists. MP3 format.

• James Galway videos of Texas Masterclass 2007
  

• Paul Edmund Davies Masterclass Report

• Robert Billington's dissertation on Robert Aitken's Flute Method (excellent!)

• Billington's Tonguing and Resonance chapter from above, excerpted from dissertation.

• Flute Vibrato Sound Samples of Famous Flutists and advice on vibrato from John Wion

Wow, I didn't know that about the flute!

If you ever lead a band class, you may have to answer these questions from younger players:

• Most common flute misconceptions Old myths and doofy band knowledge updated
  

• Flute Care, maintenance, and special flute features
  

• How do I check my flute for repair needs?
  

• Best flute equipment stands, metronomes, tuners, swabs, flutes by brandname, music folders, dictionary, etc.
  

• What level is my flute playing at? A chart that compares Canadian Conservatory grades, Fluteworld sheetmusic levels, British Flute Exams, National Flute Association Repertoire Levels, and tells you what skills are being learned at each level.
  

• Do I need a gold flute? Article on how the gold-silver-platinum debate will be endless at least for a while longer.
  

• Custom built flute & piccolo cases reasonably priced (hard to find elsewhere)

• Flute Acoustics 

• Flute Articles on almost every aspect of "How to play the Flute"

Where do I find great flute related stuff on the internet?

• Flute and Piccolo fingering charts online for printing, including alternate fingering charts, trills and tremelos

• Fluteworld - a store in U.S. that has a fabulously complete catalogue of flutes, sheetmusic, CDs and accessories.Have a catalogue sent out to you.

• Desert Island Flute CDs Ten of Jen's favourite flute CDs and links to many more.

• Flute repertoire lists with great pieces

• Listen to flutists online; flute videos list

• Free Flute Sheetmusic on the net

• Buy MP3 piano accompaniments online to practice your flute repertoire with at home

• How do I find "hard to find flute sheetmusic" online to get composer/title/keyword/publisher?

• Flute Books, Performance books, Methods

• Technical articles of all kinds Flute tone, breathing, flute posture, flute practicing, tuning, tonguing. All topics in detail.

• Alternate Fingering Article: How to know when to use alternate fingerings and how to work out passages that contain them.

• The fun discussion group called Flutenet

• The discussion group called FLUTElist

• Flute practicing "how to" links.

• Flute links of all kinds

• Music Theory Dictionary online

• Beginner's Music Theory online

Teaching the Flute

• Buy the pdf book "The Art of Playing the Flute" by Roger Mather online ($22 for three volumes together). This book covers all aspects of flute playing and is a huge help to flute teachers.
• Jennifer Cluff articles on teaching beginners & intermediate flutists UNDER CONSTRUCTION

• Fluoroscope x-ray of a flutist in action. Watch a video of an x-rayed flutist performing tonguing, vibrato etc.

• Online Flute teaching manual in PDF by Charles Delaney

• Robert Billington's dissertation on Robert Aitken's Flute Method (excellent!)

• Billington's Tonguing and Resonance chapter from above (excerpted.)