The Legacy of Rubén Islas

VOLUME 46, NO. 3 SPRING 2021

t h e LUTIST q u a r t e r l y

Laryngeal Vibrato Production in Flutists THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF Flute Modification 2021 NFA Convention

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4 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG SPRING Table of Contents 2021 The Flutist Quarterly Volume 46, No. 3

DEPARTMENTS 7 From the President 9 From the Executive Director 10 High Notes 11 Across the Miles 13 From the New Music Advisory Committee 20 28 38 42 From the 2021 Convention FEATURES Program Chair 14 The Legacy of Rubén Islas: Mexico’s Flute Teacher 46 NFA News by Jonathan Borja 49 From the Performance Health Diligent and persistent throughout his long life, the soloist, orchestral Care Committee flutist, and teacher is now at the center of Mexico’s musical life. 50 Notes from Around the World 20 Mapping Anatomical Locators for Musicians: Laryngeal Vibrato Production in Flutists 52 Passing Tones by Erika Boysen, DMA, and David Brown, MD 56 Reviews A frank question from a curious student launched a study in search 60 NFA Office, Coordinators, of better understanding how the pharynx and larynx physically create vibrato. Boysen and Brown’s study produced data relevant to Committee Chairs performers, educators, and students. 62 Index of Advertisers 28 Flute Modification: Renewing Flutists’ Voices

Cover photo: Rubén Islas, courtesy the Islas family. Through Innovation and Artistry by Katherine Lewis Meet a few of the flutemakers who have adapted flutes to the needs of their players—and the flutists who have benefitted from their work. 38 Sounds as Intense as Silence by Yi Xiang The 2020 Young Artist Competition winner describes how the horrific year affected her life and flute playing—and her interpretations of one work in particular in her NFA performance.

14 The National Flute Association Welcome to the 49th Annual 70 E. Lake Street, #200 National Flute Association Convention Chicago, IL 60601 founded November 18, 1972, in Elkhart, Indiana Variations on a Dream THIS MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE NATIONAL August 12– 15, 2021 FLUTE ASSOCIATION, INC., A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. THE STATEMENTS OF WRITERS AND ADVERTISERS ARE NOT NECESSAR- ILY THOSE OF THE NATIONAL FLUTE ASSOCIATION, INC., WHICH RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO PRINT ANY ADVERTISEMENT. 42 ISSN 8756-8667 © 2021 NATIONAL FLUTE ASSOCIATION, INC.

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 5 NFAONLINE.ORG OFFICERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Founder Jason Blank (2018–2021) Honorary Life President Owner, Bernhard Hammig Mark Thomas [email protected] [email protected] Lisa Bost-Sandberg (2018–2021) Assistant Professor of Flute President of the Board University of North Dakota Penny Zent (2020–2022) [email protected] Station Manager KAMU-FM Retired Texas A&M University Carol Dale (2019–2022) Principal Flutist Music Coordinator Brazos Valley Symphony Village Presbyterian Church [email protected] [email protected]

Vice President of the Board Brian Dunbar, DMA (2020–2023) Rebecca Johnson (2020–2022) Assistant Professor of Flute Assistant Professor of Flute The Crane School of Music, SUNY–Potsdam Eastern Illinois University [email protected] [email protected] Marco Granados (2020–2023) International Soloist and Educator Secretary [email protected] Nicole Molumby (2020–2021) Flute Professor Cynthia Kelley (2020-2023) Boise State University President, Flutacious Inc. [email protected] Vice President, Last Resort Music Publishing Inc. [email protected] Assistant Secretary Charlene Romano (2020-2021) Phyllis Louke (2019–2022) Charlene Romano’s Flute Studio Flute Instructor Pacific University Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Theory, Shenandoah Conservatory [email protected] [email protected] John McMurtery (2019–2022) Treasurer Professor of Flute Maury Wilkinson University of Nevada–Las Vegas (2017–2021) [email protected] Accountant Freelance Flutist Caen Thomason-Redus (2018–2021) [email protected] Senior Director of Community and Learning Detroit Symphony Orchestra [email protected]

Did you know? The NFA offers virtual events throughout the year! Watch your inbox and check the website for updates.

6 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG From the President

Season of Change Penny Zent

f we hadn’t lived through it, this will hit our target goal of at least choirs, cabaret concerts, meet-up op- past year would read like a science 35 percent BIPOC flutists on No- portunities, and more. Read Jennifer I fiction novel. A global pandemic vember 1, 2021, two years ahead of Grim’s article for a comprehensive that has killed millions of people; schedule. rundown. widespread protests over systemic • We finalized our new strategic plan. One distinct advantage is that you racism; political uprisings from coast • We hired a new executive director: can enjoy all of this from the comfort to coast; being on lockdown; devastat- Jennifer (Jenny) Clarke. (Read her of your home without incurring trav- ing natural disasters including the most letter in this issue.) el and hotel costs. We simply cannot hurricanes ever in one year, brushfires • We hired a new publications direc- thank Jennifer enough for seeing us all over the world, and Snowmageddon; tor: Karissa Krenz. through all these changes. school closings; in-person cancellations; • We hired Kristin Pagels to fill our Additionally, your board of direc- people clamoring to get vaccinated; and newly created position of technical tors has adopted a new strategic plan, even toilet paper shortages. director. led by Secretary Nicole Molumby, to The good news is we survived—and • We released a new pedagogy guide guide us through the next three years. there is light at the end of the tunnel. that has been widely acclaimed. Thank you, Nicole! Your work on be- Fortunately, we flutists are a tough half of the NFA has been invaluable. bunch and have risen to the chal- When the pandemic hit last spring, we A big thank you also goes out to our lenges. Like so many others, our staff were forced to cancel our August annu- competition coordinator, John Lane. members have been forced to work real convention slated for Dallas. Jennifer He has done a stellar job of keeping motely for the past year. We also have Grim, the Program Chair, agreed to everything running smoothly during had to look at the way we do business extend her commitment another year extremely difficult times. Even with all with a focus on streamlining our op- and move the convention program the difficulties that have impacted ev- eration and reducing costs. to Washington, D.C. for 2021. At that eryone, we had 437 individuals audi- Through all these trials and trib- point, we were sure that the convention tion for the right to participate in the ulations, your NFA leadership team would take place as originally planned. convention. Please keep in mind that has risen to the occasion by accepting Well, as the saying goes, the best laid this was on top of all the people who change, adapting to new protocols, plans of mice and men don’t always were already chosen to participate in and rolling with the punches. Here is work out. Not only is gathering in-per- 2020. That’s remarkable! what have we accomplished since the son still uncertain despite recent im- While there is no doubt that this Covid-19 pandemic began. provements, but our contracted hotel past year has been unprecedented and has been closed for the past year. something that none of us would like • We created the six-week Summer What does this mean for you? The to repeat, it’s gratifying to look back Series that educated, entertained, entire convention is being moved to and know that we, as a community and created a sense of community a virtual platform and will take place from around the world, have demon- that brought us many new friends. during the originally scheduled time, strated the resolve to continue moving • We instituted a bi-monthly virtual August 12–15, 2021. Registration is forward even while facing the most series. now open and early bird rates are in difficult circumstances. • Our board completed diversity effect if you register before June 17. Thanks to everyone involved. I’m so training. Everything that you’ve come to count proud to serve as your president. • We committed to increasing the di- on will be in place: workshops, master- versity of our board of directors and classes, world-class performances, flute —Penny Zent

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 7 NFAONLINE.ORG EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Julie Hobbs Nancy Toff Assistant Professor of Flute, University of Kentucky Music Historian Alberto Almarza Lexington, Kentucky New York, New York Professor of Flute Carnegie Mellon University Ellen Huntington Susan Waller Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Flutist, Lyrebird Ensemble Flutist, Teacher, Coach Flute Instructor, North Park University San Ramon, California Francesca Arnone Naperville, Illinois Flute Faculty, University of South Florida Michael Weinstein Tampa, Florida Gastroenterologist and Lawrence Liggins Performing Arts Medicine John Bailey Jazz Flutist Rockville, Maryland Professor of Flute, University of Nebraska Music Teacher, Arts High School, Newark Public Schools Lincoln, Nebraska THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY Newark, New Jersey Michelle Cheramy Associate Professor of Music Anne Welsbacher, Consulting Editor Demarre McGill Victoria Stehl, Consulting Art Director Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s Principal Flute, Seattle Symphony Erica Hunter, Consulting Copy Editor Associate Professor of Flute Zart Dombourian-Eby Christine Erlander Beard, Kathy Farmer, University of Cincinnati Principal Piccolo, Seattle Symphony Seattle, Washington Contributing Editors Seattle, Washington Glenn Karaban, Publications and Digital Advertising Sales Director Mariana Gariazzo Stephen A. Mitchell, MD Instructional Assistant Professor Otolaryngology and Performing Arts Medicine, Texas A&M University Retired NATIONAL FLUTE Naperville, Illinois Nashville, Tennessee ASSOCIATION, INC., STAFF

Sasha Garver Amy Likar Jennifer Clarke, Executive Director DMA, BM, Flute and Voice Flute, Piccolo, Regina Cherene, Communications Manager Flute Faculty and Alexander Technique Aydan Hensley, Administration Assistant Preucil School of Music Oakland, California Iowa City, Iowa Karissa Krenz, Publications Director Lilly Mauti, Membership Manager Leonard Garrison Patricia Spencer Kristin Pagels, Technical Director Professor of Flute and Associate Director Flutist, Da Capo Chamber Players Alana Zalas, Bookkeeper University of Idaho Lionel Hampton Professor of Flute School of Music Bard College and Hofstra University Moscow, Idaho New York, New York

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8 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG From the Executive Director

Jennifer Clarke

New Beginnings

n a cold, bleak day last Decem- positions both with numerous arts have begun the process of drilling into ber, I went online and hopped service and membership organiza- all segments of our activities to make Oon a Zoom call. There, I en- tions that support their musical en- tangible change. While the NFA is a countered a group of flutists with an deavors and with the concert halls, place for diverse voices, pathways for irrepressible spirit and a deep pas- venues, and organizations that present future involvement are being created sion. These were representatives of and produce their work. so that its staff, leadership, communi- the National Flute Association, who At the heart of my core values is a ty, programs, and culture continue to were seeking an executive director to deep belief that high-quality music evolve. join their team. Since then, as part programs of all kinds must be widely In this issue of The Flutist Quarterly, of that team, I have worked along- available to all. As an administrator, you will find details of our upcom- side the board, staff, and members I see it as my role to facilitate oppor- ing virtual convention, Variations on to bring NFA through the hard times tunities and to make sure that those a Dream—four days of the highest- and determine what the future might who seek them have equal access. At quality content you would encounter look like. the NFA, I see a community that em- at any Annual NFA Convention. Plans My journey to NFA has been seren- braces people of color, those who are are also underway for the 50th Anni- dipitous in many ways. Many threads LGBTQ+, people of all ages and eth- versary Convention in 2022 in Chicago, of my previous career, which began in nicities as well as diverse educational a time when we will be able to get to- London and continued in New York, and economic backgrounds, people gether in person and truly celebrate. have woven together to create a fabric with disabilities, and those people Until then, know that those of us of experience that matches the myriad with many roles in the flute world— at the heart of the NFA are working needs of the NFA as we move forward. flutists with many stories to tell and tirelessly to create a thriving organiza- Among those experiences are rich much music to make. tion where flutists of all backgrounds encounters with talented musicians Diversity and inclusion rightly are are fully engaged, feel welcome, and including exemplary soloists, cham- urgent priorities for the nation and for are valued. ber musicians, music educators, and arts organizations in the past year. At passionate amateurs and leadership the NFA, the board, staff, and volunteers —Jennifer Clarke

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 9 NFAONLINE.ORG High Notes News of the accomplishments of NFA members and the flute world

aura Zabanal (formerly LClapper) won a position in the United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps as a fifer through a rigorous, two-day audition process in September Adrienne Harding Achia Floyd Laura Zabanal 2020. The Old Guard Fife drienne Harding and Achia Floyd are among 11 lead- and Drum Corps is one of four special bands in the U.S. Aers to have been selected to participate in the Sphinx Army and is part of the Old Guard, the nation’s premier LEAD professional development program to evolve the ceremonial unit stationed at Fort Myer in northern Vir- industry landscape by empowering the next generation of ginia. The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps is the Official executive leaders. Escort to the President, serving the Military District of Harding performs on stage and works behind the scenes Washington and representing the U.S. Army nationally in a multi-faceted music career that includes a Carnegie and internationally. Hall debut as principal flutist of the National Festival Or- Prior to earning this position, Zabanal was a freelance chestra under Maestro Lukas Foss, a scholarship to the artist and teacher in Chicago and taught at VanderCook Mozarteum International Summer Academy, and a pres- College of Music and the People’s Music School while tigious U.S. Student Fulbright grant to Salzburg, Austria. maintaining a private flute studio. She was on the Chi- She chronicled her journey in a lecture entitled, “Finding cago Flute Club board as the Pipeline magazine editor in Your Groove: How a Flutist Danced Her Way to a Ful- 2020, and she has volunteered in various capacities with bright.” Harding has presented her research at the Col- the National Flute Association, the Florida Flute Associ- lege Music Society National Conference in Vancouver, ation, and the Flute New Music Consortium. She holds B.C., and International Conference in Brussels, Belgium. degrees from Florida State University (DM Woodwind Harding completed a BM and MM in flute performance Performance, MM Musicology), and Penn State Univer- from the University of Delaware and an MS in arts ad- sity (MM and BM Flute Performance, BA French). ministration from Drexel University. She is currently a doctoral student in the Educational Leadership program at the University of Delaware. Floyd holds a BA in music performance and an MA in arts administration from Florida State University and an MM in Join us for the 49th flute performance from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. She founded the Terpsichore Winds, was the executive assistant and private music instructor for Music Lessons Ex- NFA Convention! press, and was the assistant director of the Javacya Arts Con- servatory after-school program. More recently, Floyd was August 12–15, 2021 executive director of the Tallahassee Youth Orchestras and prospect strategy analyst/development coordinator for the Florida State University Foundation. She is the development Early registration ends manager at the Atlanta Music Project. Sphinx LEAD (Leaders in Excellence, Arts & Diversity) June 17, 2021 is a two-year leadership program designed to evolve the industry landscape by empowering the next generation of executive leaders. Ten arts leaders of color are select- nfaonline.org ed annually to participate in a curriculum that includes mentorship, networking, and leadership retreats at top institutions nationwide.

10 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG Across the Miles by Kathy Farmer News about flute club and flute choir activities throughout the United States

Central Ohio Flute Associa- (late Baroque through Classical). A record number of par- tion at Ohio State University ticipants entered the Raleigh Area Flute Association’s an- presented its 37th Annual nual Solo/Ensemble Fest in April, with the choice of sub- Flute Festival virtually on mitting video recordings of required repertoire or playing April 10th. Guest Artist Trudy live via Zoom. The season ends with a May 16 Members’ Kane, former principal flutist Recital featuring virtual performances by soloists, small of the Metropolitan Opera, ensembles, and several flute choirs. presented a recital and mas- Trudy Kane terclass. Presenters included The Tucson Flute Club has continued to join together Ohio State students and alumni Arianna Bendit, Jiwoon as an organization but has not yet been able to meet (or Choi, Rachel Haug Root, and Kelly Mollnow Wilson. A perform) publicly. Zoom meetings have included presen- panel discussion about music education was moderated by tations on Baroque ornamentation presented by Caleb David Hedgecoth and Rick Palese. Joining the panel were Hathaway and on basic chord theory presented by Chris- Audrey Rice, Kelsey Fulmer, and Luke Shultz. Katherine tine Harper. One evening, the group conversed with a local Borst Jones presented a morning warm-up and a session conductor, László Veres; another evening was spent play- on performance enhancement and moderated an orches- ing “getting to know you” games and bidding farewell to a tral audition session with Kane. The festival’s competition member who has moved back to Japan; and on March 17, divisions and winners were Hailey Han, junior; Elizabeth Sandy Schwoebel led the group in a play-along of Celtic Hebing, senior; Natalie Trejo, collegiate; and Meagan Gas- music. The first meeting in April was a live presentation on kill, young artist. Erin Helgeson Torres was competition slow practice by Jake Fridkis, principal flutist of the Fort coordinator for the festival, which drew 120 participants. Worth Symphony, sponsored by the Wm. S. Haynes Flute Company. April continued with watching and discussing The Atlanta Flute Club held its 2021 Virtual Flute Fair on Paul Edmund-Davies’ video, “Flute Bootcamp,” sponsored March 19–20. Carol Wincenc was the guest artist. Her recit- by the Flute Center of New York. The annual membership al featured music from five different previous events. Each meeting in May included a spirited game of music bingo. piece was recorded in a different location and had different The March 2021 issue of local Tucson magazine Des- instrumentation, and almost all of the pieces were writ- ert Leaf featured an article about the Tucson Flute Club’s ten by women composers. Also on Friday evening’s docket 50th anniversary. (It begins on page 38.) Members Sandy were the Middle and High School Junior Artist Compe- Schwoebel and Christine Harper presented a free “Quaran- titions and performances by the 2019 and 2020 competi- tunes Porch Concert” on March 15 from a downtown Tuc- tors. Five workshops focused on Music Dedicated to Louis son front porch, during which they played (among other Fleury (with presenter Lydia Carroll), Side Embouchures things) Ricky Lombardo’s newest arrangement of “Hiber- (Elise Blatchford), Basics of Irish Ornamentation (Steph- nation Blues.” Fifty people attended, and most brought anie Dawn), the Flauto D’Amore Project (Ginevra Petruc- their own folding chairs. The enthusiastic crowd donated ci), and Music for Flute and Percussion (Jessica Petrasek). more than $700 for the Tucson Federation of Musicians’ Recitals were presented by AFC Young Artist Competition Covid-19 Relief Fund for struggling musicians. winners Justina Chu and Xue Chen and Carl Hall Piccolo Tucson Flute Club has a YouTube channel! It includes Competition winners Ann Mozina and Sarah Miller. The the selections from March 2020’s first 50th anniversary 2021 Young Artist Competition finals also were held. Car- celebratory concert and a virtual recording of the world ol Wincenc taught a participatory workshop for the Flute premiere of local composer Bob Atwell’s “A Cirrus Sunset,” Fair’s final event. commissioned in celebration of the big anniversary. Tucson Flute Club was founded in 1970 by the late Philip The Raleigh Area Flute Association hosted a virtual Swanson. Five founding members are still active participants Pedagogy Colloquium in February featuring presenters in the group. Tucson Flute Club is supported in part by a grant Catherine LeGrand on the Brag System, Nancy Schnee- from the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona. loch-Bingham with an Introduction to Universal Design Donations to the Swanson Memorial Fund can be sent to the for Learning, and Kelly Nivison on a Study of Cadenzas club at P.O. Box 65992, Tucson AZ 85728.

