The New York Flute Club N E W S L E T T E R May 2003

In Concert KEITH UNDERWOOD: NYFC ENSEMBLES Above and Under Ground IN CONCERT Interview by Ann Cecil-Sterman Rochelle Itzen, Coordinator Sunday, May 11, 2003, 4:00 pm eith Underwood is one of the United States’ most innovative and gifted Kaplan Space at Carnegie Hall flute teachers. He also has a reputation for being one of the most enigmatic and elusive. In this, his very first interview, Mr. Underwood Sonata, Op. 2, No.2 ...... G. Ph. Telemann explains why he was underground for so many years, Largo—Allegro and laughs a lot about why he wants to return Lauren Bennett and Ed Wolf, flutes Kthere. The interview took place in my living room since Keith and my husband Andrew Sterman have been close friends Badinage...... J.S. Bach for decades. When he arrived he saw three pieces of music George Kimmel, William Dickerson, Petra Groeneveldt, Joanne Wong, on the music stand—the Saint-Saëns Air de Ballet, Dinicu’s Laurie Uguccioni, Danielle Leon, Hora Staccato, and the Handel sonatas—and declaimed with Rochelle Itzen, and enormous enthusiasm: Andrew Bolotowsky, flutes KEITH UNDERWOOD: Well that says a Grand Trio, Op. 87 ...... L. van Beethoven lot right there. Three incredible record- Adagio cantabile—Presto ings. Gaubert [Air de Ballet], Kaylyn Kinney, Nicole Grant, and Baker [Hora] and Rampal Jennifer Ackerson, flutes [Handel]. Oh, man!...

Four Pieces ...... Louis Moyse ANN CECIL- III. Music box—IV. Dances STERMAN: Ann Bordley, Nina Attar, and You’re always listening. Does the Ed Wolf, flutes; Ed Christie, material you teach come to you as Andante and Rondo, inspiration? or do you methodically Op.25 ...... Franz Doppler work it out? Carol Weinstein and Jennifer Ackerson, KU: If you teach the way I teach, you flutes; Nelson Padgett, piano hear about the things other people are doing. My Arnold Jacobs stuff came Serenade (1960) ...... Ingolf Dahl from knowing brass players. If you I N T H I S I S S U E Alla Marcia—Cadenza—Canon— teach body awareness—making people Pas de Quatre—Alla Marcia aware of what the moving parts of the Ensemble Program Concert ...... 1 Craig Devereaux, Rana Boland, body are and how they align—people Shoji Mizumoto, and Dorothy Papo, flutes Group Biographies ...... 2 will come up to you and tell you Keith Underwood: Season Finale for all (TBA) things. If you teach brass players and you say “You don’t have to strain your Above and Under Ground ...... 1 Rochelle Itzen, conductor Interview by Ann Cecil-Sterman embouchure if you use it this way and Reception to follow put your tongue this way,” they’ll tell From the President ...... 2 (coordinated by Beatrice Strauss, you to talk to this guy because he’s End-of-Year Reflections please call her at 718-859-5280) thinking the way you’re thinking. Member Profile ...... 3 Jim Blair Program subject to change You’re influenced heavily by Jacobs. Author Query ...... 4 Yes. I would like to have met him, but Janet Somers on I never did. I learned a lot of what I Robert Russell Bennett (Group Biographies on page 4) know about his [ideas on wind use] Announcements (Cont’d on page 4) Flute Happenings ...... 3 2 — NYFC Newsletter End-of-Year Reflections by Jayn Rosenfeld ear Friends: THE NEW YORK FLUTE CLUB INC. D This is the last letter of our season, and I find it hard to 2002–2003 convey to you how much I have learned about flutists and clubs and the Flute Club this year. It has all been good! Board of Directors About flutists I have learned: we are a noisy bunch, full Jayn Rosenfeld, President Jan Vinci, First Vice President of ideas, convictions and energy. The Board meetings are Ardith Bondi, Second Vice President focused and constructive. No wall flowers here! And more Svjetlana Kabalin, Recording Secretary jokers than you might think. Michele Smith, Membership Secretary From the About clubs I have learned: a club is as strong as its James Blair, Treasurer President sense of mission and its volunteers. The mission of our club is clear to all, I believe: we want to enhance the musical Katherine Fink Bärli Nugent Rochelle Itzen Rie Schmidt part of our members’ lives, their learning, listening, and sharing. And our volun- Sue Ann Kahn Patricia Spencer teers—the Board and all the other helpers who enable the club’s activities—are Robert Langevin Nancy Toff superlative. While you have probably heard me say this already, I will say it again: Patricia Zuber if you wish to join this dedicated group, you are more than welcome. About our Flute Club: this is a very healthy organization. Things are being Advisory Board planned and happening all the time. We look forward to new concerts and Julius Baker Gerardo Levy projects, at the same time that we look backwards to the vision of Georges Jeanne Baxtresser Laurence Libin Barrère and the generosity of the people who have run the Club over the years. Harold Jones Marya Martin I feel I should thank all of you for the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful community. Past Presidents On May 11 we will have the last meeting of the season, with an ensemble Georges Barrère ...... 