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Who I
have studied with: Renowned flutists
Claude Monteux, James Walker, James Pappoutsakis,
Frances Blaisdell, Gary Schocker.
I attended the New England Conservatory of Music with a
full scholarship, and took Jazz Studies at SUNY New
Paltz with guitarist Mark Dziuba and flutist-saxophonist
Ron Fink.
In
each lesson I incorporate the following:
◄Theory
- How music is written, giving a lot of
attention to scales and method studies
◄Rhythm
and Dynamics
◄Technique
and Phrasing
◄Expression
◄The
flute repertoire
◄Orchestral
Studies / Tone Color
I tailor my
lessons to the student's needs and level. Not all
flutists are aiming at becoming a virtuoso or even
educator, they just want to play! I then take a
fun approach, teaching them the rudiments through the
kinds of music they enjoy listening to! I
especially welcome adult players who used to play and
want to play for fun and libation once again.
However, I specialize
in coaching for competitions or going on to a more
serious level of playing.
Music teaches
beauty and discipline, and lessons should also be fun!
I love playing duets with my students. It helps
them to hear what a "seasoned" player sounds like so
they can follow suit!
I am available
on my studio phone to schedule lessons:
609-839-2609 or email me here:
geri@magicfluteweddings.com |
Student Jay "Tull" loves to
play the music
of Jethro Tull and strikes a Tull-like pose here
proving "You're Never Too Old to Rock 'n Roll"! |
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First
Flute Lesson - Blowing into the head joint:
Can you blow into a soda bottle? Then you
can blow into the flute...Position the head joint hole
to center on your closed lips, and roll down to position
the mouth plate snugly between the lip and chin... then
blow across just like you would blow into a soda bottle!
As you blow across, imagine blowing a "feather"... never
blow hard, you are playing a flute... not a trumpet, and
learning to blow this way from the start will develop
your embouchure and later, color, in your playing.
So many flutists today are looking for that "big" sound
by contriving their flutes. First of all, my idea
of a "big" sound is one that is achieved by practicing
correctly with the right head joint for you. Since
there are so many to choose from today, it can be very
confusing.
Did you know
you could take a good high level student instrument, and
with a professional head joint achieve the sound you
want at a fraction of the cost? Of course, we all
want the expensive professional instrument, but not all
of us can afford it, and until you can, this is a good
interim "fix". The best way to get the right head
joint for you is to visit your local professional flute
repair person and try them out! My pick is a
Haynes silver head joint with a gold riser, but that is
just me! I love the sound and color of the Haynes.
I also love Pearl flutes. They are easier to play with
minimal effort and provide resonance and brightness
wrapped up in one. They are also priced more
reasonably than any flute on the market, and you can get
more bang for the buck!
You can go to
www.nfaonline.org
to check and see when/where the next flute fair will be.
Go, and try everything! You will be like a child
in a candy shop, but if you are seriously looking for
the right flute or head joint for you, this is
the way to do it... I also believe a person's
individual
physiognomy
has a great deal to do with their sound.
Remember, as
you go lower on the scale, you need to widen your lips
and project your chin out a bit, jutting out your bottom
lip, just a little, and widening the embouchure.
It works! Try it! As you go higher - especially in
the top register - you want to make more of an "o" with
your lips, as in a pucker or a pecked kiss! Your
chin will naturally retract back with this as it should. |