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 11 NFAONLINE.ORG 12 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG From the New Music Advisory Committee

Flute Music from the Caribbean: Cuban Influences and Transcriptions A pandemic-era streamed performance opened a two-way connection between the author and a flutist based in the Dominican Republic. Both Elise Blatchford women discovered works, many transcribed, that were new to them. by Elise Blatchford ike many others during the pan- Republic and Latin America for fel- González’s concert transcriptions demic, I’ve been streaming per- lowship, performance opportunities, included a condensation of a work for Lformances online, and one of the and collaboration. In 2017, the Nymph two flutes to one for solo flute: “Tum- most unexpected inspirations came to Project organized the first internation- báo a lo Paganini” by Orlando “Ma- me in a recital by Cuban-born flutist al flute festival in the Caribbean. raca” Valle. González also performed a Alaima González for the Puerto Rico I called González to ask her about flute transcription from the Domini- Flute Symposium in June 2020. Works the pieces on her concert and about can composer Bullumba Landestoy’s on the program were by Leo Brouwer, the tenuous relationship between solo piano piece, “Vals de Santo Do- Orlando “Maraca” Valle, Bullumba music and musicians in the U.S. and mingo,” which was transcribed by her Landestoy, Paquito D’Rivera, and Alfre- Cuba. Because of the embargo and orchestral colleague Laura Pimentel. do Portela López. The performance had travel ban that began in the 1960s, the A transcription of D’Rivera’s clarinet an energy, assurance, and authority that island—only 90 miles south of Flor- solo piece “Lecuonerias,” an homage is all González, and the music stayed ida—has a musical tradition that has to the great Cuban maestro Ernesto with me throughout the summer. developed quite separately from U.S. Lecuona, was also an important com- González lives in Santo Domingo, Cuban flutists, who were trained in ponent of the recital. Dominican Republic, where she is on European classical music, often in While none of these works are the faculty at the Conservatorio Na- French, German, and Bulgarian flute particularly new, it is important to cional and is principal flutist of the traditions, which included solfege, think of a music’s “newness” as a kind Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional. She articulation, and vibrato inherent in of layering: all three of these piec- runs the Nymph Project, an organi- these pedagogies. es are new transcriptions of mid- to zation that endeavors to bring flutists I first heard of several compos- late-20th-century works, which are together from around the Dominican ers from González: Leo Brouwer, themselves an homage to a musician François Bahaud, and Alfredo Porte- from an earlier time (Lecuona, Pagani- la. The exchange went both ways: she ni), or are a fantasia on a traditional was not familiar with Tania León, our song (“Vals de Santo Domingo”). most well-known Cuban-American What is new and what is old becomes composer outside of Paquito D’Rive- blurred. What is culturally local and ra. Our sharing of information and culturally universal becomes blurred. music has been powerful and speaks And of course, there is no reason not to for the importance of festivals like the explore beyond what you know! Nymph Project and the Puerto Rico Flute Symposium. See Recommended Works on the NFA’s Notably, three out of the five recital New Music Advisory Committee page. pieces are transcriptions. Where there The author gives special thanks to is not always a clear-cut way of fund- Melanie Rodríguez Díaz for transla- ing new music compositions, and with tion assistance. many composers in Cuba and the Ca- ribbean focused on works for guitar Elise Blatchford is associate professor and piano, the emphasis is often on of flute at the University of Memphis. Melanie Rodriguez Diaz transcription for new flute music. Find Alaima González. SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 13 NFAONLINE.ORG Rubén The Legacy of Islas:

PHOTOS COURTESY THE ISLAS FMAILY Mexico’s Flute Teacher

Diligent and persistent throughout his long life, the musician enjoyed a career as a soloist, orchestral flutist, and teacher at the center of Mexico’s musical life for decades.

At 96 years of age, Rubén Islas is now retired and living a quiet life with his family in the city of by Jonathan Borja Colima.1 Humble and soft-spoken, he would not immediately strike one as being at the center of— and, indeed, one of the leading figures in—Mexico’s musical life for over half a century.

Early Life Born in the famously windy city of Pachuca, Hidalgo, on November 30, 1924, Islas says he was destined to be a wind player.2 Young Rubén showed early interest in music and began lessons with his father, who played oboe with the local band, at age 9.3 At this time, Mexico was recovering from the long and bloody Mexican Revolution (1910–1921), and political life continued to be volatile as the country sought two volumes of the Henri Altès method and the Mozart its way back into democracy. Government institutions concertos, and then they worked on arrangements of vi- were either regrouping after the war or just getting olin music or vocal repertoire to supplement.7 started. In 1924, Plutarco Elías Calles (1877–1945) The late 1940s were years of great excitement in Mex- was elected president, and he believed that the way to ico City’s artistic life. In 1947, president Miguel Alemán modernize the country was through industrialization, (1900–1983) created the National Institute of Fine Arts which was the leading post-revolution philosophy, not as a dependency of the Secretariat of Public Education through agriculture. with Chávez as the institute’s first director.8 Following Some of the president’s early achievements included this, in 1949, the Orquesta Sinfónica de México became consolidating the military entities, resulting in the cre- the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional (National Symphony ation of military bands.4 This modernizing ideology was Orchestra), with José Pablo Moncayo (1912–1958) be- embraced by the artists of the time, particularly compos- coming the orchestra’s music director.9 A private music er and conductor Carlos Chávez (1899–1978), who by management enterprise, Asociación Musical Daniel, was 1928 was leading the Orquesta Sinfónica de Mexico, one presenting some of the world’s greatest artists in Mexico of the predecessors of what would become the Nation- and Latin America during this time, and through it, mu- al Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra provided Mexico sicians such as Rafael Kubelík (1914–1996) and Sergiu City with a stable musical life, and a great deal of new Celibidache (1912–1996) came to Mexico for the first music was performed.5 time.10 In 1947, Islas finished his studies at the Conser- In 1941, Islas moved to Mexico City, where he joined vatory and began working at the orchestra of the famous the newly formed Marine Band as a piccolo player (1941– XEW radio station with composer Mario Ruíz Armengol 1947). There, he met José Sifuentes, another young flute (1914–2002), as well as in movie soundtracks and com- player who was studying at the National Conservatory mercial recordings.11 and who encouraged him to meet his flute professor Agustín Oropeza (1891–1995).6 In 1942, Islas began his Orchestral Life formal studies with Oropeza at the National Conserva- In 1950, Asociación Daniel established the Orquesta tory and quickly moved through the curriculum. Reper- Filarmónica Ciudad de Mexico, and its music director was toire was limited in Mexico at the time. Islas studied the the famed Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache, who

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 15 NFAONLINE.ORG With three National Symphony Orchestra colleagues outside the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City in the 1950s. From left: Islas, Sally Van den Berg (principal oboe), Louis Salomons (principal bassoon), and Luis Herrera de la Fuente (music director). Right: Rubén Islas in the 1960s, an active era in Mexico City’s orchestral life. was also conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) leading the orchestra in a per- at this time.12 Islas joined the orchestra as principal flutist. formance of The Rite of Spring in 1961, which would be the After one concert, René Rateau (1909–2000), then princi- composer’s final time conducting the work.19 pal flutist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, who had Other conductors with whom Islas worked include Erich been in the audience, approached Islas to congratulate him Kleiber (1890–1956), José Iturbi (1895–1980), Edouard on his performance. During their conversation, Islas con- van Remoortel (1926–1977), and Charles Dutoit. Islas also fessed that he would love to study with Rateau’s teacher, recalls working with some of the best Mexican conductors, Marcel Moyse (1889–1984). Upon his return to the U.S., including Chávez, Herrera, José Yves Limantour (1919– Rateau recommended Islas for study with Moyse in Ver- 1976), and the young Eduardo Mata (1942–1995).20 mont. In 1951–1952, Islas studied with Moyse and returned to Mexico with Moyse’s methods, along with more Solo Work flute repertoire, to supplement his own teaching.13 Miguel Ángel Villanueva, a flute professor at the National Orchestral life in Mexico City saw significant changes in University’s School of Music, says that Islas’ “level of play- 1955. José Pablo Moncayo, music director of the Nation- ing is manifested in the type of repertoire that he managed al Symphony, was replaced by Luis Herrera de la Fuente alongside his work as principal flute of the National Sym- (1916–2014). Since Moncayo had been a pupil of Chávez, p h ony.” 21 Along with his teaching and orchestral schedule, who had himself assembled the orchestra, Herrera knew Islas was a frequent soloist with orchestras, recitalist, and that taking it over would not be easy, so he negotiated with chamber ensembles. Islas recalled playing with the Nation- government officials to double the musicians’ salaries; al Symphony Mozart’s Flute Concerto in D, K. 314 with however, the players had to re-audition for their posi- van Remoortel in 1974 and performing the world premiere tions.14 It was at this time that openings in the flute section of Balada de Terezín by Ukranian-Mexican composer Lan became available, and Rubén Islas joined the orchestra as Adomian (1905–1979) with Antoni Ros-Marbá in 1973 co-principal flutist, a position he held until 1991.15 and again with Charles Dutoit in 1976.22 The Mexican pre- Herrera’s tenure brought the orchestra to great levels of miere of the Concerto for Flute and Symphonic Winds by musical achievement, touring, and recordings. The orches- Blas Galindo (1910–1993) was in 1981 with the orchestra’s tra also partnered with Asociación Daniel to bring some of wind section and José Guadalupe Flores at the helm.23 the finest conductors and soloists to the orchestra.16 Islas Soloing with other orchestras in 1978, Islas gave the Mex- particularly recalled the Soviet delegation’s visit in 1959, ican premiere of two works with conductor Jorge Velazco: where Aleksander Gauk (1893–1963) conducted works by Nielsen’s Flute Concerto with the University Philharmonic Kabalevsky and Shostakovich, both of whom were present Orchestra and Busoni’s Divertimento with the Guadalaja- at the performances that November.17 Sergiu Celibidache, ra Symphony Orchestra.24 He appeared as soloist with the who in his first visit to Mexico in 1948 discovered Herrera’s Orquesta de Cámara de Bellas Artes (Fine Arts Chamber conducting talent and had been Islas’ former boss, gave his Orchestra) in 1982, 1988, 1989, and 1991 in a concert with final performances in Mexico in 1960 with the National Elena Durán celebrating his retirement from the National Symphony.18 Another memorable performance was with Symphony after 37 years.25

16 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG Rubén Islas in the 1970s. He played orchestral solos from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, including the Mexican premieres of Nielsen’s Flute Concerto and Busoni’s Divertimento.

As a recitalist and chamber musician, Islas was a found- then either to the Conservatory or the University.” He ing member of the Quinteto de Alientos de Bellas Artes would teach on weekends, and if students were preparing (Fine Arts Woodwind Quintet) (1955–1970) and was at for a recital or an audition, they would come to his home the forefront of innovative programming. He gave the first on Sunday mornings before leaving for the orchestra’s performance in Mexico of works that are staples of the Sunday afternoon performance.27 repertoire, including Reicha’s Quintet Op. 91, No. 9 (in Julieta Cedillo, who succeeded Islas as principal flutist 1962), Ginastera’s Duo for flute and oboe (in 1963), Bar- of the National Symphony Orchestra and is a professor ber’s Summer Music and Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire (in at the Conservatory, recalled that Islas “was an extreme- 1965), Boulez’s Sonatine (in 1966), Fukushima’s Mei (in ly dedicated teacher, completely devoted to his students.” 1976), and many others. A great supporter of Mexican She would sometimes have lessons three times per week, music, Islas gave the world premiere of many works by on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sunday mornings.28 She says Mexican composers, including Joaquín Gutiérrez Herás’ that Islas, as a student of Moyse, was very patient in a stu- Sonata Simple (1966), which has since become a staple of dent’s development of great sound.29 María Esther García, the country’s flute repertoire.26 associate principal flutist of the Mexico City Philhar- monic and also a professor at the National Conservatory, Teacher started studying there with Islas at age 12. She says that With a teaching career that spanned half a century, per- “he taught in the open masterclass style, which was very haps Islas’ greatest legacy is that of his students. He taught helpful, as you would learn from listening to your peers,” at the National Autonomous University (1960–1998), the and that Islas was a living example of discipline and or- Musician’s Union School of Music (1965–2008), the Na- der. He was always on time, and, in the eight years that tional Conservatory of Music (1971–1986), the Society of she studied with him, she does not recall a single time Mexican Composers and Authors School of Music (1979– when he missed or canceled class.30 1983), and the Vida y Movimiento School of Music of the Dagoberto Estrada, who was one of Islas’ first students Ollin Yoliztli Cultural Center (1986–2008). at the Conservatory and who recently retired from teaching He recalls his once hectic schedule: “I’d rehearse with the there himself, said that Islas had a knack for selecting just orchestra in the morning, go to the Musician’s Union, and the right repertoire for each of his students. A selection

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 17 NFAONLINE.ORG Islas with James Galway in Mexico City, circa the 1970s. Despite his performance record, Islas’ greatest legacy might lie in his long teaching career. would be made based not only on the student’s technical Competition, a biennial competition for flute students in abilities and growth possibilities but also in terms of the Mexico that changes location on every installment, mak- student’s personality.31 ing it accessible to students from around the country.38 Always eager to learn, Islas’ students would also introduce After his retirement from the National Symphony, Islas him to new materials, as was the case in the 1970s, when a had the pleasure of hearing his students performing in student shared with him James Galway’s 1975 recording of orchestras throughout the country as members of the Na- Pagannini’s Moto perpetuo. Its high level of playing stunned tional Symphony Orchestra, Teatro de Bellas Artes, Mex- the professor. Islas wrote to Galway and, between 1975 and ico City Philharmonic, the University Philharmonic Or- 1991, traveled to wherever Galway was teaching and attend- chestra, Symphony Orchestra of the National Polytechnic ed his summer courses in England, Scotland, and Switzer- Institute, and orchestras in Acapulco, Aguascalientes, and land, among others.32 He also attended Elena Durán’s cours- Xalapa.39 His students are now professors at the institu- es in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he later taught.33 The tions where Islas taught and throughout the world, there- devoted teacher in Islas would always return to Mexico with fore carrying on his wonderful legacy.40 new repertoire to assign to his students and, at times, give “Aside from the great foundation that he taught us on them the opportunity to premiere works in Mexico.34 our instrument,” María Esther García said, “through his Having worked with Moyse, Galway, and Durán, Islas wonderful yet quiet example, Rubén taught us a great wanted to provide similar opportunities to his students. foundation for life.”41 The Mexican Flute Society was founded in 1983 to bring in guest artists to teach masterclasses and to perform. For Listen to Rubén Islas perform “El flautín del Pastor” (The decades, these week-long events at the National University Shepherd’s Small Flute), one of his earliest commercial re- hosted James Galway, Julius Baker, Geoffrey Gilbert, Bo- cordings before joining the National Symphony Orchestra. nita Boyd, Patti Adams, Trevor Wye, Alain Marion, Colin Fleming, Angela Koregelos, and many others.35 “He sin- A native of Mexico City, Jonathan Borja is associate profes- gle-handedly established the flute tradition in Mexico and sor of music at University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, where tirelessly worked to promote it,” said Julieta Cedillo.36 he teaches flute and music history. He began his studies at the National Conservatory in Mexico City and holds Legacy degrees from Principia College and the University of Mis- Mexican institutions have recognized Rubén Islas’ career souri–Kansas City. His principal teachers are María Esther since the 1960s. He has received accolades from the Na- García, Marie Jureit-Beamish, and Mary Posses. tional Institute of Fine Arts, the Mexican Marine Sec- retariat, the Music and Theater Chroniclers’ Union, the ENDNOTES Mexican Musicians’ Union, the National Autonomous 1. Colima is roughly 450 miles west of Mexico City. 2. cultura.gob.mx/estados/saladeprensa_detalle.php?id=41101 accessed, University, the government of his home State of Hidalgo, October 27, 2020. Pachuca is about 56 miles northeast of Mexico City. 37 and, in 2012, the Mozart Medal. In 2006, Miguel Ángel 3. sic.cultura.gob.mx/ficha.php?table=artista&table_id=5412 accessed, Villanueva established the “Rubén Islas” National Flute October 22, 2020.