1920–1944 concert, the annual meeting, and a reception. Please come, vote for our new slate, John Wummer ...... 1944–1947 Milton Wittgenstein ...... 1947–1952 and if you care to, bring a delicious contribution to the party. Thank you. Mildred Hunt Wummer ...... 1952–1955 Have a good summer — Jayn Frederick Wilkins ...... 1955–1957 Harry H. Moskovitz ...... 1957–1960 Paige Brook ...... 1960–1963 Mildred Hunt Wummer ...... 1963–1964 Maurice S. Rosen ...... 1964–1967 Ensemble Concert Group Biographies Harry H. Moskovitz ...... 1967–1970 Paige Brook ...... 1970–1973 The Jennifer Ackerson, Carol Weinstein, and Nelson Padgett trio: Eleanor Lawrence ...... 1973–1976 Jennifer Ackerson, an elementary school music teacher, and Carol Weinstein, Harold Jones ...... 1976–1979 a physician, met through the NYFC ensemble program, and play in local ensembles as often as possible. Since meeting, they have attended several Eleanor Lawrence ...... 1979–1982 masterclasses together, including Julius Baker’s. They met Nelson Padgett, Paige Brook ...... 1982–1983 a professional pianist, through Linda Mark. John Solum ...... 1983–1986 Eleanor Lawrence ...... 1986–1989 The Craig Devereaux, Rana Boland, Shoji Mizumoto, and Dorothy Papo quartet: Sue Ann Kahn ...... 1989–1992 The group started as a trio 3 1/2 years ago, when they met through the NYFC. Nancy Toff ...... 1992–1995 They met Shoji Mizumoto at a NYFC ensemble gathering a year later, and have Rie Schmidt ...... 1995–1998 been a quartet ever since. Their common bond is that they all love 20th century Patricia Spencer ...... 1998–2001 flute music, and have always played flute quartets from this period (Bozza, Jan Vinci ...... 2001–2002 Bennett, and now Dahl).

Newsletter George Kimmel,William Dickerson, Petra Groeneveldt, Joanne Wong, Danielle Leon, Laurie Uguccioni, Rochelle Itzen, and Andrew Bolotowsky ensemble: Katherine Saenger, Editor This group met at a NYFC ensembles gathering. 115 Underhill Road Ossining, NY 10562 The Lauren Bennett/Ed Wolf duo: (914) 762-8582 The duo met while playing flute together in a Brooklyn community orchestra. [email protected] Lauren Bennett, a native of Sarasota, FL, holds a B.M. in flute performance from DePauw University and works at Young Concert Artists. Ed Wolf, a former Alice Barmore, Layout/Production preparatory department student at Eastman, has physics degrees from 125 Christopher St., #4H Swarthmore and Cornell. New York, NY 10014 (212) 675-9706 (phone and fax) The Nina Attar, Ann Bordley, Ed Wolf, and Ed Christie quartet: [email protected] The quartet started when Ann’s flute teacher, Susan Friedlander, introduced her to Ed Wolf. All amateurs (Ann is an attorney with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s www.nyfluteclub.org Office, Ed is a physics professor), the group now includes Ed Christie, a computer programmer who has a degree in music from Brooklyn College, and Nina Attar, a flutist with the Albert Einstein Symphony Orchestra. Copyright © 2003 by The New York Flute Club Inc. unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. May 2003 — 3

FLUTE HAPPENINGS Member Profile Degrees: A.B. [Mathematics, Dartmouth College 1962]; Reactor Operator’s O C T OM BA E Y R ’03 2 0 0 2 Jim Blair License [Atomic Energy Commission, NYFC member 1965]; J.D. [Harvard Law School, 1970]. MAY Wednesday 8:00 pm since 1995 21 The Sylvan Winds with Svjetlana Most notable and/or personally satisfying Kabalin, flute, will perform a pro- gram of wind masterpieces featuring Richard Employment: Litigation accomplishment(s): Getting his vibrato Strauss’ Suite in B Major, Op. 4 (conducted lawyer at Wolman, together after 50 years of flute playing. by flutist Ransom Wilson), Elliott Carter’s  Babitt & King, LLP; treasurer of New Learning the piccolo part to “Stars and Wind Quintet, Mozart’s Serenade No. 11 in E York Flute Club. Stripes” (a protracted effort over several Major (K. 375), and Beethoven’s Quintet for oboe, bassoon and 3 horns (Hess 19). weeks) without driving his wife crazy; • Weill Recital Hall, 154 West 57th Street (at 7th Most recent recital/performance: playing duets with daughter Hilary. The Avenue), NYC • Admission $20/$25 general, $10 Playing “Simple Gifts” at the baptism of awareness (at the advanced age of 62!) students/seniors • Info, [email protected] or a cousin in Cleveland, and performing that “not only is there a great deal left call 212-222-3569. in Christmas day concert at the Church for me to learn about the flute (no of Christ the King, Stone Ridge, NY, surprise!), but