I never fail to be amazed by the great number of people who do not practice scales and arpeggios, the very bricks and mortar of our everyday repertoire. |
I practice my concerti and recitals till it looks easy. |
I think it is most important for a teacher to play the pieces and studies that are being played by the student. |
I think too much is spoken of playing things slowly. |
I use the traditional Moyse scale books slightly modified. |
It is my method to apply tension at all times. |
It is normal to be nervous. |
It never is but with a great amount of practice you can overcome your concert platform nerves. |
Just in case you think I play only precious metal flutes, let me tell you that I have a silver plated student model with a silver head and it is excellent. |
Listening to all these really fine players play I was impressed that they all sounded good no matter what they were playing upon. |
Mastery is indeed a very complicated state. |
My wife Jeane has been listening to me play the flute nearly everyday for the last 22 years or more. She thinks I sound the best on gold but that the other metals have different qualities. |
Never just run through a study because you happen to be familiar with it, but use it to see what you can get from it on this new day which has been granted you. |
Running through things because you are familiar with them, breeds routine and this is the seed of boredom. |
Scales played in the correct musical way are very exciting and rewarding. |