18 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG 4. Enrique Krauze, Mexico: Biography of Power (New York: Harper Perenni- 22. Islas, interview with author. al, 1998), 416. 23. Islas, interview with the author. See also: Xochiquetzal Ruiz Ortiz, Blas 5. Beatriz Maupomé, “Apuntes para una historia de la Orquesta Sinfónica Galindo: Biografía, Antología de Textos, y Catálogo (Mexico City, CENIDIM, Nacional,” in Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional: sonidos de un espacio en libertad 1994), 178. (Mexico City: Sanborns, S.A. de C.V, 2004), 78. 24. Federico Ibarra, Orquesta de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de 6. José Sifuentes was a member of the orchestra during Chavez’s era. They México: Historia y desarrollo en el contexto cultural del país (Mexico City: both retired in 1991. UNAM, 2011), 444. Programs provided by Miguel Ángel Villanueva and the 7. Rubén Islas, interview with the author, October 21, 2020. Islas family. 8. Maupomé, 101. 25. Aurelio Tello, 50 años de un itinerario sonoro: Orquesta de Cámara de Bellas Artes (Mexico City: INBA, 2009), 63, 94, 103, 118. 9. Maupomé, 106. 26. Programs provided by Miguel Ángel Villanueva and the Islas family. 10. conciertosdanielmexico.com/conciertos.html, accessed 20 October 2020. 27. Rubén Islas, interview with the author (October 21, 2020). 11. Islas, interview with author. 28. Julieta Cedillo, interview with the author (October 11, 2020). 12. Horacio Flores Sánchez, “Sergiu Celibidache y la Filarmónica de la Ciu- 29. Julieta Cedillo, interview with the author (November 8, 2020). dad de México,” El Universal (29 April 1950) in Horacio Flores Sánchez, Los 30. María Esther García, interview with the author (October 30, 2020). sonidos y los días: Antología de periodismo musical (1949-1976), ed. Yael 31. Dagoberto Estrada, interview with the author (November 1, 2020). Bitrán and Carlos Aguirre (Mexico City: INBAL, 2019), ebook. 32. Rubén Islas Bravo, Músico y Maestro a sus 92 Años, Noticieros Tele- 13. Islas, interview with author. visa, 27 August 2016, https://noticieros.televisa.com/mexico-estados/ 14. Herrera sustained that the musicians had been appointed by Chávez ruben-islas-bravo-musico-maestro-sus-92-anos/ accessed 20 October and not auditioned for their positions. Luis Herrera de la Fuente,La música 2020. no viaja sola (Mexico City: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1998), 166. 33. Rubén Islas, interview with the author (October 21, 2020). 15. Islas, interview with author. The other principal flutist was Gildardo 34. Dagoberto Estrada, interview with the author (November 1, 2020). Mojica (1934–1992). 35. Rubén Islas, interview with the author (October 21, 2020). 16. Maupomé, 115. 36. Julieta Cedillo, interview with the author (November 8, 2020). 17. Arturo García Gómez, “Shostakovich in Mexico: November 1959,” DSCH 37. http://cichidalgo.ddns.net/page/creadores/ruben-islas-bravo/ accessed Journal 45 (July 2016), 5. 1 November, 2020. 18. Maupomé, 122. 38. Miguel Ángel Villanueva, interview with the author (October 30, 2020). 19. Islas, interview with author.. Robert Craft,Stravinsky: Chronicle of a 39. Some of these orchestral charts have changed since 1991 as some of his Friendship 1948–1971 (New York: Random House, 1972), 110. students have now retired. 20. Islas, interview with author. 40. Rubén Islas, interview with the author (October 21, 2020). 21. Miguel Angel Villanueva, email to author, October 23, 2020. 41. María Esther García, interview with the author (October 30, 2020).

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SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 19 NFAONLINE.ORG Erika Boysen receives Fiberoptic Transnasal Videostroboscopy

20 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG Mapping Anatomical Locators for Musicians: Laryngeal Vibrato Production in Flutists A frank question from a curious student launched a study in search of better understanding how the pharynx and larynx physically create vibrato. Boysen and Brown’s study produced data relevant to performers, educators, and students.

n spring 2015, I was teaching a lesson when a student asked, “How and where do we produce vibra- by Erika Boysen, DMA, and David Brown, MD to as flutists?” It wasn’t until then that I realized I didn’t have a definitive answer for this question. My Iimmediate response was a well-rehearsed, “your throat and abdomen muscles work in conjunction with one another to oscillate air pressure.” This bright, curious student followed up with, “what in my throat can oscillate air pressure?” It appeared my understanding of this topic was completely insufficient. After an online search, I found a study conducted in 1988 by Austin I. King, Jon Ashby, and Charles Nelson entitled, “Laryngeal Function in the Wind Instrumental- ists: The Woodwinds.” Students playing the oboe, clarinet, saxophone, English horn, and flute received a na- solaryngoscopy to analyze the laryngeal function during skill and ability: amateur to professors and internation- tone production. One paragraph mentioned, “Most flau- al soloists. Each participant received nasal anesthetizing tists reportedly believe that vibrato should be diaphrag- spray prior to the flexible video scope being entered matic in origin; however, we found active vocal fold mo- into one nostril, descended through the pharynx, and tion in all rapid vibratos which surprised many of our positioned above the larynx. Participants performed subjects.”42 I had to know more. five pre-selected exercises while the fiberoptic scope David Brown, MD, avid flutist and professor in the de- recorded video footage of the laryngeal region. The ex- partment of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at ercises were selected to demonstrate tone production the University of Michigan, referred me to Lyndsay L. without vibrato and with vibrato of varying speeds, Madden and Amy K. Morris at the Wake Forest Baptist amplitudes, and perceived location of production. Par- Department of Otolaryngology. The three of us met in ticipants played an arpeggiated vocalise spanning two fall 2016 to discuss my research question and met again octaves from C4 to C6 with and without vibrato and with four flute students at the University of North Car- were then given the option to perform prepared pieces olina–Greensboro, where I teach, for a preliminary case of music. The video footage recorded during each in- study. While this initial study was informative, as with dividual’s laryngeal videostroboscopy was assessed by most research, it revealed more questions. both authors. Similarities and differences among the subjects were observed. THE STUDY Brown and I decided to embark on a more thorough in- TERMS USED IN RELATION TO ANATOMY depth study at the University of Michigan. “Anatomic To better comprehend this and prior studies, a general evaluation of flute vibrato production using trans nasal understanding of anatomical terms is required. (Figures videostroboscopy,” approved by the Institutional Review 1–3 below are used with permission from the University Board of Michigan Medicine, was conducted at the C.S. of Minnesota’s Lions Voice Clinic’s online resource.43) Mott Children’s Hospital, Michigan Medicine Pediat- ric Otolaryngology and Audiology at the University of Anatomy of the Pharynx and Larynx. There are three Michigan on December 8, 2018. different sections of the pharynx: nasopharynx (the por- Nine people agreed to participate, having been informed tion that enters the nose), oropharynx (the portion that of the study’s associated protocols and potential risks. The enters the mouth), and hypopharynx (the portion that is subjects included different genders, ages, and levels of just above the larynx). SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 21 NFAONLINE.ORG Figure 3

In the study, the video scope was placed above the larynx, in the hypopharynx, so as to view the vocal folds. From this Figure 1 perspective, the base of tongue, posterior pharyngeal wall, and epiglottis are also visualized. The epiglottis is at the bot- The larynx contains our vocal folds and is frequently re- tom of the video image. It is a soft cartilage that functions ferred to as the voice box. The vocal folds are multilayered during the swallowing process to ensure liquid and food are structures consisting of a muscle covered by a mucosal directed into the esophagus and not the trachea. The pha- covering and are attached to cartilages that facilitate their ryngeal wall is the tube-like perimeter structure that is above movement in connection with five intrinsic laryngeal mus- the larynx. Posterior refers to its location as being opposite cles. These muscles help to lengthen/shorten and open/ of the epiglottis or as relating to the back side of the body. close the vocal folds.

Figure 4

Anatomy of Breathing. The two phases of breathing are inspiration, when air moves into the lungs, and expiration, when air exits the lungs. During relaxed inspiration, there is opening of the vocal folds, activation of the intercostal Figure 2 (between the ribs) muscles—which expands the rib cage— and contraction of the diaphragm, located at the base of When the vocal folds close, or adduct, the space between the lungs, which lowers within the thoracic cavity and cre- the vocal folds, the glottis, is reduced. Similarly, when the ates negative pressure to draw air within the lungs. This is vocal folds open, or abduct, the glottal space increases. ideal breathing for all musicians.

22 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG Distressed inspiration uses accessory muscles of the can be produced secondarily from contraction and relaxation neck, chest, and back and is not ideal breathing for mu- of the abdominal and/or thoracic (rib cage) muscles. sicians. During relaxed expiration, the diaphragm and in- Since producing sound on the flute happens during ex- tercostal muscles relax and air leaves the lungs as the rib halation, our knowledge of anatomy informs us that the di- cage gets smaller. During active expiration, abdominal aphragm is relaxed during exhalation and therefore cannot muscles—the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and produce the oscillations in air pressure to produce vibrato. external and internal oblique muscles—help expel air. (See Figure 5, used with permission from Anatomage.) Flutists LITERATURE REVIEW use controlled forced expiration to keep constant pressure First studies to have investigated the physiology of the throat (support) during expiration, or blowing into the flute. during production of vibrato related to playing the flute were products of dissertations. The first, in 1973 by oboist Andrew Brown, utilized cineflouriographic technology to obtain an understanding of the oral physiology on the flute and oboe during music performance. Cinefluorography and videofluorography generate imaging utilizing radiograph- ic procedures that result in x-ray motion pictures. Brown’s study aimed to “demonstrate that cinefluorography is a val- id tool for investigating the physiology of the throat during production of vibrato and vibratoless tones on flute and oboe.”44 With six participants from the University of Iowa, a combination of oboists and flutists, Brown concluded that 1) vibrato production in the throat can be observed with cinefluorographic techniques, 2) the air column is modulated by the vocal folds, and 3) a variation of intensity appears to be a resultant of throat vibrato.”45 In 1978, Walter Edward Carr Jr. conducted a study at the University of Southern California with 23 performers divid- ed equally among the flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone. Using a videofluorographic process, Carr focused to determine the differing tongue and throat positions among the performances of the five aforementioned instruments. The author concluded that the size of the throat was ma- nipulated in different ways for each instrument during the production of higher and lower pitches, different dynamic levels, and specific syllabic articulations.46 Jochen Gartner began an in-depth study of vibrato production of the flutist in 1963 with a particular focus on not only the larynx but also the abdomen, diaphragm, and chest/thorax. To investigate these lower bodily regions during flute performance, he employed electromyography, a technique that measures electrochemical muscular con-

ANATOMAGE tractions synchronous with vibrato production. Addition- ally, he used x-ray sound film technology to confirm the Figure 5 insights gained from the electromyographic study that included five exercises that varied vibrato speeds, perceived You might notice that when you are playing with ideal location of production, and octave ranges. support, your abdominal wall is firm; that is because the ab- What Gartner concluded from both studies was that dominal muscles are contracting. During expiration, the vibrato does not originate from the diaphragm. The term diaphragm is relaxed and does not play an active role in “diaphragm vibrato” is not anatomically correct; it should engaged exhalation. Similarly, the diaphragm itself does be rephrased to “thoraco-abdominal vibrato.” The larynx not participate in oscillations in air pressure. Muscles are was used in all vibrato types. Vibrato produced in the tho- controlled by nerves and the diaphragm is innervated by the raco-abdominal region tended to be of lower frequencies phrenic nerve, which lowers the diaphragm. There is not a (slower speed) and, conversely, the highest frequencies 47

IS USED WITH PERMISSION FROM FIGURE 5 ABDOMINAL IMAGE nerve that raises the diaphragm. Oscillations of the diaphragm (faster speed) were produced primarily with the larynx.

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 23 NFAONLINE.ORG Finally, Gartner noted that smaller dynamics were most size of the instrument; that is, more closed for flute often produced with the larynx. His study was published and oboe, and more open for bassoon and clarinet.50 in 1981 and includes an extensive review regarding the discussion of vibrato from the earliest treatises of the 17th The study that I referenced earlier, and a primary con- century to the present. tributor to my interest in learning more about the top- The advent of flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopic technology ic of laryngeal vibrato production, was conducted by as a research instrument in the late 1960s allowed researchers the Voice Institute of West Texas in 1988 by Austin to study performing participants for an extended period of King, Jon Ashby, and Charles Nelson. Their interest time without being limited by the health concerns related to in studying the laryngeal function of woodwind play- radiation exposure that accompanied using cinefluorographic ers stemmed from several music major students, all of and videofluorographic methods.48 This means for visualizing whom were both vocalists and instrumentalists, who 51 the pharynx and larynx, a thin, long flexible instrument with had experienced laryngeal “problems.” Nineteen mu- a light and video lens on the end is used to capture and record sicians, playing instruments including the flute, oboe, moving images of the larynx and vocal folds. The instrument English horn, saxophone, and bassoon, performed rou- is inserted into the nostril and advances down the pharynx to tine musical examples. The authors concluded that the obtain visualization of the larynx. (See Figure 6.) “air reed” instruments (flute) actively used vocal folds during the production of vibrato.52 The following year, in 1989, Susumu Mukai studied 63 participants whose instruments included flute, recorder, shakuhachi, clarinet, oboe, saxophone, bassoon, trombone, trumpet, horn, and harmonica in an effort to understand the difference of the size of glottic opening (the author describes this as the aperture of the glottis) among “experts,” “amateurs,” and “beginners.” The author observed that the experts played with the most narrowed aperture of the glottis and beginners played with the largest opening of the glottis.53 Mukai concluded that the “airflow for the wind instrument is controlled by the larynx, and that musical tone is produced by narrowed aperture of the glottis.”54 Additionally, in this study, Mukai makes reference to the diaphragm, stating that “the phrenic nerve which controls the movements of the diaphragm discharges only during inspiration. Physiologically, it is impossible to create vibra- Figure 6 to by diaphragm control.”55 One of the first studies to use the flexible fiberoptic la- Again, another study was conducted out of the University ryngoscope technology in relation to flute playing was of North Texas in 1990 by Nicholas A. Compagno, then published in 1988 out of the University of North Texas. a clarinet student completing a doctorate of philosophy. Charles Veazey, professor of oboe at North Texas State Compagno sought to investigate the movements of the University, aimed to compare the laryngeal activity of the arytenoid cartilages, glottis, aryepiglottic folds, larynx, and flute, bassoon, oboe, and B-flat clarinet using a fiberoptic tongue during the performance of the clarinet and flute 56 laryngoscope. In Veazey’s summary and conclusions from as viewed through the use of a laryngoscope. With 10 the study, published in the spring 1988 issue of The Flutist participants whose ages ranged from 20 to 36, Compagno Quarterly, the author shared findings specific to the flute : observed that the larynx ascended for upper-register tones and vice versa. In addition, staccato articulation execution Vibrato activity for flute, oboe, and bassoon var- was accompanied by glottic opening and closing (abduction ied greatly between individuals, but there was no and adduction of the vocal folds). In contrast, the vocal doubt that the vibrato originated in the throat, not folds remained stationary for legato and double-tonguing the diaphragm. Vibrato motion was apparent in articulation. Finally, glottic movement was observed for the vocal folds, arytenoid cartilages, back of the vibrato production.57 tongue, and the posterior pharynx wall (constric- Other studies using the same flexible fiberoptic laryn- tor muscles).49 goscopy method as a means for gaining visualization of the larynx while an individual played the flute were conducted There appears to be a correlation between the glot- and published by Rydell, Karlsson, Milesson, and Schalén, tal size (distance between the vocal folds) and the (1996); Hwang-Shim (2005); Eckley (2006); and Gomes dos

24 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG From left: Sarah Boyer, David Brown, and Erika Boysen, December 8, 2018.