that I am capable of MAY Saturday 8:30 pm both in 2001. learning some of it.” 31 Artist International presents Eight Strings and a Whistle with Suzanne Gilchrest, flute, Ina Litera, viola, Career highlight(s): Performing with Favorite practice routines: In Jim’s words, and Matthew Goeke, cello, in a New York the spring tour of the Dartmouth “Practice is such a luxury that it can’t debut recital program including works by College Band (1959), and playing a bear serious efforts to describe it.” His Hilary Tann, Douglas Anderson, Dawn Avery, bagpipe chanter on Polaris submarine hypothetical perfect practice routine Albert Roussel, Johann Gottlieb Graun and Josef Doppelbauer. patrols (1965-67). Membership in the would begin with some long tones and • Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 67th Street, John Phillip Sousa Post #1112 of the scales, continue with something from NYC • Admission $20/$12 general/student American Legion (1989–) and playing Moyse’s Tone Development Through (limited) • Info, [email protected] or call piccolo in the lawyers’ orchestra of the Interpretation and an exercise from 212-489-1138. Association of the Bar of the City of NY Taffanel and Gaubert or Maquarre. Then (1995–6). His two paid gigs with the he’d practice pieces for his trio and try O C T JO U B N E ER ’03 2 0 0 2 Local 802 band in a Flag Day concert at a favorite Bach sonata. His ideal the World Trade Center (1990) and a vacation would allow him at least 30 JUNE Sunday 7:00 pm Labor Day parade (1991); participating minutes of practicing each day; every- 8 UpTown Flutes in a program of in Jayn Rosenfeld’s ensemble work- day real life leaves him feeling very works by Lowe, Burnette, Hirosi, McMichael, Barber, and Mower. shops (2000–2001) and organizing the lucky if he gets this twice a week. • Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 344 Rondout Trio (flute, cello, piano) in Washington Avenue, Dumont, NJ • Suggested Stone Ridge in 2002. Interests/hobbies: Other than the flute, donation $12 • Info, call 973-851-5435. fixing cars, things, bicycles and a Current flute: A French-model silver handyman’s paradise in Ulster County; Monday 2:30 pm JUNE Haynes with B-foot (#47360), bought in XC skiing and bicycle riding; singing 23 Flute Cocktail: A Flute Quartet, the 1970s during a flush period of his bass in his church choir and a neigh- recent winner of the Artists second bachelorhood; Yamaha YPC-61 borhood chorus. International Chamber Music Competition, will perform with members Amy Ziegelbaum, piccolo and Armstrong Model 25 alto. Lauren Ausubel, Jordan Vogel, and Helen Advice for NYFC members: (i) Appreciate Richman, in a program of works by JeanJean, Influential flute teachers: the awesome amount of work done by Massenet, Boismoirtier, and Guiot. Francis Taylor (Sergeant, U.S. Army the volunteer members of the NYFC • Fresh Meadows Library, 19320 Horace Band (“Pershing’s Own”), Fort Myers, that make it function; (ii) get involved Harding Expressway, Flushing, NY • Admis- sion is free • Info, call 718-454-7272. VA); Pat Spencer, Jeff Weissman, and in some at least semi-serious singing. Jayn Rosenfeld. Jim says, “My biggest advances in breath control and tone have come C L A S S I F I E D High School: Groveton High School in when I was working on them in both ❑ Members may advertise in this section for $10 for Alexandria, VA. flute playing and choral singing.” up to 320 characters/spaces. Your ad should be submitted by hard copy or email. Name and phone number are required. Deadline is the same as for Flute Happenings submissions. Ads must be paid for in advance. Make checks payable to the New York Flute Club and mail to the Newsletter Editor. 4 — NYFC Newsletter

Both of them were creative and analyti- do with breathing, and thinking about FLUTE cal about how you do things on wind breathing to solve all your problems is instruments, and both were inspirational. a dangerous thing to do. I like that HAPPENINGS They admired so many people’s ways of teaching too. I’ve had periods where I playing; absorb[ing] so many different got a reputation as a breathing teacher ways of playing into their own style, and and then I would get invitations to go O C T JO U B N E ER 2 0 0 2 ’03 [it] influenced me a huge amount. They and teach somewhere and teach Monday 7:00 pm explained things in words to me in a way breathing and I’m contrary enough as JUNE that inspired me to put into words things a person that I’ll go and not teach 23 Patricia Davila, flute, and Elaine Christy, harp, will perform works that people were leaving up for grabs. breathing at all, I’ll say okay let’s talk by Caliendo, Alwyn, Debussy, McMichael, There was an evolution in my work that about articulation. I love Rampal’s and Bizet/Borne . went from Sal to Tom to Alexander to playing so much, and so much of the • Mahwah Library, Ridge Road, Mahwah, NJ Jacobs back to Alexander, to various beauty of his playing comes from his • Admission is free. singing teachers. I loved seeing Pavarotti articulation. [and Schwarzkopf] teach masterclasses at Monday 7:00 pm JUNE Juilliard. I love watching any good What is it about his articulation that’s 30 Flute Cocktail: A Flute Quartet, teacher teach. And I love seeing them so mesmerizing? same program as June 23. trying to put the mystic aspects into I love everything about how Rampal • Steinway Library, 2145 31st Street, Long Island City, NY. 11105 • Admission is free • Info, call words and provoke people to make plays. He projects such a distance 718-728-1965. great sounds and have great technique without appearing to work too hard by putting things into words…. and his articulation was very distinct O C T O B E R 2 0 0 2 from a distance without putting a lot of Do you ever find that Alexander Tech- forceful energy behind the air…The (UNDERWOOD, Cont’d from page 1) nique can make people stiffen a little? French language assists it by putting Yes. Every school of teaching has a the point of articulation forward in the from Vincent Panzarella drawback. When people say “tighten mouth [and helping] the general shape who plays in your abdominal muscles to produce of the tongue in the mouth. But forget the New York Philharmonic breath support,” there’s a reason that about the consonants in French, when and is a great teacher. When I was they say that—there’s an origin for that. you say the vowels in French you make playing in the Philharmonic in the early But that tight breath support is almost as sounds! We [say]: “Damn!” [but] the ’80s, Vince was very generous about responsible for the epidemic of tendini- French say “Dauh.” It’s an explosive talking to me, especially on a tour we tis and overuse syndromes as the ergo- sound that sounds a lot like a great did which started in Japan and wound nomics of playing instruments. Some of articulation. We talk about how French up in India. It was great to play with the sound producing pedagogy has people tongue forward on the lip. those guys but probably the most produced a lot of tension in people’s That’s the beginning of it but what part influential thing about that time was hands and arms. of the tongue hits forward? I like the talking to Vince. The way of perceiving back syllable as well as the front wind technique that Arnold Jacobs So you’re modifying Alexander Technique? syllable. I think the French “gk qu” is taught had a lot of appeal to me. Jacobs I think there’s a meeting ground for more guttural than people realize. used breathing devices with hand everything. Jacobs’ school says you have “Gauh.” In English we say “tu ku” but gestures, rubber bags, machines…. If to learn how to take as much air in as the French say “teuh geur teuh geuh” you use those things in the right way possible comfortably, with end result in a looser position. you can learn a lot about the muscles that you’ll have a cushion in your sound that are involved in the right way of and you won’t have to strain to produce But they’re still getting the front of the breathing. [It was] when I started to use the sound. The Alexander Technique tongue between the teeth. [those things] in my teaching that my sounds like the polar opposite: you Yes, the front’s between the teeth, teaching started to get popular. never should think about inhaling, you and the back is down in the throat: should think about exhaling; you should “Gaaaauh.” I think his tongue is low That’s an understatement; you’re now concentrate on opening your back and in his mouth and therefore he doesn’t getting international recognition. exhaling fully and if you can do that reach up to do the k syllable; it’s fitted I think I was lucky enough to come comfortably you will inhale correctly in his mouth so the tongue doesn’t across techniques that were appealing due to having exhaled correctly. I have to flip around to make the to large numbers of people. I had a admire both of those schools of teach- tonguing syllable. That’s why he can variety of influences on my playing and ing. I also love teachers who don’t be so fast. my teaching, starting with my first believe in inhaling or exhaling; that you teacher Sal Amato, who was a doubler can do it all with the right embouchure; And yet he has such tremendous and a great musician. Then Tom if you have the right air compression at crispness at the front. Nyfenger was my flute teacher at Yale. your lips it will tell your body what to That’s because the forwardness of the May 2003 — 5 tongue is helping make the air quite fast in the front. We think the forward thing is to make a clean consonant, but Author Query on Robert Russell Bennett I think the forward placement of the by Janet