Santos Junior (2017). They all reported laryngeal move- DATA FROM RESEARCH STUDY ment, specifically abduction and adduction of the vocal folds, during the playing of flute participants. Nasopharyngoscopy. Before entering the larynx, the flexible scope was first used to examine the nasopharynx, ob- VIBRATO DEFINITION AND taining a clear view of the flutist’s soft palate. This portion STUDY LIMITATIONS of the exam is considered the nasopharyngoscopy. From The Grove Music Dictionary states that vibrato is “a reg- this portion of the exam, one similarity was noted: ular fluctuation of pitch or intensity (or both), either more or less pronounced and more or less rapid.”58 1. All flutists showed complete closure of the soft pal- As it applies to a wind instrument, the authors under- ate up against the posterior pharyngeal wall, preventing stand vibrato as the fluctuation of the air column that air from passing through into the nose during the pro- provides periodic variation in tone quality as heard duction of tone. through dynamics (loudness and softness), amplitude Laryngoscopy. Next, the flexible laryngoscope advanced (pitch variation), and frequency (speed of air pulsation). through the participants’ nasopharynx to be positioned Variation in the air column can be created in many above the larynx. This portion of the exam is considered places within the human body. It is not the aim of this the laryngoscopy. paper to suggest where flutists should or should not oscillate air pressure in their bodies but rather to help From the laryngoscopy, eight similarities flutists understand underlying anatomy and physiology were noted: and to provide insight into which aspects of the human anatomy correspond with vibrato production in flutists. 1. All participants’ vocal folds moved concurrently with The findings of this study are limited to only the the sound of vibrato. areas of the body that were observed: nasopharynx, oropharynx, and larynx. Discussion regarding the use 2. The degree of vocal fold movement appeared to cor- of abdominal, thoracic, and diaphragmatic regions of respond to the amplitude size of vibrato production. the body during the production of vibrato were not Increased movement of the vocal folds produced larger measured and therefore are not addressed in relation fluctuations of pitch, and decreased movement of the vo- to vibrato production. cal folds produced smaller fluctuations of pitch. Similarly,

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 25 NFAONLINE.ORG increased frequency of vibrato speeds occurred via faster and more rhythmic pulsations of vocal folds. Though it is difficult to fully

3. Among all participants, the epiglottis did not appear to understand something that oscillate during vibrato production one cannot see, it is incumbent 4. In the exercises that specifically instructed participants to produce vibrato from the “abdominal” region, vocal fold upon flutists to develop an abduction and adduction was evident in all participants. awareness of the pharynx 5. Prior to producing flute tone, all participants’ vocal folds and larynx. adducted (came together) to reduce the glottal space that existed between the two folds. 3. The degree to which participants used theirsoft palate, pharyngeal walls, and base of tongue in conjunction with 6. Flute tone production without vibrato was produced vocal folds for vibrato production varied among participants. with minimal to no adduction/abduction in the vocal folds among all participants. 4. Legato playing in vocalise exercises showed articulated laryngeal movement for each note produced in some par- 7. Dynamic variation corresponded to the size of the ticipants and none in others. glottal space. Louder dynamics were achieved with a larger glottal space, and softer dynamics were achieved with a CONCLUSION smaller glottal space. Though it is difficult to fully understand something that 8. During execution of tapers, glottal space appeared to one cannot see, it is incumbent upon flutists to develop an decrease in conjunction with a decrease in volume of sound. awareness of the pharynx and larynx. Just as lungs are visually hidden yet crucial to a flutist, so, too, are these From the laryngoscopy, four differences endlessly complex anatomical areas. were noted. In the study of flute performance, we have always used anatomical locators—i.e., the throat, the lungs, the dia- 1. The degree to which the vocal folds came together— phragm—while referencing the invisible processes involved adducted—during tone production varied greatly. with tone production. However, without knowledge of the complexity of these bodily regions, common phrases such as “open your throat,” “use smaller vibrato,” and “release the tension in your throat” are more meaningful when these structures have been mapped. Understanding how key anatomical areas of the body are involved in sound production and how they interact is elemental in pursuit of playing at one’s maximum potential. On its own, the flute is simply a keyed metal tube. It cannot make music without the harmonious processes Figure 7 Figure 8 taking place inside the human body. A. Every participant had a unique glottal space size for Erika Boysen is the associate professor of flute at the Uni- tone production. (Note the larger and smaller spaces be- versity of North Carolina–Greensboro, chair of the NFA tween vocal cords in Figures 7 and 8.) Myrna Brown International Scholarship Competition, 2. The amount of space between the epiglottis and posteri- and Wm.S. Haynes Flutes Ambassador Clinician Artist. or pharyngeal walls varied greatly among participants and exercises. This space will be referred to as “laryngeal space.” David J. Brown, MD, is the associate dean, associate VP for health equity and inclusion, and associate professor of A. Many variations of movement occurred during the otolaryngology head and neck surgery at Michigan Medi- inhalation process. Some participants’ laryngeal space cine. He is a founding member and principal flutist of the did not change from “playing position” to “breathing po- UM Life Sciences Orchestra and a faculty member sition” and others showed great difference between playing in Amy Porter’s Anatomy of Sound. and breathing. Watch additional videos of solo repertoire B. The manipulation of laryngeal shape over the course of and extended techniques. three registers varied among all participants.

26 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG Endnotes Gärtner, Jochen. The Vibrato, With Particular Consideration Given To The Situation Of The Flutist: Historical Development, New Physiological Discoveries, And Presentation 1. King, Ashby, and Nelson, “Laryngeal Function in Wind Instrumentalists,” 365. Of An Integrated Method Of Instruction. Translated by Einar W. Anderson. Regensburg: 2. University of Minnesota, “About the Voice,” lionsvoiceclinic.umn.edu/page2.htm. Gustav Bosse Verlag, 1981. 3. Brown, “A Comprehensive Performance Project,” 9. Hwang-Shim, Joon-Hee Beth. “Physiology of Flute Playing: The Role of the Larynx.” 4. Ibid, 49. PhD diss., The University of Sydney, 2005. 5. Carr, “A Videofluorographic Investigation,” 40–58. 6. Gärtner, With Particular Consideration,” 128. King, Austin I, Jon Ashby, and Charles Nelson. “Laryngeal Function in Wind Instrumen- 7. Sawashima and Hirose, “New Laryngoscopic Techniques,” 168. talists: The Woodwinds.” Journal of Voice 1, no. 4 (1987): 365–67. 8. Veazey, “Observations,” 48. Manning, Dwight C. “Woodwind Vibrato from the Eighteenth Century to the Present. 9. Ibid, 48. Performance Practice Review.” Performance Practice Review, vol. 8, no. 1, 1995, pp. 10. King et. al., 367. 65–72., https://doi.org/10.5642/perfpr.199508.01.06. 11. Ibid, 367. Moens-Haenen, G. “Vibrato.” In Grove Music Online, Oxford University Press, 2001. 12. Mukai, “Laryngeal Movements,” 5. https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.29287. 13. Ibid, 1. 14. Ibid, 5. Mukai, Susumu. “Laryngeal Movements During Wind Instruments Play.” Nippon Jibiinko- ka Gakkai Kaiho 92, no. 2 (1989): 260-270. https://doi.org/10.3950/jibiinkoka.92.260. 15. Compagno, “Laryngeal Movements,” 8. 16. Ibid, 115–117. Ribelin, Deborah R. “An Overview of Pedagogical Techniques of Vibrato for the Flute.” 17. Moens-Haenen, “Vibrato,” doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.29287. DMA diss., Columbus State, 1987.

Rydell, Roland, Mia Karlsson, Ann Milesson, and Lucyna Schalén. “Laryngeal activity Bibliography during wind instrument playing: Video endoscopic documentation.” Logopedics Phonat- rics Vocology 21, no. 1 (1996): 43–48. https://doi.org/10.3109/14015439609099202 Brown, Andrew F. D. “A Comprehensive Performance Project In Oboe Literature With A Cinefluorographic Pilot Study Of The Throat While Vibrato Tones Are Played On Flute Santos Junior, Osvaldo Gomes dos. “The Flute Inside-Out: Tracking Internal Move- And Oboe.” DMA diss., University of Iowa, 1973. ments in Flute Playing.” DMA diss., University of Sydney, 2017.

Carr, Walter Edward Jr. “A Videofluorographic Investigation of Tongue and Throat Posi- Sawashima, Masayuki, and Hajime Hirose. “New Laryngoscopic Technique by use of tions in Playing Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Saxophone.” DMA diss., University Fiber optics.” Acoustical Society of America 43, no. 1 (1968): 168–169. of Southern California, 1978. University of Minnesota, “About the Voice: How does your voice work?” Accessed Compagno, Nicholas A. “Laryngeal Movements Observed During Clarinet and Flute December 5, 2020. http://www.lionsvoiceclinic.umn.edu/page2.htm. Performance.” DMA diss., University of North Texas, 1990. Veazey, Charles O. “Observations of Laryngeal Activity of Woodwind Instruments Eckley, Claudia Alessandra. “Glottic Configuration in Wind Instrument Players.” Revista During Performance Using a Fiberoptic Laryngoscope.” Flutist Quarterly 13, no. 2 Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia 72, no.1 (2006): 45–47. (Spring 1988): 47–48.

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SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 27 NFAONLINE.ORG Flute Modification: Renewing Flutists’ Voices Through Innovation and Artistry

Cork supports are among a medley of devices—professionally crafted and homemade using household ob- jects—that flutists can use to sustain their playing lives. LEFT PHOTO COURTESY KELLY MOLLNOW WILSON MOLLNOW KELLY COURTESY LEFT PHOTO

28 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG Meet a few of the flutemakers who have adapted flutes to the needs of their players—and the flutists who have benefitted from their work.

s health and well-being continue to become larger priorities for us all, by Katherine Lewis now is a prime opportunity to show- Acase one solution available to flutists of all kinds: instrument modification. It’s an option not widespread or well known, partly because the idea that flutists may need (or benefit from) modifications is still a largely taboo topic. Technicians, flutemakers, and flutists themselves have applied innovation, creativity, hardship, and resilience to their art—qualities that lie at the very heart of what it means to be a flutist. Drelinger said the origins of his vertical innovation ac- MODIFIERS tually came from the father of the modern flute himself— The concept of ergonomics, and, more importantly, play- Theobald Böhm. Original drawings of Böhm’s early de- er-friendly instruments, is relatively new to flute design. signs show that at one point he planned for his invention So the technicians and flutemakers who offer instrument to play vertically. “If Böhm had continued experimenting modifications are a distinct bunch often eluding our col- and thinking through the various issues involved in cre- lective awareness—unless you happen to find yourself ating and evolving the vertical flute, in my mind, there is personally requiring their expertise. no question his gift of genius would have established this Necessity largely fuels their work: the obstacles and alternative as the ideal combination of excellent acoustics limitations that bring flutists to them are typically so in- and comfort for flutists who have ergonomic issues play- dividual that modifications are created in real time, on ing the transverse flute,” Drelinger said.

request by flutists seeking resolution to a specific prob- Full interview. lem. These technicians work to solve a variety of playing Learn more. difficulties—injuries, disabilities, poor ergonomics, basic Listen to recordings. discomfort, and more—all with one goal in mind: keeping flutists fluting. Jim Germann Sandy Drelinger A woodwind repair specialist and the Headjoint maker and one of the best owner of Woodwinds by Germann known flute modifiers today, the late in Phoenix, Jim Germann became Sandy Drelinger was most notable a modification innovator by hap- for the UpRite, a vertical headjoint penstance. Germann, who has spent system designed for ergonomically nearly 40 years in instrument repair, had found the need sound and comfortable flute playing. Drelinger’s website to help someone with a special circumstance on occasion. stated his belief that “player-friendly technology only One challenge in modifying a flute is to understand makes sense if it doesn’t compromise sound quality.” The not only the adjustments needed to fit the player’s chal- UpRite’s vertical design addresses that goal. lenges but also what it is like to have the physical vari- With guidance from Drelinger, a number of flutists ations calling for those changes. Modifications need to have adopted use of the UpRite over the years for a vari- suit the person in need, not the person designing the ety of reasons. While injury or disability are often a moti- part. “I doubt I have made anything twice that was iden- vator (particularly neck or upper extremity limitations), tical,” says Germann. “The fun comes when you are pre- some find the setup easier as they age, and others simply sented a challenge that you must think your way through recognize the innate benefits of a more ergonomically and then come up with a solution that doesn’t come in a sound playing experience. neatly wrapped package with a SKU number on it.”

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 29 NFAONLINE.ORG One of Germann’s most interesting modification quan- to discard the rule book. While custom key work, exten- daries was to create a device for someone who had con- sions, and additions can be purchased, and there are plenty tracted Bell’s Palsy, which made his mouth droop on one of thumb rests on the market, such products can be pricey, side. Germann devised something that attached to the and they sometimes fall short of fitting individual needs. headjoint that the flutist could lean against while form- So Still is a fan of DIY modification alternatives. ing his embouchure. This lifted the droopy side and put She has learned some modification techniques from oth- the flutist in a better position to play. ers, such as Sandy Drelinger and DIYer Pauline Mancuso; she has designed other modifications herself. She recalls Full interview. the admittedly tedious process of cutting plastic hose to be Learn more. fitted as a custom thumb rest for one flutist. Everyday foot health products like moleskin and corn pads have become Adam Pettry fan favorites in her studio and beyond. When in doubt, she Founder of Pettry Flutes & Piccolos says, simply looking around the house can be the begin- and repair specialist Adam Pettry ning of pain-free flute playing. started in flute performance, found instrument repair, and “stumbled” Learn more. upon custom alterations by way of the flutists seeking it out. To him, modifying flutes is an Maarten Visser art form. While “repair technicians generally approach What began as a chance encounter work about how to fix a problem with the instrument, with a course ad at a local music shop modifications are about creating a solution to a problem has become a decades-long adven- that only exists in the experience of the player’s body as ture with innovation and freedom for it interacts with the instrument,” he says. The challenge technician Maarten Visser of Flute- is possessing the “mastery of flute repair work, but then lab in Amsterdam. After seeing a presentation of instru- having the ingenuity to synthesize skills and creativity ments made for children at a local rehabilitation center, to manifest a custom solution that is practical but also Visser says he was awestruck by their joy—“not bothered attractive.” by expectations and ambitions” and by “the freedom and Over the years, Pettry has been asked to do several dis- creativity that went into these instruments, abandoning tinct modifications—in fact, one of the first features for his convention to give music.” He knew immediately this was business was a key extension. And while his custom flute his calling. Since then, Visser has worked with hundreds of and piccolo work is practical, it is his outlook on the future flutists to create countless modifications—extensive key of modifications that is particularly striking. His experi- work, a variety of rests, both a swan neck and a vertical ences and views provide inspiration for future growth in head joint, and a one-handed flute. (See the spring 2007 the field and wider acceptance of modifications in general, issue of The Flutist Quarterly for an article about Visser as well as acknowledging the realities holding us back from and this flute.) progress in both. While the art form has gained steam in What is most exciting for Maarten is the framework recent years, technicians and flutists alike are largely un- possible for exchanging knowledge throughout the instru- derpaid and overworked and lack the awareness, insight, ment-modification community. Because the work is so in- and resources necessary to move flute modification from dividualized and so relatively unknown, technicians and its current station of “taboo” to “mainstream.” makers essentially reinvent the wheel every time they start

a new modification project. But with a dedicated frame- Full interview. work for information exchange, all that would change. Technicians and flutemakers would have more resources Alexa Still and time to bring real solutions to more people. Flutist, Oberlin Conservatory profes- Visser cites United Kingdom-based charity The OHMI sor, and teacher-turned-technician Trust, which pioneers the development and adaptation of Alexa Still has spent years modifying musical instruments for persons with physical disabilities, students’ flutes in-house. Her philoso- as a potential place for such exchanges. With effort from phy is clear: “The flute comes in one organizations like OHMI, together with the expert crafts- size, but we don’t,” she says. “Modifications free people to manship of technicians, a more inclusive flute community be the artists they can be.” is possible. Still’s modification expertise comes from years working with flutists of all kinds and an open-minded willingness Full interview.

30 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG John Lunn John Lunn, a long-established and often-cited master of custom flutes, is also an expert in custom flute modifications and an inspiration for every individual interviewed. Lunn recently retired and was unavailable for comment. Learn more.

FLUTISTS In an industry largely dependent on the physical body (and one that can be hypercritical of anything new or uncommon), flutists who play and thrive thanks to instru-

ment modification have had a more complicated journey View from the top of Wilson playing with the flute gel pad and Drelinger lift. than most. Yet, whether affected by an injury, age-related pain, a chronic condition, or the simple desire to play With the help of Still, her friend and coworker, Wilson’s more comfortably, these flutists have navigated their way flute was fitted with DIY right-hand cork supports to shift to meaningful solutions. the weight off her healing left hand. She also played an -Up Rite for a long time after her surgery. Over time, she found Kelly Mollnow Wilson that, with strategically placed saxophone pearl keys, flute In 2012, after switching to an offset G flute at an NFA con- gels, and a custom key cluster by John Lunn, she is able to vention thinking it would benefit her small hands, Kelly play pain-free. Mollnow Wilson, private instructor and teacher of a class on body mapping for musicians at Oberlin Conservatory, Full interview. landed on a path of injury and recovery that would change the trajectory of her playing journey forever. The offset G Nicole Vaughn changed the distribution of weight on the base of her left- While preparing for auditions in 2019, Nicole Vaughn, a hand index finger. It was a subtle but noticeable difference. long-time flutist and middle school band director in Madi- Within days of getting this flute back home, Wilson re- son, Wisconsin, experienced every flutist’s worst nightmare: alized that its slight tweak to her hand position was caus- a sudden and crippling injury. For weeks after hearing a ing a problem. “I remember driving my youngest daugh- pop near her shoulder, she could barely lift her left arm, and ter to preschool and not wanting to have my left hand breathing was difficult and painful. touch the steering wheel,” she says. “I’m a body mapping Vaughn soon discovered that several ribs were severely teacher and know that trying to force your body into out of place. She received multiple possible diagnoses, but playing any instrument is a recipe for disaster.” one thing did not change: her pain. She was unable to play Though she switched back to her inline G, her hand had her flute for more than eight minutes without debilitating been weakened thanks to an anatomical anomaly unknown pain and difficulty breathing. to her at the time. A simple slip while giving her daughter a bath later in the year was all it took: Wilson had ruptured the sagittal band in her left-hand index finger. Surgery was the best-case scenario. The surgery was successful, but Wilson needed modifications to her flute to play comfortably and avoid further injury.

BOTTOM LEFT AND TOP RIGHT PHOTOS COURTESY KELLY MOLLNOW WILSON; BOTTOM RIGHT PHOTO COURTESY NICOLE VAUGHN NICOLE COURTESY RIGHT PHOTO WILSON; BOTTOM MOLLNOW KELLY COURTESY RIGHT PHOTOS LEFT AND TOP BOTTOM Flute gel and Drelinger lift allow for left-hand ergonomic adjustments. With the aid of a supporting device, Nicole Vaughn quadrupled her playing time.