Somers tongue is something that makes the air go faster without even a consonant. obert Russell Bennett (1894–1981) came to New York in 1916 and When he’s articulating forward he’s became interested in the flute through Brown Schoenheit, a fellow leaving the tongue forward in such a R resident at the Y and student of Barrère. His “Rondo Capriccioso” for flute quartet was written for Barrère and some of his students, includ- way that the front of the tongue is part ing “Billy” Kincaid. Other early Flute Club members with whom he was of the embouchure. especially close were Lamar Stringfield and Quinto Maganini (who in 1926 was on his way to Paris on the same ship as Bennett and his wife; he was So it’s supporting the bottom lip. going to study with Nadia Boulanger and convinced Bennett to study with It’s not locking against it but it’s for- her also). Despite this serious study of music he is best known as the ward enough to touch. I’m not inside orchestrator of more than three hundred musicals, although many of us Rampal’s mouth! probably first became familiar with him through his band music and the “Symphonic Pictures” drawn from the most famous of his orchestrations. You’ve spent a very long time looking at Almost completely unknown, however, are his “serious” works, among his videos. which are “Concerto Grosso for Woodwind Quintet and Band”, “A Dry Yeah. People who have their tongues Weather Legend for Flute and Orchestra”, two woodwind quintets, and at least twelve chamber works, only two of which have been published and in different positions look different on four which are in the collection of his manuscripts and papers at North- the outside of their faces. If you’re western University. Of interest also are solos written for his radio program playing with your teeth apart but with “Russell Bennett’s Notebook” (including at least one for alto flute) and the your lips closed and your tongue television series “Project 20.” forward your mouth will look different Following is a list of his works and the probable years of their compo- than if your teeth are closed and your sition, largely compiled from George Ferencz’s excellent bio-bibliography tongue is curled and pulled back in of Bennett. your mouth. So what you see out- ❍ Rondo Capriccioso for Flute Quartet (1916) wardly is a manifestation of something ❍ Dance for Flute and Piano (1926; first performed with the that’s going on inside the mouth. “Nocturne” by Quinto Maganini in Paris) ❍ Nocturne for Flute and Piano (1926) Do you think anyone’s ever surpassed ❍ Toy Symphony for Woodwind Quintet (1926; written for the Rampal? principal winds of the Philadelphia Orchestra) I think that great flute players choose ❍ to take the components of playing and Dance Scherzo for Woodwind Quintet (1937) mix them all up in different ways. ❍ A Dry Weather Legend for Flute and Orchestra (1946; written Sometimes we undervalue what Rampal for Lamar Stringfield) was able to do. He [didn’t] appear to be ❍ Five Improvisations on Exotic Scales for Flute, Cello and Piano conscientious and caring about main- ❍ Six Souvenirs for 2 Flutes and Piano (1948; first performed by taining his technique, so people Mildred and John Wummer) assume that he was a natural person ❍ Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano (1950 or 51) who didn’t think about the flute that ❍ A Flute at Dusk for Solo Flute (1952; first performed by Paul Renzi) much and wasn’t disciplined about his ❍ technical foundation, but [in] really Concerto Grosso for Woodwind Quintet and Band (1958) great Rampal he’s doing things that are ❍ Trio for Flute, Harp and Cello (1960) just magical, technically and musically. ❍ Seven Postcards to Old Friends for Flute, Viola and Piano (1966; Then there are people like Julius Baker the “old friends” include Gershwin, Berlin, Porter, et al.) or Tom Nyfenger who are just spec- ❍ Suite for Flute and B Clarinet (1973) tacularly great flute players and have Of these works the “Rondo Capriccioso” is definitely an interesting taken the elements of French flute work which deserves to be better known, although it shows its origins as playing and made their own style out a vehicle for Barrère with its dominant first part. With the exception of the of it. Julius Baker makes the flute “Concerto Grosso” and the “Suite” the remainder have languished since sound like the violin—like Heifetz or their premieres, unpublished, unplayed, and unevaluated. Perhaps the Oistrakh. time has come to bring them to light so they can take their rightful places in the flute repertoire. ❑ That’s his stamp. Well, he’s got everything working. But Janet Somers ([email protected]) is a music librarian at Westminster Choir College and I could spend the entire interview just prospective master’s degree student at Rutgers University in Music History. (Cont’d on next page) 6 — NYFC Newsletter