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 31 NFAONLINE.ORG It is uncommon for instrument modification to be open- ly discussed in many music institutions and even rarer that educators themselves possess the expertise necessary to do it in-house. Alexa Still, who has helped many young flutists, is an exception rather than the standard. In addition, our hyperfocus on “success” tends to err on the side of a hustle culture that leaves little room for preventative practices, and a general lack of resources necessary to grow the industry plagues the flute community. Drelinger, who had worked for decades to quell skepticism of modification, believed that many flutists are afraid to try instrument modifications due to our attachment to the traditional aesthetic of flute playing. Until we allow ourselves to rethink what it means (and looks like) to be a flutist, we will continue to limit our- Vaughn designed and created her brace using a 3D printer. selves to painful playing. At first, Vaughn recalls thinking,This is it. My career is Wilson and Vaughn agree that “we simply don’t know over. I’ll never play again. But, soon it all changed. In a burst what we don’t know.” If there is no regular conversation of determination, she realized that if she could simply prop about ergonomics, body awareness, and instrument mod- up her arm, “my problem would be solved.” ification as a solution, we cannot expect flutists to know She and a bioengineering friend worked together to de- about them, much less adopt any of them into practice. sign and print, using a 3D printer, a one-of-a-kind brace Flutists are creative artists. Our very existence is a testa- for her to use while resting her left arm. No longer restrict- ment to the innovative spirit of music and, more specifical- ed by her injury, Vaughn has more than quadrupled her ly, to fluting. Most of us, in some way, likely became flutists playing time. Inspired by her own journey, she hopes to out of a desire to make a lasting impact through music. expand production of her brace to other musicians with It is this drive to create that fueled flute modification in upper-limb injuries or disabilities, and her invention is the first place. Through us—the everyday flutists—a com- now successfully patent pending. munity of pain-free flute playing is possible. We have the opportunity, responsibility, and power to change the game Shining Stars of modern flute playing—to share with one another the se- Notable flutists have also been touched by the artistry of cret of instrument modification and make ergonomically flute modifications. Jeanne Baxtresser had several modifi- sound, healthy, and equally beautiful flute playing the rule cations to her flute. Marcel Moyse would often joke about rather than the exception. his orthopedic flute. Aralee Dorough, first flutist of the Houston Symphony, plays on the UpRite. Comprehensive List of Flute Modifications These flutists, whether they know it or not, often -soft and Technicians en the sometimes controversial conversation surrounding this work. A frequent sentiment among flutists that use Editor’s note: Find an audio version of this article and im- modifications is, “If the principal flutist of the New York age descriptions. Philharmonic can do it, so can I.” The author thanksLaura Strickland, who organized the THE “SECRET” SOLUTION materials and compiled additional resources for the inter- While the awareness and number of technicians, flutemak- view with Jim Germann. ers, and flutists who make and/or use instrument modifications continues to grow, it’s still a topic largely hushed in Katherine Lewis is a performer, clinician, and disabili- the flute community. This might be attributed to a simple ty advocate. She became involved in advocacy when her lack of awareness. For instance, the Brannen Brothers’s ex- own disabilities ended her military music career in 2019. clusive key extensions, available since 1994, are not high- After discovering flute modification as a meaningful way lighted on the company’s website or showcased at exhibits. forward for her, Lewis dedicated herself to changing what They are typically found only if a flutist knows to look for it means to be “able” as a working musician. Today, she them—and by then, in many cases, a career-defining in- uses her experiences as a disabled performer to help create jury has already occurred, as was the case for many of the a more equitable, inclusive, and accessible music industry people interviewed here. and workforce-at-large for all creatives.

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PHOTO BY QIAN ZUO The 2020 Young Artist Competition realized what I called “being productive” was nothing but forcing, without truly listening to my heart and winner describes how the horrific year understanding myself. affected her life and flute playing— The pandemic bluntly reminded me of the fact that death could take anyone at any unexpected moment, and her interpretations of one work in which has led me to examine the meaning of life more obsessively than ever. Meanwhile, throughout the world, particular in her NFA performance. malice and ignorance were spreading faster than the disease. Depressing news all over the internet has also enormously affected my sentiments. The feelings of by Yi Xiang isolation and exhaustion were overwhelming. pring 2020 feels like a century ago. All of us have been through a series of upheavals in life, during Sparks in the Dark which I have been observing my thoughts and Nevertheless, before I had gazed for too long into the feelings about the world and myself. More im- abyss, my deep sorrow for human fate transformed into Sportantly, I wonder how they have affected my musical a kind of enlightenment. At first, a short video of people creativity. These thoughts and feelings are chaotic and in Italy singing together from their balconies during quar- contradictory—yet so vigorous that I feel volcanic pas- antine deeply moved me. I have also noticed musicians sion in me as an artist. worldwide, including my colleagues and friends, posting Therefore, winning the 2020 Young Artist Competition videos of their playing. Hearing music from various com- has extraordinary meaning to me. Now I have this won- posers, all kinds of arrangements, or just practice videos, derful opportunity to express my thoughts through I have never felt so inspired and strongly connected with writing—although it feels to me more like another late- others. A little bit of toughness and compassion from each night conversation with a dear friend. I hope my words individual has jointly built a warm and solid refuge for all can be relatable in some ways. worn-out souls. Art empowers us to transcend despair. I’ve abandoned Only Human the rules I made for myself in order to find my lost Though I believe I am strong and healthy mentally and happiness. I’ve developed my own recipes, talked to physically, living in this unsettled world, I have had quiet my parents more patiently, played online games with moments at night when I could not fall asleep. I sat up friends, watched tons of cat videos—and sometimes in the silence and felt no different than a piece of lifeless done nothing. I’ve practiced meditation more often— furniture in the small room. I am not sorry or ashamed and not just to reduce performance anxiety. I have rein- for expressing my negative feelings because they are as stalled mindfulness and allowed my body to be activated sincere as the positive ones. There is simply no need to by breathing at ease. blame ourselves for not being optimistic all the time. Once again, I gave myself permission to embrace all of Bad news flooded in March, as well as my bad moods. my feelings with music in daily practice, setting no goals In addition to the consecutive cancellations of auditions or limits. It has been a pure joy to have genuine conversa- and competitions, I had to indefinitely postpone the tions with myself through music. I have felt understood. doctoral recital that I had prepared with full effort. Be- We hardly ever pay attention to how careless we are yond that, I thought not having the chance to celebrate about ourselves. In an era channeled by attention and ex- my birthday with friends was a big deal, not knowing posure, it is even more crucial to stay faithful to our hearts that I would be crying hard the day after it for a great and guide ourselves through the labyrinth of desire. friend who passed away suddenly in an accident. If it is too hard to achieve that on one’s own, do not In the midst of that, I had to call my parents, worry- hesitate to seek help. I am deeply grateful for having ing about me on the other side of the ocean, and try to understanding parents, insightful mentors, and reliable convince them I was perfectly fine and had a plan to get friends who always selflessly advise me and support me through this all by myself. whenever I need them. I am certain if I ever look back But in fact, like many others, I had no idea how much at 2020, most of my memories will be filled with those worse it could become. precious moments of feeling loved. I tried to keep my days “productive” by doing what- ever I had on my schedule, including working out on a True Treasure yoga mat, maintaining a good diet, practicing routinely, My parents, both oil painters, have always been significant reading, and so on. But I was just not happy. I soon sources of my inspiration. Long before I started my own PHOTO BY QIAN ZUO BY PHOTO SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 39 NFAONLINE.ORG journey pursuing music, their legends as artists taught me Furthermore, the lines requesting the “unknown ex- about the bittersweet destiny of being an artist. Although istence” to present itself and the corresponding music I had the opportunity and gift to choose another life— exhibited complex emotions: fear, hesitation, curiosity, perhaps to become a doctor, a lawyer, or a painter like my courage, impatience, anger. I couldn’t help but relate it to parents—it was too painful to even imagine it without our current circumstances, feeling so vulnerable facing music. I was hopelessly drawn to the destiny of becoming the virus. a musician. Takemitsu’s Voice embodied his musical philosophy However, I was running blindly at full speed toward a that “music is either sound or silence,” symbolizing the dead end. Like so many young musicians, I was enthu- eternal theme of life and death. Death, the most pro- siastic and ambitious about winning competitions and found form of tragedy, manifests as silence; sounds from auditions but was failing from the very beginning. I was the deepest of our souls, music, is the most ardent pro- among those who dreamed about having celebrated ca- test against the doom of mankind. reers, hoping to be recognized for their talent and hard Our wounds will eventually heal. Through music, we work. Yet reality kept telling me, “not this time.” I went may evoke the goodness in human nature and broaden through a period when I tortured myself with endless the capacity of our understanding and compassion. I am self-criticism: If I am not perfect, I will fail; if I fail again, obligated and honored to participate in this ultimate it is because I am not perfect. mission for artists to cure the traumatized world. I finally freed myself from this loop when my father said to me, “you have a lifetime to be with music, so why are Yi Xiang, from China, won the 2020 NFA Young Artist you rushing?” Right at that moment, it became clear to me Competition following earlier successes that year in the that I was misdirected by the illusion called “success.” All Myrna Brown and Seattle Flute Society Young Artist this time, I was holding the true treasure—an unquench- competitions. She studied at Manhattan School of Music able passion for music. and Shepherd School of Music with Linda Chesis and From then on, I began to view things much differently. I Leone Buyse. She is a doctoral candidate at the Eastman stopped seeing the results of competitions and auditions School of Music, studying with Bonita Boyd. as judgment standards for my music. I stopped tying my self-worth to my achievements. I began to love the fact that I am not flawless and never will be. Ironically, this change of mindset resulted in a sequence of victories almost immediately. I am thrilled. But frankly, Creating Resonance I believe whoever wins deserves it. Retreat Finding your flute resonance through mind, body, An Artist’s Voice breath and relationships Winning three competitions this year, including the prestigious NFA Young Artist Competition, means a Join Carol Wincenc and Friends lot more than honors and encouragement to me. I have SEPTEMBER 16 - 19, 2021 boldly experimented with my musical ideas and capa- at the Rochester Folk Art Guild bilities with a challenging program, not only for me but folkartguild.org also for the audience. We welcome flutists of all ages and While recording in an empty hall by myself, I felt like from all walks of life. New this year is a glorious tree, stretching out my branches to reach for our Sprouts Program specifically for aspiring young flutists. sunlight and raindrops and looking forward to sheltering a passerby. I was delighted to share the music that I intui- Reserve your spot at www.carolwincencflute.com tively resonated with—among which there is one piece I would like to highlight. I recall hearing Toru Takemitsu’s Voice the first time in an international competition 10 years ago. I was as- tonished by the dramatic effects and the truthful beauty presented through “sounds that are as intense as silence.” The contemporary techniques and theatrical effects are highly demanding yet extremely appealing. Influenced by Western and Eastern culture, Takemitsu wished to “swim in an ocean that has neither West nor East,” which has also been my wish.

40 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG clarion NFA ad 5-16.qxp_Layout 1 5/9/16 7:37 AM Page 1 Welcome to the 49th Annual National Flute Association Convention Variations on a Dream August 12– 15, 2021 by Jennifer Grim, 2021 Program Chair

world to celebrate this year’s theme, play works by Gabriella Lena Frank “Variations on a Dream.” This year’s and Efraín Amaya, and Joidy Blanco, convention will highlight the vari- winner of the Silver Medal at the ations we take as flutists in carving International Tchaikovsky Compe- out our own creative and career tition, will dazzle us with solo per- paths in today’s musical landscape, formances of selections by Pablo de through performances, masterclass- Sarasate and Adina Izarra. es, thoughtful panel discussions, Friday’s gala concert focuses on new workshops, lectures, and more. music and will feature performances Taking center stage each night are by Claire Chase, Tara Helen O’Connor, the gala concerts featuring estab- Valerie Coleman, Allison Loggins-Hull, lished and emerging star players in and Tim Munro. We will also be treat- Jennifer Grim exciting performances. On Thurs- ed to a world premiere performance day, Marina Piccinini will perform of a new work for flute quartet by hile this year’s NFA convention solo and chamber works from the acclaimed composer Jessie Montgom- Wwill feel a little different, we are stage at the Marlboro Chamber Mu- ery performed by Brandon George, looking forward to a festive online sic Festival. Cherished icons Carol Coreisa Lee, Allison Loggins-Hull, gathering of flutists from around the Wincenc and Alberto Almarza will and Elena Pinderhughes.

42 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG Our masterclass teachers are renowned pedagogues with experience in leading orchestras and institutions: Sonora Slocum (Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra) will teach an orchestral excerpts masterclass; Karl-Heinz Schutz (Vienna Philharmonic), Alberto Almarza (Carnegie Mellon University), and Jasmine Choi will lead the competition masterclasses. Sandra Miller (the Juilliard School) will lead a Baroque flute masterclass, and other masterclasses will be led by Helen Blackburn (West Texas A&M University and Dallas Opera Orchestra), Zara Lawler (Manhattan School of Music Preparatory Division), and John Bailey (University of Nebraska, Lincoln). Our jazz artists include Haruna Fukazawa, who will perform with legendary saxophonist Steve Wilson on the Friday night cabaret concert. We will also hear Claire Chase jazz performances from Downbeat magazine’s 2016 “Rising Star Flutist” and vocalist Elena Pinderhughes as well as Mark Vinci and Nancy Stagnitta. Global music will be spotlighted at performances by Suzanne Teng, and Philippe Barnes will lead our ever-popular Irish Flute Jam session! Demarre McGill will be featured guest speaker at the Flute Lover’s lunch, and Alberto Almarza will speak at the “Food for the Day’s Journey” breakfast. New to the convention this year is a special event led by Taylor Irelan, aka Kylie Fortissimo, who will present “Flute is a Drag!” at the Saturday night Cabaret. This event will be an exhilarating synthesis of drag show, recital, cabaret, Vaudeville, and stand-up comedy. For many of us, the NFA convention is not only about being inspired by the world’s leading flutists but also about opportunities to expand our knowledge. Another new event at NFA is the addition of a Taylor Irelan keynote address. We are excited to present Lecolion Washington, Executive Director of the Community Center of Boston, who will give a keynote address titled “Inclusion, Relevance, and Our Future.” As always, there will be many opportunities for member participation, even in this year’s online format. Back by popular demand are the NFA warm-up sessions. These classes were some of the most attended events during last year’s summer series, and this year, we will start off each day with a warm-up session led by a member of the NFA Board of Directors. In addition, we will offer a new twist to the Opening Cere- monies flute orchestra. Adah Jones will lead us in a program of varied works for flute choir, from which we can all participate in our own homes! I look forward to seeing you online at this year’s NFA convention.

CLAIRE CHASE PHOTO BY ARAM BOGHOSIAN BY CLAIRE CHASE PHOTO —Jennifer Grim Allison Loggins-Hull

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 43 NFAONLINE.ORG Lecolion Washington Jessie Montgomery Erica Peel

Valerie Coleman Jasmine Choi

Tara Helen O’Connor Natalia Jarząbek

44 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG Patrick Brandon George Joidy Blanco

Helen Blackburn Alberto Almarza Karl-Heinz Schutz

Sandra Miller Suzanne Teng Sonora Slocum

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 45 NFAONLINE.ORG NFA News Updates on committee activities and other news of interest from the national office

An Interview with the 2020 First Generation in College Scholarship Recipients

First Generation in College Scholarship Coordinator Nora Lee Garcia interviews the young and accomplished flutists who received the scholarship in its inaugural year. Nora Lee Garcia Gabriel Cruz Ruiz Fernando Perez

he First Generation in College Scholarship is a merit- playing the marching baritone in the fifth grade because I based, one-time monetary award granted to a flutist was forced into it by my band director. During band class, Tcurrently enrolled in or accepted to attend an ac- I would always catch myself looking over at my friend’s credited college, university, or conservatory in the U.S. flute and being intrigued at how challenging all the keys This year, scholarship recipients were Gabriel Cruz Ruiz, looked. Outside of school, I decided to invest in a $20 flute a student of Alexa Still at Oberlin Conservatory, and Fer- and teach myself through YouTube videos. I was passionate nando Perez, a freshman student at Boise State University about it; after mastering the basics, I convinced my band studying with Nicole Molumby. director to let me become a flute player.

Gabriel, why did you choose the flute as your main Gabriel, tell me about teachers that have been most instrument? influential in your life, and why. When I was a kid, I remember watching with my moth- Two teachers have been most influential. Jonathan er the broadcast of the Pablo Casals Festival featuring the Figueroa-Colon is the current assistant principal flutist Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. They performed Bee- of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra, Oberlin alum, thoven’s Fifth Symphony, and by that time I had started and pupil of Michel Debost. He performed a concert at playing the recorder. During the performance, we found my high school, and before the concert I got the chance ourselves impressed by the musical beauty of the flute. to meet him and play for him. After I finished playing, Then and there, my mother asked me if I wanted to start he immediately suggested that I study music—he even playing the flute. I said yes and started my journey as a offered me free lessons. flutist. Years later, after obtaining several scholarships in the I had always shown interest toward music. My interest sciences, I had enough capital to travel to San Juan. I de- in classical music started when I was 4 years old. My mom cided that I was going to continue one of my passions, always tells me this story about how she rented the movie flute performance. I would go every Saturday to perform Disney’s Fantasia. To her surprise, there wasn’t any speak- for Jonathan. His lessons were more than three hours ing—it was only classical music! She was quite upset, as each; it was awesome. I hadn’t had a flute teacher of his she imagined I would get bored and would not like it. But level before. I would practice like crazy to make sure that I watched the whole movie, played it again several times, I would do what he said. After a few months of lessons, and talked about it the whole night. we prepared to audition at Oberlin Conservatory. This occurred after Hurricane Maria. After an intense month Fernando, what type of experiences led you to choose a of working with the repertoire that he assigned to me, I career in music? was ready to audition. I was walking downtown with my parents and I saw a Boise On the audition day at Oberlin, I got to meet Alexa Still, Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra advertisement featuring who later became my primary flute professor. Months musicians playing their instruments. I got my parents’ at- later, I received my acceptance letter and a full scholarship. tention and said, “I’m going to end up there.” That’s when When I moved to Oberlin, I had to adapt to a new style I knew I wanted to follow a career in music. I first started of life, a new culture, and Alexa’s new philosophy. Working

46 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG with Alexa has been a wonderful experience. Full of great ent self—as I have a desire to entertain others. I have also moments, inspiring pedagogy, and a very intellectual done flute repairs and would like to continue these studies approach to music. Alexa’s musical understanding and to eventually have my own repair business. technical ability never cease to amaze me. Every class is an exploration on how to make the music written on the page GCR: After college, I would like to continue my musical jump to life. I am very proud to call these wonderful peo- studies in Germany or in the U.S. I would love to pursue ple my mentors. an artist diploma in the upcoming years. I have the list of potential schools where I would like to apply for graduate Fernando, how have significant teachers and mentors studies. I would also love to continue to pursue interna- influenced your musical development? tional competitions such as the Kobe, Concours de Gene- My first primary teacher, Karlin Coolidge, former Boise ve, Nielsen Competition, and more. In addition, I plan Phil piccolo player, created a great environment for me to pursue an orchestra career while completing a PhD in to learn away from school. My school had trouble with chemistry focused on medicinal and natural products. drugs among my peers, so Karlin taught me life lessons that would ultimately make me choose other paths. Nicole What advice would you both give to young flutists aspir- Molumby, flute professor at Boise State, and Karlin would ing to continue a career in music? teach me for free until I graduated high school. I’m grate- FP: Music opens up a spirit of inquiry that makes you ful for their generosity and for being great mentors in my think and leads you to find different ways to become a bet- life. Without them, it’s questionable where I would have ter version of yourself. This includes applying your profes- ended up. I am inspired to help someone else as well. sionalism and innovative skills toward becoming an arts manager, instrument repair tech, audio engineer—the list Gabriel, what has fueled your interest in orchestral is endless. Know what you truly want and work for it. transcriptions? Denis Bouriakov is my inspiration to perform transcrip- GCR: This is not a race but a marathon; stamina and te- tions from the violin repertoire. I started listening to Denis nacity matter more than speed. As long as you continue when I was 13. The first time I listened to his rendition to pursue your dreams, no matter the speed, you will be of the Mendelssohn violin concerto, I fell in love with his closer and closer to fulfilling them. Don’t forget to network music. I was very impressed on how precise his technique and have a good attitude as well as being nice, humble, and was—still is. On that day he became my hero, and I began a good human being. I will share a very special quote by listening religiously to every upload he made on his You- Henry David Thoreau that I saw in Alexa’s office: “If one Tube channel. advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will Fernando, how do you balance a double major career? meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” I get to use both sides of my brain, as civil engineering relates to my music career, believe it or not. My music Nora Lee Garcia is professor of flute at the University of skills have enabled me to use my spirit to think in a com- Central Florida, Powell Flute Artist, and principal flutist of plex manner. It has allowed me to grow from my mistakes the Bach Festival Orchestra. For the NFA, she serves on the rather than beat myself up for them, so being able to car- Diversity and Inclusion Committee and is the First Gener- ry this in my engineering degree has been a catalyst in the ation Scholarship Coordinator. learning process.

Gabriel, how do you make time to practice and study for engineering classes? I discovered that one has to plan social time carefully and choose what to study according to the deadlines. As stu- NFA membership benefit: dents, we have to recognize when it is time to study and when it’s time to enjoy your friends’ company. Hard work NFA members have unlimited access to opens doors; the key here is persistence, communication, Grove Music Online, the world’s premier responsibility, and, most importantly, organization. online music encyclopedia, offering comprehensive coverage of music, musicians, Fernando and Gabriel, what are your aspirations after music-making, and music scholarship. college? FP: I would ideally like to get an orchestral flute position— an accomplishment I would fulfill to my younger and pres- nfaonline.org

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 47 NFAONLINE.ORG Welcome New NFA Staff Three team members have joined the National Flute Association, two of them filling newly created positions to accommodate the organization’s growing programs.

Jennifer Clarke is the NFA’s new me all the work that goes into music administration and executive director. has inspired me to pursue this as a career. The work our “I’m impressed with the work organization does for the flute community is so valuable, the National Flute Association and I hope to continue contributing to and opening up is doing to support and enrich opportunities for all the flutists the NFA reaches.” flutists’ lives and opportunities in these challenging times,” she Kristin Pagels joins the NFA says, “and look forward to being as the newly created technical part of the organization’s inno- director for the 2021 NFA con- vative and inclusive future.” vention, which will be virtual. Jennifer Clarke Clarke has extensive experience Pagels was director of music in leadership and management of nonprofit arts institutions, events for Central Michigan most recently as executive director of Associated Chamber University, where she planned Music Players (ACMP) and the ACMP Foundation. She and executed educational and has also worked with Symphony Space, Chamber Music outreach events, including re- America, New York City Arts in Education Roundtable, the structuring multiple events American Music Center, the Royal Festival Hall, and Lon- Kristin Pagels to a fully virtual format. She don Sinfonietta, among others. A consultant to many arts also served as house management supervisor for Whar- organizations, Clarke has served on grant review panels for ton Center for Performing Arts and director of bands for the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York Michigan District Public Schools. City Department of Cultural Affairs and has presented At the NFA, Pagels will oversee the technical and logisti- on panels for Chorus America, Chamber Music America, cal aspects of the 2021 convention. Her creative thinking, Yale University, and others. She is also founder and ex- video editing skills, and significant experience planning ecutive director of Melodia Women’s Choir of New York and implementing major virtual events will be a tremen- City. Clarke has a B.A. in Music and English from Bretton dous asset to our organization. Hall College (Leeds University), U.K., and an M.A. in Arts “I’m excited to join the NFA team this spring and sum- Management Studies from New York University. mer,” Pagels notes. “I look forward to producing an exciting virtual convention with my new colleagues and Aydan Hensley joined the NFA helping the NFA support the greater flute community.” staff in the new position of ad- Please join us in welcoming Clarke, Hensley, and Pagels ministrative assistant after serving to the NFA. as a valued office intern. In addition to her experience at the NFA office, Hensley has been editor, special events chair, and Unusual For The Ensemble Project co-chair with Piccolo Specialist the Alpha Mu chapter of Sigma and for Alpha Iota, the international mu- Those Who Need Aydan Hensley sic fraternity for women. to Sound Like One Hensley, a flutist, has studied with Alberto Almarza, Jeanne Baxtresser, and Mary Stolper, and played with the KEEFE award-winning Tartan Trio. Her BFA is in flute perfor- 54 Church Street mance from Carnegie Mellon University, with a minor in PICCOLOS Winchester, Massachusetts 01890 USA social and political history. BOSTON Phone: 781-369-1626 Hensley’s organizational and administrative skills, web E-mail: [email protected] knowledge, and familiarity with the inner workings of the www.keefepiccolo.com NFA will be tremendous assets to the organization. “I am overjoyed to be joining the NFA as a staff member,” says Hensley. “Interning for the NFA office showed

48 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG From the Performance Health Care Committee

Flute Playing with Braces

Committee members offer tips for flutists getting braces or other adjustment devices. Chip Shelton by Chip Shelton

etting braces doesn’t equal the end of productive soreness. Orthodontic wax can help, especially on the and satisfying flute playing. It just means making lower teeth where the flute lip plate presses. Gadjustments and learning new techniques. To avoid increased treatment time and compromised re- “You can do it,” says Susan Fain. “It’s just different.” She sults, the aligners are worn as much as possible, removing advises flutists to avoid major performances too soon after them as necessary to eat or brush teeth. “This means that, getting braces. “I got my braces the day after giving a solo ideally, the aligners are worn even when practicing and recital because I had no major performances coming up.” performing,” Vining says. “Susan Fain’s suggested tech- Fain recommends orthodontic wax to relieve lip irri- niques for playing with braces will be helpful.” tation. “When soreness subsides, start with just the head For healthiest results, aligner treatments should be han- joint,” she says. “Use several layers of masking tape or Ya- dled by an orthodontic specialist rather than a dentist who maha lip plate patches on the lip plate to provide extra fric- is not a specialist, and mail-order services particularly tion and offset the extra space your braces require.” should be avoided. Flutists can begin with work on harmonics using only I myself, as a dual-career orthodontist and flutist, have the headjoint and then move on to left-handed songs and played with both braces (for 24 months) and Invisalign full flute harmonics. “At slight risk of slowing treatment, I (for eight months, to correct slight relapses). chose to play without elastics in place to avoid interference with having the biggest oral cavity possible and space be- Susan Fain has a BA in flute performance, an MM in flute tween the teeth,” Fain says. performance and musicology, and a DMA. She is adjunct “Your embouchure may tire easily. It will improve with professor at Cameron University in Lawton, Texas, and time. Schedule shorter practice sessions and gradually in- Oklahoma City Community College. [email protected]. crease the length of time you can play,” she notes. Melissa Vining is a teacher and founder of Mind Body Music “My upper octave and air stream are better now with the Academy in Boston. Chip Shelton is an orthodontist (re- new position of my teeth even with the braces on,” she says. tired), flutist, and multi-instrumentalist in New York. His “In the low octave, using a high-octave embouchure has 11th jazz album released in June, and his January princi- been helpful.” ples-based self-help book Excel in 2 Careers…Plan Be Your Fain notes that playing with braces has strengthened her Dream is featured on Amazon Books. oral musculature because there’s more distance to cover to get the airstream correct. “I am now playing difficult repertoire with braces. I just needed time to regain confi- dence,” she says. Melissa Vining chose an aligner treatment (Invisalign) as an alternative to traditional braces, using clear, removable aligners and composite attachments. She advises that although flutists may find fewer challenges with alternatives than with traditional braces, their use will still require an adjustment period. Her product doesn’t use bonded brackets as traditional braces do, but it often requires composite attachments that protrude. These attachments can cause lip and cheek Susan Fain Melissa Vining

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 49 NFAONLINE.ORG Notes from Around the World by Christine Erlander Beard Conventions, festivals, competitions, and other global flute activities

The 13th “Luigi Cerritelli”International Music Competi- of unaccompanied music produced by the association Les tion in Italy will be held virtually in 2021 for solo instru- Musicales du Center for the LMDC Records label. The CD mentalists up to 27 years old and for chamber ensembles will be distributed digitally on platforms such as YouTube, whose average age is no more than 27. The application Spotify, and iTunes, and physical copies will be distributed deadline for the preliminary round is May 14. to the winner. At the request of the winner, the CD can be delivered without label or distributor for marketing. The deadline to apply is June 15.

The Busan MARU International Music Festival of Korea 2021 announces its international Concerto Competi- tion and its international Composition Competition, for which applications will be accepted until June 25. Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, both the preliminary Christopher Lee Cecilia Piehl Price Christine Erlander Beard and final rounds of the concerto competition will be ad- judicated via an online video process. The categories are The virtual edition of theXXXVI Festival Internacional for musicians 19 years of age and under and for those de Flautistas of Lima, Perú, will be held online May 24–28. between the ages of 20 and 35. The Composition Com- In celebration of Peru’s bicentennial anniversary of its in- petition seeks original compositions of approximately 10 dependence, this year’s festival will focus on music by Lat- minutes duration for any combination of instruments, in-American composers featuring guest artists Alexandre such as full orchestra, chamber orchestra, mixed ensem- Braga, Carina Herdin, Christopher Lee, Christine Erlander ble, or solo instrument. Visit the website or send an email Beard, Cecilia Elizabeth Palacios, Cecilia Piehl Price, Dan- to [email protected]. iel A. Gonzales, Eduardo Caicedo, Erland Diaz Reluz, Fer- nando Harms, Hans Ehrlich, Juan Carlos Rodriguez, Lucía The Zodiac Music Academy Seijas Garcia, Omar Acosta, Pyolo Payolo, Rene Lorente, and Festival is planning an Renalto Calderón Valladares, Victoria Polti, and Vivianne in-person festival to be held Asturizaga. July 2–15 in the beautiful setting of Côte d’Azur, France. TheJuej ānu Andrejs VII International Woodwind Com- The festival is open to string, petition has been postponed to October 9–16, with the woodwind, piano, and com- applications deadline now June 1. Hosted by the Jāzeps position students, with Sergio Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, the competition is open Sergio Palottelli Pallottelli serving as the flute to musicians born after 1990 in five categories: flute, oboe, faculty. clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone.

The Associazione Culturale Napolinova of Italy announces its second World Flute e-Competition, open to flutists of any nationality. Recorded video submissions must have been created no earlier than January 1, 2021, and appli- cants can compete in one of three age categories: those born on or after January 1, 2005; those born on or after January 1, 2000; or those born on or after January 1, 1991. Nicola Mazzanti Nicole Esposito Application deadline is June 10. The Sixth International Piccolo Festival will take place July LMDC Records in France is sponsoring a competition for 6–10. It offers two options for participation this year: as solo instrumentalists with the grand prize being the op- an in-person participant in Grado, Italy; or as an online portunity to record in France a CD of up to 60 minutes student/auditor. Artist-teachers include Nicola Mazzanti,

50 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG Nicole Esposito, Jocelyne Fillion-Kelch, Natalie Schwaabe, performer’s choosing, and the competition is open to any and Pamela Stahel. Visit the website or find the IPF page instrumentalist of any nationality and any age. The appli- on Facebook or Instagram. cation deadline is October 6, 2021.

The finals of the thirdClassic Pure Vienna Internation- The 2021 International Anton Rubenstein Competition al Music Competition have been scheduled for October for woodwinds will take place October 30–31 at the Interna- 3, for which applications are being accepted until August tional Music Academy in Düsseldorf, Germany. Musicians 15. The competition is open to all nationalities, ages, and of all nationalities and ages may apply. The competition will instruments. Six finalists will be selected to compete in the feature two rounds, the first of which will be via video links live final concert in the Mozarthaus in Vienna. and the finals to be held at the International Music Academy in Düsseldorf. Applications are due by September 20.

The 20th Chieri International Competition in Italy has been rescheduled for November 21–28, with the application deadline extended to November 17. Flutists can compete in one of two age groups: for flutists no more than 20 years old or for flutists 21–30 years of age.

The inauguralNordic Piccolo Festival will be held March 24–27, 2022, in Denmark featuring piccolo artists Russell Itani, Viveca Löfgren, Camille Guenot, Heili Rosin, Rag- nhildur Josephsdottir, and Christine Elizabeth Clancy.

After the success of its virtual festival in 2020, the German Flute Society’s Gesellschaft für Flöte is making plans for its next International Flute Festival to be held in Freiburg, Germany in March 2022.

The Kobe International Flute Competition will hold its 10th edition in two phases. The first round will take place August 26–September 5 in an online format. The second round and the rest of the competition will be held March 22–March 28, 2022, at the Kobe Bunka Hall in Kobe, Japan.

Tentative plans are under way for the XIII World Flute Fes- tival to be held in Mendoza, Argentina, in September 2021, featuring numerous guest artists who have been rescheduled from the festival’s Covid-impacted 2020 lineup. Visit the website or follow the festival’s page on Facebook.

Announcing the “Vienna New Year’s Concert” Interna- tional Music Competition, for which the winners will be showcased in concerts throughout Vienna and/or a performance with the Wieener Stadtorchester. The performances will take place December 27–30, 2021. Auditions will be held be via pre-recorded video featuring any music of the

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 51 NFAONLINE.ORG Passing Tones In memoriam

Mary Louise Poor: 1923–2021 by Evan Pengra Sult n 1985, then-NFA President John Wion announced the formation of the Dysfunction Committee, dedicated to Iissues of health and wellness in the flute community. Its inaugural chair was Mary Louise Poor, who had a personal interest in the committee’s goals: five years prior, she had been in a debilitating car accident that effectively forced her to re-learn the flute from scratch. That she made a full recovery was a testament to her tenacity; that she then turned her efforts outward was typical of her generosity. Poor chaired the committee for three years (it exists today as the Performance Health Committee). A lifetime NFA member, she also served in several leadership capacities, including as secretary-treasurer, historian-archivist, and member of the Pedagogy Committee. Also an influential teacher in both the Midwest and Tennessee, Poor died on February 1, 2021, at the age of 97.