(UNDERWOOD, Cont’d from previous page) Because you can now slow it down and phrase [demonstrates]. So he doesn’t the pitch doesn’t change. close off and you can see that. Either talking about Rampal’s Yes. Tom Nyfenger would’ve gone it’s his concept of phrasing that’s tongue and how much crazy over that stuff. He always had a causing his body to look like that, or I admire his articulation. tape recorder set up and he would play [he got it from] his father, or he saw People [have to hear] his recordings: you recordings of Rampal or your somebody do that and learned it. I his D minor C.P.E. Bach concerto with favorite flute player making a beautiful never studied with Mr. Baker but I Boulez, his Mozart sonatas with vibrato and he would slow it down so admire his playing to pieces and one of Veyron-Lacroix—the C major scale you could hear what the shape of the the things I admire is how violin-like it starting off the C major sonata—there’s wave was and how many pulses there is. He goes to the flute and leaves [it] nothing better than that on flute. were and how the vibrato connected the way violinists do bowing, so his through the notes. Then he would do head [moves] at the end of a note in What are you listening to now? mean things like take YOU and have the same way your bow might come of Right now [cheeky grin] I love them old YOU play for his tape recorder and the violin while the sound is still going players playing on them old Louis Lots, slow YOU down. GULP. And you on. I think a lot of times on the wind so now Gaubert is almost my favorite would hear your vibrato come to a instruments we tend to hold on to the flute player. His articulation in the Air screeching halt when it saw a tie or sound and try to end it by closing it de Ballet is almost unbelievable! sooo something. down as if you kept the bow on the flexible and sooo musical. And then string and gradually stopped the bow. Moyse! Moyse’s articulation in the Has slowing down the MP3s been Baker does all these bowing terms like Carnival of Venice—forget about it! revelatory as far as your own playing is into the string and off the string. It’s fantastic—I could just listen to that concerned? Retaking. He comes off the flute for an stuff forever. Oh yeah!!! Right now I just LOVE that I exit for a note and it’s very much the can listen to Coltrane and think My equivalent of how a violinist releases When are you going to record? goodness, what an interesting run, I the note. Oh, I always hope! I love those [live] wonder what that was and then you recordings that Baker did of [his can slow it down to such a crawl that Can you tell us about the time you left recitals]. you can hear what he’s playing [and your flute in a cab. even transcribe it]. That’s just too good I’ve left flutes under restaurant tables in And all the shuffling and coughs are to be true. Or slow down Philippe Italy but you’re thinking of my Louis there. Gaubert playing Air de Ballet in 1919! Lot that was owned by Laurent that I Yeah, the coughs and dropping plates. Baroque musicians use the term inegal bought from Tom. Powell had sold the It’s sounds as though they’re cleaning to describe unequal tonguing and lilting flute for Laurent and they have a letter up the kitchen in the background…But not-exactly-machine-gunning the notes. from Powell to Laurent asking for a I would love to just play raw flute and Slow down Rampal and slow down story [about the] flute. He said, piano for live recording rather than go Gaubert—it lilts. Even though Gaubert “Philippe Gaubert bought the flute for into a studio. is tonguing so cleanly there’s a flutter- me when I was 17 years old, and I ing integral quality. At a fast speed you played it at Paris Conservatory and I Have you not done it because you’re so just hear clarity. At a slow speed you left it in a taxi cab on New Years Eve busy? I think you’ve been in four hear this organic lilting; each two note 1914 in Paris and the taxi driver countries during the time we’ve been group of syllables has a gesture to it. returned the flute.” trying to get this interview together. It’s just so beautiful. It’s because I’m undisciplined. (laughs) A few of your flutes have impressive But for better or worse, I feel like I What have you learned from Baker provenances. shed my flute skin every six months or videos? I don’t know how I wound up with so. I come up with some new thing, There’s one of him playing them. I have a gold Haynes that some new perspective, or some new Brandenburg No. 5 that I love, with belonged to Tom Nyfenger which he way of playing. Right now I love my Glenn Gould. You can see how he played a lot. I have a platinum Powell iBook and I love the software that comes off the flute and releases notes. that belonged to Albert Tipton. allows