Mary Louise Nigro was born on June 9, 1923, in Big Mary Louise Poor Rapids, Michigan, the eldest daughter of Harry and Laura Nigro. She and her sisters Anne and Marguerite grew up Kerry, Vicki, Cynthia, David, and Michele. (The marriage in Aurora, Illinois. Her father, formerly a member of the ended in divorce.) Sousa Band, was the band director at the West Aurora High In the mid-1960s, Fred moved the family to India, where School, from which she graduated in 1941. he was working for USAID. Poor began studying tradi- Poor attended Illinois Wesleyan University, traveling tional music and gathering what became a significant abroad in her third year to study in France (with Marcel collection of instruments from that region. The children Moyse, Gaston Crunelle, and Gaston Blanquart at the attended the Woodstock School in Mussoorie, in the foot- Conservatoire Américain de Fontainebleau) and Italy hills of the Himalayas. Poor directed the school’s orchestra (with Severino Gazzelloni at the Accademia Musicale Chi- (in which at least two of her daughters played) and led the giana). She received her BM in 1944; the following year she ensemble in a performance for the Dalai Lama. earned an MM from the University of Michigan. She later After returning to the States, Poor began a lengthy teach- began, but did not complete, work toward a DMA from ing career, largely in the greater Chicago area. Over the Northwestern University. years, she was on faculty at the American Conservatory of For a time in the late 1940s, she moved to New York to Music, Northern Illinois University, and North Park Col- study with John Wummer. To pay for lessons, she took a lege in Illinois; at Ball State University and Valparaiso Uni- job selling blouses at Lord & Taylor and saved rent money versity in Indiana; at Beloit University in Wisconsin; and at by rooming at the YWCA. Wummer taught recently pub- the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan. lished music as a way to become familiar with the works Her students remember her as a no-nonsense perfec- himself—he and Poor learned the Dutilleux and Sancan tionist but a generous teacher: She would trade lessons for Sonatines side-by-side. yard work for students who could not afford to pay and Eventually Poor returned to the Midwest, finding work was a fierce advocate for those in her charge. Her private teaching flute and music history at Ball State University in students have fond memories of lessons in the company Muncie, Indiana. She met and, in 1949, married Freder- of a succession of family dogs, particularly a Great Dane ick Albert Poor, a Ball State student and Army Air Corps named Quantz who liked to lean against them while they veteran; their family quickly grew to include five children: played. Many also recalled her extensive collection of his-

52 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG torical instruments (and her in-house harpsichord); she the upcoming academic year, so Poor volunteered to fill in. wrote a feature on early music for the this magazine’s first Despite knowing almost no Chinese, she maintained a full issue devoted to historical performance. private studio, coached flute and clarinet choirs, and led a In 1975, while teaching at Beloit, Poor appeared in a re- performance literature class. One particular highlight was cital at Carnegie Hall, her second performance there. The the opportunity to teach a student who was blind; Poor New York Times critic John Rockwell described her per- called it “one of my greatest joys in teaching” and relished formance of contemporary works—Fukushima’s “Mei” the challenge. The student’s mother would translate all of and Matsudaira’s “Rhymes for Gazzelloni,” both originally his music into Braille; he and Poor then worked on one written for her former teacher—as “particularly attractive.” phrase at a time until he had it memorized. In 1978, she published the Guide to Flute Teaching (in- In 1999, she moved from Illinois to Jackson, Tennes- tended to help non-flutist high school band directors) and see, where she took a post at Union University and taught later that year was featured in the second volume of Pilar both flute and cello lessons. She was an active supporter of Estevan’s series Talking with Flutists. She served as editor the Jackson Symphony, and in 2012 the James-Gist fami- for the Flute Studio Press for many years. Also interested in ly established an endowment in Poor’s name through the flute design, Poor frequently worked with up-and-coming Jackson Youth Symphony to assist young musicians in the flutemakers, including Guo Flutes, Jack Moore, and David community. Wimberly, helping them with instrument development. She continued playing regularly until her mid-80s; af- She was an advocate of placing the C-sharp trill key next to ter her performance “retirement,” she took up the recorder the other trill keys instead of by the B-flat lever, though this to keep her lungs strong. She returned to Illinois in 2011 view did not widely catch on. to receive the Chicago Flute Club’s Lifetime Achievement Poor’s love of music was nearly equaled by her love of Award. travel. In 1988, she embarked on a trip to Taiwan for what In 2017, Poor moved to North Carolina to be closer was supposed to be a three-week stint at a summer camp to her daughter. She is survived by all five children, sev- hosted by Tunghai University in Taichung. The university’s en grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and her sister permanent flute faculty member was unable to return for Anne. Her sister Marguerite died last year.

Sharyn Byer: 1948–2021 by Evan Pengra Sult

haryn Byer, a key member of the Washington, D.C., flute community, died on January 15, 2021, of pancre- Satic cancer. She was 72. Byer was probably best known to NFA members as an accomplished low flutes specialist: in 2020, she played alto flute in Amanda Harberg’s “Prayer Project” and was the sole subcontrabass flutist during the virtual convention’s closing performance of Bach’s “Air.” Until her death, she served as a member of the NFA Low Flutes Committee. Sharyn Lee Sudduth was born on February 5, 1948, in Miami, one of the three daughters of Glenn E. and Mary Sue (Carnahan) Sudduth. She and her sisters Catherine and Linda grew up in a musical household; their mother was an accomplished alto singer. She attended Miami High School, where she was the first-chair flutist and earned a music scholarship to the University of Miami School of Music. As an undergraduate there, she was fea- Sharyn Byer tured as a soloist with the Wind Ensemble (then directed by the legendary Frederick Fennell). five years, she was a flight attendant for Pan Am but left While working at the student union, she met Barry Byer, the job upon the birth of their two children, Lauren and who was studying for his MD; they married in 1973, mov- David. While negotiating the challenges of young mother- ing first to Indiana and then to Falls Church, Virginia. For hood, Byer refocused her interest in flute performance.

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 53 NFAONLINE.ORG For 20 years, Byer played as the principal flutist of both flute from flutemaker Eva Kingma, an experience she chron- the Capital City and McLean Symphonies and for over a icled for The Flutist Quarterly. As Byer recalled, they spent decade directed the instrumental music program at the “two hours trying out different head joints and learning Langley School. She served two terms as president of the how to take it apart and put it back together. Eva treated us Flute Society of Washington and acted as the adminis- to a lovely dinner and entertained us with fascinating stories trator of the Young Soloists’ Competition of the Nation- of how she started making flutes, first with her uncle and al Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, she was a founding now on her own. [Eventually, we] decided that this big beau- member of and longtime instructor at the Columbia In- tiful instrument has such a presence about it that it needed a stitute for Fine Arts—in her honor, it will be renamed the name.” In honor of Kingma (and the flute’s regal aura), the Sharyn Byer Institute of Fine Arts at Columbia. subcontrabass was christened “King.” As a chamber musician, Byer performed as a member of Byer’s interest in Kingma’s modern approach to flute- the First Light Ensemble, Trillium Trio, Dominion Duo, making was typical; she was a forward-looking musician. and D.C.’s popular Friday Morning Music Club. She also She was one of the earliest flutists to begin performing al- performed with the NFA’s Professional Flute Choir and most exclusively using digital music on a tablet; she said toured Europe, Asia, and South America as a member of she loved “being able to easily take it all with me when I the International Flute Orchestra. travel” and liked how “I don’t feel like I’m hiding behind a In 1994, Byer founded the Columbia Flute Choir, not- big music stand, because the iPad is so small.” Her enthusi- ed for performances at the White House, Kennedy Center, asm for the new technology was so great that she began an and National Theatre. Under Byer’s direction, the choir official association with the AirTurn company. appeared in recital at the NFA Conventions of 2002 and Byer is survived by her husband, sisters, children, and three 2015 (Washington, D.C.), 2006 (Pittsburgh), and 2009 grandchildren. The Flute Society of Washington has an- (New York City). nounced the creation of a scholarship fund in her honor, and In 2001, looking to expand the tonal palette of the ensem- her collection of instruments (including “King”) will contin- ble, she travelled to Amsterdam to obtain a subcontrabass ue to be played by members of the Columbia Flute Choir.

Alejandro Vazquez: 19??–2021 life, he also was a musician at the Ocesa Teatro, performing on flute, clarinet, and saxophone in the pit orchestras of by Evan Pengra Sult traveling Broadway productions, including The Lion King, Wicked, and Phantom of the Opera. lejandro (Alex) Vazquez, a respected Mexican clas- Long interested in world flutes, Vazquez began a serious sical flutist and performer of world flutes, died study of the performance practice of traditional instruments AFebruary 10, 2021, after suffering two heart attacks. in 2014, which eventually lead to his project “Murmullos del He was in his 40s. Full information on survivors was not Mundo” (World Murmurs). In New Delhi, India, he studied immediately available. North Indian classical music and bansuri with Pandit He earned his bachelor’s degree from the National Con- Kailash Sharma in 2017, later continuing his explora- servatory of Music in Mexico City in 1997, where he stud- tion with Shubranil Sarkar in Kolkata. At the time of ied with María Esther García. In California, he earned an his death, he was an experienced player of shakuhachi, MA from Holy Names College in Oakland (as a student of dizi, xiao, fula, penny whistle, and Native American and Angela Koregelos) and won the Dorothy Van Waynen Prize Andean flutes. in UC Berkeley’s 1999 Young Artist Awards. After graduate In Vazquez’s memory, his shakuhachi teacher, Shawn school, he moved to Ville d’Avray, France, where he stud- Renzoh Head, has established the Vazquez Memorial ied with Patrice Bocquillon at the L’Ecole de Musique et Scholarship for beginning shakuhachi students. Danse. His other teachers included Sabina Laurain. In 2003, Vazquez returned to Mexico to play as principal Evan Pengra Sult is the principal flutist of the Pacific flutist with the Orquesta Escuela Carlos Chávez; in 2009, Northwest Ballet Orchestra and is on the board of the Seat- he became the piccoloist and co-principal flutist of the tle Flute Society; he holds degrees from the Eastman School Orquesta Sinfónica de Yucatán. Throughout much of his of Music and the San Francisco Conservatory.

NOTED Ellen Ramsey: 1959–2021 Susan Thomas: 1955/56–2021 Tom Perazzoli: 1933–2021

54 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG The Flutist Quarterly remembers longtime advertiser and NFA supporter Sanford Drelinger, best known for his vertical headjoint, who died April 11.

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 55 NFAONLINE.ORG Reviews of flute-related recordings, Reviews books, and other items of interest

11 Book ”Elizabeth Ford has gifted the Scottish flute a rich history, with intriguing and entertaining characters, a varied repertoire, and a promising future. The book romps through its vast store of archival evidence with dry humour, part of the The Flute in Scotland time period in other locations is a useful starting point, and growing movement to take Scotland’s musical history seriously, rather than relying on myth and folklore.” The Flute in Scotland Dr David McGuinness, University of Glasgow Elizabeth C. Ford from the Sixteenth to the evidence points to the fact that it was not only played by many ”Dr Ford’s book is wonderfully illuminating and thoughtful. Her immense from the Sixteenth to the curiosity matched by her thorough and organized research has produced an Eighteenth Century impressive work; shedding light not only on the flute in early Scotland, but music making in Europe during the Enlightenment. It’s a fascinating read!” of those who could afford the time and materials for music Chris Norman, Director, Boxwood Festivals, flute maker and player Eighteenth Century

It is a generally accepted truth that the flute was unknown in Scotland prior to 1725, and that it was played exclusively by wealthy men. Upon examination, making but also performed in concerts and taught as part of these beliefs are demonstrably false. This book explores the role of the flute Elizabeth C. Ford in Scottish musical life, primarily in the long eighteenth century, including to the Eighteenth Century The Flute in Scotland from the Sixteenth Elizabeth C. Ford players, repertoire, manuscripts, and instruments. Evidence for ladies having a child’s musical education. played the flute is also examined, as are possible connections between flute playing and bagpipe playing. Reasons for the flute’s disappearance from ©2020 Peter Lang the pantheon of Scottish instruments are considered, and interviews with contemporary flute players in Scotland depict flute playing in contemporary For those flutists who are imagining a dry tome of infor- Scotland. This work fills a major gap in knowledge of Scottish musical life and flute history. Flutist and scholar Elizabeth mation about historical instruments, give this book a chance Ford has published a com- to delight you. Yes, it is fundamentally academic in style, but Elizabeth C. Ford’s doctoral thesis (University of Glasgow, 2016) won the National Flute Association’s Graduate Research Award. She was the 2018−19 Daiches−Manning Memorial Fellow in 18th-century Scottish Studies at the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of prehensive book analyzing the prose is readable and approachable and weaves an in- Edinburgh. She has also had fellowships from the Handel Institute, and will take up the Abi Rosenthal Visiting Fellowship in Music at the Bodleian Library in 2019, as well as the Martha Goldsby Arnold Fellowship at the teresting picture of the musical life of the Baroque Era, not Riemenschneider Bach Institute. and explaining the role of the flute in Scotland’s musi- just the flute. Because Ford is a specialist on the Baroque StudieS in the hiStory and Culture of SCotland cal society prior to 1800. Her flute and is knowledgeable about the music of the era, her www.peterlang.com Peter Lang doctoral thesis about the discussion of the music feels engaging and informative for flute in 18th-century Scotland was a winner of the NFA’s flutists who are trying to consider how they might expand graduate research award in 2017, and an article about fe- repertoire. Her volume of the sonatas of William McGibbon male flutists in 18th-century Scotland was published in the (reviewed separately here) actively serves to support the re- Winter 2018 issue of The Flutist Quarterly. It is likely that search in this way by making the pieces not only researched no one knows more about this topic than Ford, and the but available to the musical community. book provides not only documentation for the knowable In fact, it is her skill as a flutist that make Ford’s work even appearances of the flute in Scotland prior to 1800 but also more convincing—she is able to offer work on a forensic lev- extensive footnotes that explain each deviation from the el on matters of idiomatic writing and suitability for the tra- assumptions made in earlier writing about the topic by verso that is not often possible for scholars of the time period. others due to unavailable or inaccessible information. Extensive access to archival sources have allowed for a level of Prior to Ford’s work, thorough investigation of this topic detail in her research that creates a more complete picture of had not occurred, likely due to assumptions that Scotland was the flute in the musical society of Scotland at this time. culturally uninteresting or that it could simply be grouped Rarely do I read text that is both comprehensive and easy with what was going on in England at the same time. This to follow. I cannot understate the quality of the analysis and project is detailed and systematic, with chapters on amateurs, writing style. The net result is a convincing argument of the professionals, composers, repertoire, and instruments, as well flute’s important place in Scotland during the Enlightenment, as a first chapter that focuses on the early end of the project backed up by exhaustive analysis. For anyone who is interest- and a chapter at the end discussing whether or not the flute is ed in how music was a part of life (or at least upper-class life) “Scottish” enough to feature in traditional music—as it does in the Baroque era, this is an invaluable book. in many cultures. Knowing that the flute was popular in this —Rebecca Johnson CD The Unfolding Flute, with The Unfolding Flute, Vol. 1, which presents works by the Vol. 1 German-American composer Carl Vollrath (b. 1931). Vol- Dieter Flury lrath’s primary composition teachers included Ernst von ©2020 Navona Dohnányi and Carlisle Floyd; the influence of Dohnányi’s rich, neo-romantic chromaticism and Floyd’s “American” Dieter Flury, a former lyricism are apparent throughout. principal flutist of the The gem of the collection is “The Glass of Absinthe,” a Vienna Philharmonic, piece inspired by Edgar Degas’ painting of the same name. continues to expand his It captures well the Gallic melancholy of the original, but (and our) knowledge of where Degas aims for quiet despair, Vollrath inserts a note contemporary literature of hope. The piece almost seems like a 21st-century answer

56 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG to the works by Chaminade, Enesco, et. al. that many of us is the earliest work, in many ways it sounds the most “mod- first encounter in the blue “French Book” (although ad- ern” in its embrace of dissonance. The final (and most recent) mittedly it lacks the sustained technical fireworks of those work is “Absolution,” which, in Vollrath’s words, “is about our classics). This work, for which sheet music does not appear growing old and coming to the conclusion that all there is left to be available, deserves a place on more recitals. is forgiveness.” Many of the melodic ideas are clever expan- The longest composition is the three-movement Sonata. sions of a recurring two-note “sigh,” and the piece explores The pianistic writing here tends toward minimalist repetition both modal and jazz-inflected sections. and widely-spaced chords—a sort of chilly Impressionism— Throughout, Flury displays a lush, warm tone; from the through which the flute line is interwoven. One highlight is fluffiest piano dynamics to the most intense fortes, it -re the opening of the third movement, an extended call-and- mains warm, never turning edgy. He is well-matched by response between the two instruments. The CD is rounded pianist Ieva Oša, with whom he has previously recorded a out by two other standalone works from opposite ends of CD of Haydn trios. Although Oša’s articulation is perhaps at Vollrath’s career. “Concert Piece” was written more than a times a little hard-edged, it often provides a nice contrast to half-century ago, when Vollrath was a student (of John Boda) Flury’s smoother approach. and is based on his exploration of thirds. Curiously, while it —Evan Pengra Sult Music Caprice No. 24 marks that allow the flutist to create a variety of textures and Niccolò Paganini, sounds throughout the instrument’s range. Grace notes arr. Jasmine Choi are reminiscent of double stops, adding drama and har- ©2020 Presser (Jasmine mony to a piece that otherwise has only a single voice, Choi Performance Ed.) and Variation 9 stands out, with tongue slaps in place of pizzicato—a wonderfully expressive use of a contempo- Jasmine Choi first recorded rary technique. Throughout, a judicious use of accents Paganini’s Caprice No. 24 (for suggests the amount of energy that will be necessary to solo flute) in 2011, and Press- pull off a sparkling performance. er’s new publication reflects As are all Presser editions, this publication is beautiful. this much-beloved étude in It’s easy to read and designed for good page turns, and the her third and most recent thick, glossy cover looks like it will repel casual rips. It’s version. Caprice 24 is a theme easy to imagine Choi performing this piece as an encore with 11 variations, each infor a cheering audience, and I could see myself using it in creasing the virtuosic demand on the performer. Choi’s trans- a similar fashion. Go ahead and order a copy, and channel lation from the violin original to something that is idiomatic your inner Jasmine Choi! for the flute is done deftly, with articulation and expressive —Jessica Dunnavant

Movie Themes for a little easier for an intermediate-level player. Classical Players: The easiest pieces in the collection are “The Godfather Distinguished Music (Love Theme),” “Mia & Sebastian’s Theme from La La from 12 Big Screen Land,” and “Romeo and Juliet (Love Theme).” The rhyth- Classics mic difficulty level for the other nine pieces would require ©Various Hal Leonard at least three years’ playing experience. I enjoyed playing through all of these pieces; the collection This collection is described contains a nice blend of new and old movie themes. (Players by the publisher as “interme- of all ages will enjoy the theme from The Pink Panther.) diate level arrangements for The book also comes with a free piano accompaniment flute and piano accompani- via use of a code found on the Hal Leonard website. The ment, in a range flattering accompaniment is a great practice tool for everyone; its to the flute.” After playing tempo can also be adjusted. In addition to having students through all of the pieces, I agree with this description, with play one piece on a recital, this collection could also be one caveat. The highest note in the book is A-flat 6; the used for background music at an event needing music. I lowest is C4, using C4=middle C as a reference point. For recommend this collection. some of the pieces, a higher overall range would have been —Ronda Benson Ford

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 57 NFAONLINE.ORG Music Fit in 15 Minutes: section and includes single-, double-, and triple-tonguing Warm-ups and Essential exercises, some of which explore multiple keys. Each exer- Exercises cise includes short instructions, and the flutist is encouraged Elisabeth Weinzierl and to transpose exercises into additional keys. Edmund Wächter The final and longest section begins with suggestions for ©2019, Schott practicing finger technique. The authors encourage a systematic order for practicing all keys, and they suggest the Weinzierl and Wächter have keys for each of the 14 exercises with images of the key assembled a treasure trove signatures to be applied to the exercises. The first exercises of warm-ups and exercises focus on scales and scalar patterns, proceed through arpeg- for finger technique that can giated exercises, and end with finger exercises, including keep any flutist’s practice ornaments of trills and turns. routine from becoming stale. The strengths of this book are its comprehensive atten- The resource includes 31 exercises organized into three tion to the types of tone, articulation, and finger technique main sections. Text is in German and English side-by-side. exercises that flutists would find useful for practicing and The engraving is impeccably clear, and each page contains its clear engraving and layout. A criticism is that the title just the right amount of content. may lend one to believe that the book is laid out in a manner The book begins with words of wisdom about practic- that would clearly guide the musician in a 15-minute prac- ing and a prelude by Giuseppe Gariboldi, designed to in- tice routine, but users must instead determine how many spire the flutist to begin practice sessions with improvisa- and which exercises would fill their 15 minutes. Since each tion. Section A follows with tone exercises that first focus section contains different numbers and lengths of exercis- on long tones in fourths and fifths. Next, 11 short lessons es, flutists may prefer to spend time becoming acquainted delve into stylistic aspects of tone. Singing and playing, with the exercises and put together their own personal sets beatboxing, harmonics, blues style, and other dynamics of 15-minute plans for using the exercises. This is a minor and articulations guide the flutist in exploring a range of frustration for what is otherwise an outstanding collection possibilities for sound on flute. of warm-ups and exercises. Section B, dedicated to articulation exercises, is the shortest —Kathy Melago

S Images de l’enfance is clearly marked with distinct articulations, accents, dynam- Anthony GIRARD Anthony Girard ics, and breath marks. These pieces are thus ideal for teaching all of the basic elements of music-making; it would not be Images de l’enfance ©2019 Gérard Billaudot

3 pièces faciles hard, for example, to use this work to illustrate the differences pour flûte et piano 3 easy pieces for flute and piano One of the challenges of among unmarked, accented, staccato, and legato notes. teaching beginning flutists Each movement gets progressively longer and more dif-

n u s is finding appropriate per- ficult. (All of the musical instructions are rendered in both o u r T R é m i : h o t P formance repertoire. We French and English except, inexplicably, the movement titles.