me to slow down MP3 files so I And his body mannerisms! He’s so in can listen to things at half speed. I use touch with the flute in that video and You have a special relationship with it to show people what Baker’s doing, you can see the way he’s carrying his doublers, and so did Nyfenger. And you or what a player does. You can body. It’s so interesting. started with Sal who was a doubler… use it to transcribe jazz solos but also The wonderful thing about doublers is to hear what classical people sound Do you think that’s intrinsic or learned? that they appreciate what’s great about like—where they place the beat, what I don’t know. It doesn’t matter—he has the tradition on several different they do rhythmically and also what an inspired way of taking the end of instruments and therefore their ears are their sound sounds like broken down. one phrase and passing it to the next open. They’re always looking for May 2003 — 7 what’s the stuff on each instrument. small electric keyboard and three a lot of people who just want to talk So there’s an efficiency to the way they Herbie Hancock CDs and that would about Tiger Woods’ swing. People think play the instrument that sometimes be good for the six months. Get some “I have to play an of the doesn’t appear with people who are work done. Titanic song in order to get ten-year-old specializing in one instrument. People kids to want to play the flute.” Or they who specialize can get so tied up in You’re immensely fond of your teachers. think that you have to play with a knots because they don’t have to be I was so blown away that they were synth to modernize the sound. But it’s as efficient in their production. not just great musicians but that they the way you talk about it; [being] were such music FANS. [Instead of animated talking about what you’re You’re at a pinnacle in your teaching saying,] “Have you heard my latest doing. [If you say to] elementary or career now. Where to from here? recording?” they’d [ask if I’d] junior high school kids “There’s this Once I was an underground flute heard…some singer. Tom was into guy Rampal and there’s a video of him teacher. I taught great people but I was Harold Wright’s clarinet playing. Sal playing a piece by Couperin who was a secret. Then I became less secret and was totally into Caruso. What a great French organ and harpsichord player people [who once studied with me on thing to be a twirpy high school person and it’s got these fast little ornaments the side] became my students. I came from New Haven and walk into and this articulation…” and you’re above ground, and now I want to go somebody’s house where before the animated about it and can make them back underground. I want to go [back] guy does anything with you he puts the feel connected to their instrument in to school as an undergraduate jazz needle down on a Rampal recording the right away, they’ll say “Mom, can studies major and have someone to say followed by 78s of these Italian singers you get me that Couperin piece.” They “Oh, practice this sequence in every from the ’20s—Caruso, Rosa Ponselle, wouldn’t have that reaction if they key and make it reflexed like [a] jazz Tito Schipa. [Sal would say] “Here’s [just] heard it on a CD. musician.” I want to study Clifford Caruso making a vibrato. Here’s One thing that might save music Brown, Coltrane, Sonny Rollins. Bird, Rampal making a vibrato. See how over time is that the U.S. doesn’t have . I love listening to that’s the same thing? You don’t have the depth of classical music culture Giant Steps and Countdown and a vibrato.” that Europe does, obviously, but Clifford Brown playing Donna Lee. I Tom was such a fan of Baker and Americans are very appealingly do-it- want to understand how to play better Rampal. It was beautiful. We would yourself. They don’t want to invite over chord changes. I’m talking flute have flute classes where we listened to Galway to their party to have him but what I’m really interested in is people’s recordings of things just to try play a soirée—they want to play like people’s note choices and solos and to develop your own style. Tom treated Galway…. [Of course,] there should be chord substitutions. classical music like he was a jazz more children’s concerts, more educa- musician. Jazz musicians, when they tion in the schools. But [you have to] Can you imagine teaching that with the listen, [are] learning the notes but in the talk to people about music, in your same intensity? process they’re learning the inflections, own personality and [with] animation Yeah…. We sit around with slowed the time feel. Great classical musicians about the music. Communicate to down Coltrane and we say let’s do that have a certain type of great time just people so they want to hear it and lick that he’s doing on Blue Train but like has great time