THE FRENCH FLUTISTS PROPOSE often resort to simple (and I have translated them here.) The first, Le songe du lointain Collection Frédéric CHATOUX frequently anemic) arrange- (The Distant Dream), has a limited range (E1 to C3) and ments of well-known mel- nothing more rhythmically complicated than eighth notes. Gérard Billaudot Éditeur odies or assign “real” music The second movement, Le pays merveilleux (The Wonder- that is technically within the land) introduces accidentals, a few changes in time signa- bounds of a student’s abilities but musically beyond their ture, and slightly extends the range in both directions (D1 reach—more than one person has had the Händel sona- to F-sharp3). The final movement, Marcher résolument vers tas ruined for them in this way. Anthony Girard’s Images l’horizon (Marching Toward the Horizon), is significant- de l’enfance, part of Billaudot’s “French Flutists Propose” ly faster and offers regular changes in both time and key series, avoids both of these traps and fully delivers on the signatures, syncopation, a low C, and, at the end, a simple promise of its subtitle: “3 easy pieces for flute and piano.” harmonic. Although they work nicely as a suite, all of the These charming works are expertly designed for the begin- movements could be extracted and played alone. ner flutist: Each bears a descriptive title, ideal for starting a An added attraction: The piano part is also fairly simple, conversation about drawing performance inspiration from well within the grasp of anyone who plays even casually. programmatic intent. On a more technical level, the flute part —Evan Pengra Sult

58 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG Music 1-888_00_Covers-.494 11/14/18 1:10 PM Page 1 R ECENT R ESEARCHES IN THE M USIC OF THE B AROQUE E RA, 205 Complete Sonatas by impossible without ruining the book, as its large size and William McGibbon William McGibbon inability to open flat hinder the ability to work through Of Related Interest William McGibbon Ed. Elizabeth C. Ford the music. This edition is also fairly expensive. Luckily, A-R Giuseppe Antonio Bernabei, Orpheus ecclesiasticus, edited by Michael W. Nordbakke, Recent Researches in the Music of the Baroque Era, 195 Walter Porter, Collected Works, edited by Jonathan P. Wainwright, Recent Editions sells each set of sonatas as separate collections, Researches in the Music of the Baroque Era, 194 ©2018 A-R Editions, Inc. Giovanni Maria Ruggieri, Trio Sonatas, Op. 4, edited by Jasmin Melissa Cameron, Recent Researches in the Music of the Baroque Era, 185 Giovanni Bononcini, Twelve Chamber Sonatas (London, 1732), edited by Jeffrey which come as a smaller set of parts, for a reasonable price. Complete Sonatas Noonan, Recent Researches in the Music of the Baroque Era, 183 For more information about these or any other volumes, see our website: www.areditions.com Complete Sonatas As also reviewed in this issue, The website also seems to indicate digital versions of some Elizabeth C. Ford’s The Flute items are available for download, though it’s not clear if in Scotland from the Sixteenth this includes the McGibbon Sonatas. to the Eighteenth Century is The four collections found within Complete Sonatas

Edited by Elizabeth C. Ford an invaluable piece of schol- include two volumes of “Six Sonatas for Two German arship explaining the early Flutes, or Two Violins and a Bass,” one from 1729 and history of the flute in Scot- the other from 1734. In both cases, the music is acces- A-R Editions, Inc. sible and small in range, as was characteristic of the Í Middleton, Wisconsin 205 A-R Editions, Inc. land and debunking some 800 736-0070 (North American book orders) 608 836-9000 (phone) Í 608 831-8200 (fax) A www.areditions.com R of the myths surrounding instrument at the time, and to appeal to more players. its popularity. One Scottish composer highlighted in These trio sonatas feature a nice mixture of slow and Ford’s book is William McGibbon, who was an import- fast movements as well as idiomatic writing, and could ant part of the musical scene in Scotland in the first half be interesting for any flutists or teachers looking to ex- of the 18th century. A small number of his works have pand their Baroque repertoire. Other collections are been available to players, but Ford has collected all sets “Six Sonatas or Solos for a German Flute or Violin and of his sonatas for flute into a modern publication that a Bass” from 1740 and “Six Sonatas for Two German is beautifully produced, easy to read, and an important Flutes,” from 1748. Each set is compelling and could historical resource. serve as a nice addition to a library, though for perfor- The Complete Sonatas set is a lovely critical edition an- mance purposes one must keep in mind that the bass thology, with scores of all pieces from four sets of sonatas. parts are figured bass only, not a keyboard realization. As a way to play the music, however, it would be nearly —Rebecca Johnson

The Lake the water.” As they progress, the flute and bassoon parts Nicole Buetti, work within a melody and countermelody framework Composer with a brief, effective unified moment that acts to draw ©2017 Forton Music attention to a dramatic point within the composition. Underneath the conversational wind lines, Buetti cre- The Lake, by Nicole Buetti, ates a rich, gestural atmosphere in the piano, which can is an attractive selection for occasionally be heard reflecting back fragments of the flute, bassoon, and piano. wind dialog. The piece concludes with a low C-sharp Within its brief performance chord from the piano, lacking a third, signifying that notes, Buetti identifies the “darkness falls.” compositional inspiration as All parts are clearly marked with the necessary expressive “a beautiful mountain lake and dynamic guidelines. While the composer makes use in Colorado at dusk” and of three simple meters throughout, the selection primarily refers to the piece as repre- rocks back and forth between quadruple and triple time. sentative of an “impressionistic style.” She describes the The range for flute is accessible, E4 through G-sharp 6. interaction of the flute and bassoon as a “soft musical The bassoon part is also approachable, ranging from B1 conversation” set above the “picturesque ambience” creat- through G-sharp 4. ed by the piano. Evoking a sense of nostalgia, she provides Though brief, “The Lake” is impactful in its approach and a canvas that invites interpretive flexibility and a wide delivery; thus Buetti contributes an appealing selection to color palette. the existing chamber literature. “The Lake” could easily be The work is approximately two-and-a-half minutes included as a short feature on a recital. Inspiring a poten- in length. The piano provides a short introduction that tial description of wistful, colorful, and reflective, this is sets the mood for the scene at dusk. This is followed a piece that will be appreciated by many, performers and by a dialog between flute and bassoon in a setting that audience members alike. recalls, as the composer indicates, “the light dancing on —Rebecca Meador and Austin Way

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 59 NFAONLINE.ORG NFA Office, Coordinators, Committee Chairs Please check the NFA website for any changes and updates to addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses: nfaonline.org

NFA OFFICE Flute Choirs Coordinator 50th Anniversary World Music Masterclass Performers 70 E. Lake St., #200 Darrin Thaves (2021) Catherine Miller (2022) Kathleen Joyce-Grendahl Rebecca Dunnell (2021) Chicago, IL 60601 [email protected] [email protected] (2023) [email protected] 312-332-6682 [email protected] fax: 312-332-6684 Frances Blaisdell Convention Finance Newly Published Music Scholarship Coordinator Maury Wilkinson (2021) Youth Engagement Carlos Feller (2021) Executive Director Jonathan Borja (2021) [email protected] Timothy Hagen (2022) [email protected] Jennifer Clarke [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Flute Clubs Orchestral Audition Gala Awards Dinner Chair Kelly Sulick (2021) COMPETITION Masterclass Administrative Assistant Wendy Mehne (2021) [email protected] COORDINATORS Martha Long (2021) Aydan Hensley [email protected] General Coordinator [email protected] [email protected] Historical Flutes Barbara Hopkins (2021) John Lane (2023) Myrna Brown International [email protected] Piccolo Artist/ Bookkeeper Scholarship Coordinator barbara.hopkins.flute@ Alana Zalas gmail.com Masterclass Erika Boysen (2022) Baroque Flute Artist [email protected] Rachel Ordaz (2023) [email protected] Leighann Daihl Ragusa (2023) International Liaison [email protected] [email protected] Communications Manager Program Book Bios Editor Matt Johnston (2023) Regina Cherene Professional Flute Choir Lisa Van Dusen [email protected] Collegiate Flute Choir [email protected] Eileen Yarrison (2023) [email protected] Sonja Giles (2024) Jazz (Co-Chairs) [email protected] [email protected] Flutist Quarterly Consultant Stage Manager Karl Barton (2022) Anne Welsbacher Paula Gudmundson (2021) [email protected] Young Artist [email protected] Convention Performers [email protected] Lawrence Liggins (2023) Jennie Oh Brown (2022) Daniel Velasco (2022) [email protected] [email protected] Membership Manager jennie@ Volunteer Coordinators jenniebrownflute.com Lilly Mauti Townes Osborn Miller Low Flutes ARCHIVES [email protected] [email protected] Paige Dashner Long (2022) C.R.E.A.T.E. Project AND LIBRARY [email protected] Publications and Online Margaret Haik Michelle Stanley (2022) Archivist/Historian Advertising Representative [email protected] michelle.battystanley@ Nancy Toff Glenn Karaban Membership gmail.com [email protected] Karaban Media Services, Inc. 2022 Program Chair Colleen McElroy (2023) 212-840-0660 Aaron Goldman [email protected] Flute Choir Call for Scores NFA Librarian [email protected] [email protected] Lucy Snell (2023) Michelle Monroe-Menjugas New Music Advisory [email protected] NFA Music Library Technical Director 2023 Program Chair Sarah Brady (2022) [email protected]. Kristin Pagels Ali Ryerson sbrady@ Graduate Research arizona.edu [email protected] aliryerson2023nfapc@ bostonconservatory.edu Julie Hobbs (2021) gmail.com [email protected] NFA Library Liaison CONVENTION Nominating Brian Luce (2022) Program Chair COMMITTEE CHAIRS Rebecca Johnson (2022) High School Flute Choir [email protected] Jennifer Grim (2021) Adult Flutist and Amateur rebecca.johnson.nfa@gmail. Lindsay Leach Sparks (2023) [email protected] Resources com [email protected] OTHER Lisa Fahlstrom (2024) APPOINTMENTS Opening Flute Orchestra Past President’s Council [email protected] High School Soloist Committees Liaison Coordinator Alexa Still (2021) Amy (I-Yun) Tu (2023) Tabatha Easley (2022) Kathy Farmer [email protected] [email protected] Archives and Oral History [email protected] [email protected] Meg Griffith (2021) Pedagogy Equipment Manager [email protected] Cassandra Eisenreich (2021) Jazz Artist Human Resources Advisor Kimberlee Goodman cassandra.eisenreich@ Gwyn Jones (2023) Chris S. 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60 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BACK ISSUES Editorial deadlines for The Flutist Quarterly apply to time-sensitive departments The Flutist Quarterly is a benefit of membership in the National Flute Association, providing news of interest about flutist activities and products. Unsolicited- fea Inc. Subscriptions are available to libraries and institutions; personal subscriptions ture articles (see above) and news about member achievements are encouraged are not available. Back issues of the magazine, printed (1976–2020) and/or PDF and may be sent at any time for consideration. Submissions to Across the Miles (1976–forward), may be purchased through the office: [email protected], 70 and Notes from Around the World should be sent to those departments’ editors E. Lake St., #200, Chicago, IL 60601; 312-332-6682; 312-332-6684 (fax); nfaonline.org. at least one week prior to deadline dates to be considered for inclusion. Send materials to time-sensitive departments for the fall issue by June 1; the winter ITEMS FOR REVIEW CONSIDERATION issue by September 1; the spring issue by December 1; and the summer issue by Before sending unsolicited items (see below for format requirements) for review March 1. consideration inThe Flutist Quarterly, artists and publishers are strongly encouraged to submit queries with information about the items proposed. Follow-up Please send all editorial submissions except Across the Miles and Notes from requests will be made for items of interest. Publishers or artists whose works are Around the World to: not selected will not be contacted, but follow-up inquiries to the publications office are welcome no sooner than six months after submission. Karissa Krenz 312-332-6682 All submitted items must be flute specific. Chamber music is acceptable if the [email protected] flute is involved in at least half of the works included in the item. See text in the departments noted above for submission and address information. Please submit items in digital format rather than as hard copies. As of January ADVERTISING GUIDELINES 1, 2021, no hard copies will be accepted, and mailed items will be returned Guidelines, deadlines, and fees are available at nfaonline.org in the Publications unopened. See queries form. section, or contact Glenn Karaban at the address below. Advertising deadlines for The Flutist Quarterly are: fall issue, August 15; winter issue, November 15; spring EDITORIAL GUIDELINES issue, February 15; summer issue, May 15. For more information about a wide Please visit nfaonline.org to find completewriters guidelines in the Flutist Quar- range of marketing opportunities available, visit here or contact Glenn Karaban. terly section under the Publications tab. If unable to go online, please contact the editor. Queries via e-mail or phone prior to submission are encouraged and welcome at any time; please note topic and prospective author’s name Please send advertising submissions and queries to: in the header of the email. The Flutist Quarterly retains copyright on all articles published in the magazine; however, upon request, authors may retain copyright. Glenn Karaban By submitting work, author agrees to allow the work to be included in the print Karaban Media Services, Inc. and online versions of The Flutist Quarterly in perpetuity. 212-840-0660 For review consideration, see Items for Review Consideration above. [email protected] Posted quarterly deadlines (see below) pertain only to time-sensitive department submissions, not feature articles, which are reviewed throughout the year. Accepted manuscripts will, when appropriate, go through a review process. Authors might be asked to revise manuscripts during this procedure. The editor reserves the right to edit all articles for style, content, or space requirements. The Flutist Quarterly budget does not include honorariums for authors.

SPRING 2021 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY 61 NFAONLINE.ORG Katherine Kemler Lipstick Sonatina Free downloads of live performances available at kkemler.com.

Including works by Including works by ter Veldhuis, Higdon Dutilleux, Sancan, Works available by and Ian Clarke and Gieseking Damase, Fauré,

Virtuoso American Feld, Franck, Sky Loom Flute Works Gaubert, Ginastera, Goddard, Genin, Ferneyhough, Jolivet, Schubert, Takemitsu, and Widor Including works by Including works by Liebermann, Liebermann, Lutosławski, Ibert, Muczynski, and Bartók and Hayden kkemler.com

Index of Advertisers

Abell Flutes...... 51 Longy School of Music...... 4

BFS (PAN)...... 61 Muramatsu...... 2, 33

Chip Shelton...... 19, 37 My Music Staff...... 12, 34 Clarion Associates...... 41 Nagahara Flutes...... 63 Creating Resonance Retreat...... 40 NFA...... 6, 10, 55 Fluit...... 55 Ogura...... 6 Flute Specialists, Inc...... 27, 34 Pearl Flutes...... 64, 35 Keefe Piccolos...... 48

Kemler, Katherine...... 36, 62 Schmitt Music...... 4, 36

Kingma Flutes...... 8, 33 Yamaha Corporation of America...... 3, 37

Lisa’s Clarinet Shop...... 12, 35 Your Flute Works...... 55

62 THE FLUTIST QUARTERLY SPRING 2021 NFAONLINE.ORG

MTheThe soundtracksoundtrackaesta toto ourour lives.lives. Soloist, author, composer, and Senior Lecturer at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, Sheridon Stokes has appeared on countless motion picture soundtracks and television series. Winner of multiple MVP awards from the National Asssociation of Recording Arts and Sciences, and 2005 recipient of the National Flute Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. For over forty years Sheridon has played Pearl’s custom handmade flutes. Thank you for letting us be a part of your amazing career Sheridon. And here’s to 40 more.

SHERIDON NFA.indd 1 4/13/21 11:37 AM