or want to understand how it’s done…. over the bridge to Wave. Let’s do a Jobim, or Ciro Battista who lives in When they feel the connection to the bossanova but with this one lick and NJ—a great percussionist. Julius Baker instrument they can’t wait to play…. we lift it. Oh man, that’s so great! I has great time. And you could talk I think everybody needs to take that can’t believe it! I’m just starting to teach about Julius Baker’s time just the way a spirit and put that spirit out in the that and I’m very animated by it. great drummer has great time or the world. Otherwise there’ll be these way a great piano player has great time things called virtual orchestras—there’ll That’s the next thing? and you can develop that by listening be less and less craft. I just want [Yeah. If it came down to] recording to them and learning about he way the people to appreciate the craft and be the complete Bach sonatas or doing put the notes in the beat. able to talk about the craft in an a Sonny Rollins study group with engaging way. Andrew Sterman, I think I’d choose How can we get the public to realize the study group. that these wonderful subtleties of Thanks, Keith, it’s always great to talk My friend in Brazil and I have this performance you’re talking about will to you. ❑ running joke that we’re going to be an impossibility if, for example, commit minor crimes out of altruism producers get their way and use for each other [so we’ll] get six month recorded music on Broadway?  prison sentences in minimum security I think that you [have to] appeal to that Ann Cecil-Sterman recently recorded a CD of prisons. I’m going to steal [his] mother’s side of people interested in the me- new music by Peter Flint and last month stereo system in Maui so I can be chanics [of music making]. People love premiered Douglas Cuomo’s new opera Arjuna’s locked up. I don’t need much—just a watching Tiger Woods play, but I know Dilemma. The New York Flute Club Park West Finance Station P.O. Box 20613 New York, NY 10025-1515

May 11, 2003 concert

Sunday 4:00 pm • Kaplan Space at Carnegie Hall (57th Street and 7th Avenue) 2003 NYFC ENSEMBLE PROGRAM Concert by participants in the NYFC Ensemble Program, and the annual meeting—at Carnegie Hall’s Kaplan Space.

rd 83 Season From the Greetings! Our May 11th concert features partici- 2002–2003 Concerts pants in the NYFC’s ensembles program, and some impromptu Editor: open readings. The annual meeting of the club, including the election of new officers and board members, will precede the October 27, 2002 • Sunday 5:30 pm ROBERT STALLMAN, flute concert. A reception will follow. This newsletter issue features a full length interview with November 24, 2002 • Sunday 5:30 pm Keith Underwood by Ann Cecil Sterman. I learned a lot about STEPHANIE MORTIMORE, flute and piccolo Keith Underwood, but perhaps even more about three of his December 15, 2002 • Sunday 5:30 pm From the favorite flutists: Baker, Nyfenger, and Rampal. While most of HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NEW Editor the recordings Keith so admires are no longer available, Ann January 12, 2003 • Sunday 5:30 pm tells met that one can still get the Baker and Moyse recordings ULLA SUOKKO, flute and theatre via the web (www.juliusbaker.com and www.marcelmoysesociety.org). February 23, 2003 • Sunday 5:30 pm Jim Blair, the NYFC’s new treasurer is this month’s member profile subject. Those ROBERT DICK, flutes of you waiting for a profile subject willing to admit to not always practicing need March 29, 2003 • Saturday 9:00 am–7:00 pm wait no longer. FLUTE FAIR with guest artist Robert Aitken. I would like to thank our interviewers, article/feature writers, and proofers for April 27, 2003 • Sunday 5:30 pm their many contributions to the year’s newsletters. Particular thanks are due to Ann 2003 NYFC COMPETITION WINNERS Cecil Sterman, Cathy Comrie, Patti Monson, Jayn Rosenfeld, Nancy Toff, Barbara H. May 11, 2003 • Sunday 4:00 pm Williams, Dorothy Wu, and Patricia Zuber. 2003 NYFC ENSEMBLE PROGRAM Both Alice Barmore and I will be continuing our newsletter duties next year, so Kaplan Space at Carnegie Hall (57th Street if you have some newsletter ideas, let us know. Especially welcome are suggestions and 7th Avenue) for feature articles topics and writers/interviewers, nominations for member profile subjects (yourself or someone else), and member perspectives questions. Concerts are at CAMI Hall, 165 West 57th Street Hope to see you on May 11th, and best wishes for a happy, healthy and produc- (across from Carnegie Hall), unless otherwise noted. All programs are subject to change. Tickets $10, only tive summer. at the door; free to members. For more information, Best regards, visit the NYFC website at www.nyfluteclub.org or call (212)799-0448. Katherine Saenger ([email protected])