Well that sucks Dennis. Sorry to hear that you are unhappy with the band
Yeah, I don't like competition either, so that is one of the major reasons I never did go to college for flute. I would have been curious to see how far I would have went though, but it just was not for me. There is a lot of snobbery involved in orchestras, but bands sometimes too unfortunately. It varies. I was in a flute choir where everyone got along and it was great. Then, I joined another one where of course you get a couple of snobby ones, so I quite. Oh, and did I mention favoritism? Watch out for that too. Though, I hope that doesn't happen in college.

You can do it Dennis, you have what it takes! I can't wait to hear more about your adventures Good luck!

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Also, do be careful about who you choose to be acquainted with. I have met some really crazy musicians that I wish that I had never even looked at, trust me! Stalker girl comes to mind.(That is a whole other story, which I know you know all about.) Though it sounds like you are meeting some nice people already. :)

Look at the bright side Dennis. Anything you play as a solo piece on flute is likely to be 10 times harder than anything you will play in a college band, so it gives you the chance to work on better flute material anyway. My Freshman year at college we played some of the same stuff I played my senior year in high school. *snore* Perschetti Symphony again *snore*, Percy Grainger again *snore*, the ever popular crowd pleaser Star Wars type pieces *double snore*.

It's good to hear you didn't take not being the best this time around (There are so many people who just don't understand that), and that instead of being insulted you are going to work your rear off to get better. It's refreshing to see people who act this way in the flute world. I hope you do very well in your next audition! Best Wishes!

Thanks Kate and Dotted!

The thing that ticks me off is I spent SO much more time preparing the flute stuff that I could have spent on the clarinet stuff. Anywho, I just look forward to my lessons. I had my first one today, and WOW! what a difference. I hope all lessons are this rewarding! I will write more later...I just got home from school when I started this morning at 7:30...I am hungry...ttyl!!!

-Dennis

Dennis, one thing about school, you will tend to work on pieces that you may never get the chance to perform at a later date, most pro playing is playing what other people want you to, so keep working on what you want to play and grin and bear all the other stuff...

most would jump at the chance to play in a pro theater pit, but after 15 times you can literally sleep and play, but one can do lots of crossword puzzles...

Would you mind sharing what was rewarding about your first lesson? I find it interesting to see what different teachers do to inspire students!

What was rewarding about my first lesson:

Well, I have nothing to compare to as I have really never taken lessons before. Here goes...

My instructor sat down with me and started asking questions about my goals. What I want to do, where I see my playing taking me, what my short-term goals are for the semester and the year. I also got to try her loaded Miyazawa 402. What a BEAUTIFUL souding intrument!

After that she asked what my strengths and weaknesses were. What I thought them to be. We talked about my flute and how it is so horrible that we both agreed never to buy a Pearl again. We also agreed that this is the same flute that got me into the school, and it is all effed-up. She believes once it is fixed and a better head is put on...I might possibly be unstoppable in the school! It really is amazing, though, really how messed up this flute is, yet I can still sound pretty good on it. I seriously have leaks EVERYWHERE! I don't think a single pad is shimmed correctly. It is going back to Pearl in a couple weeks to be fixed. After my back up flute is overhauled.

Then we played a bit. She asked what I wanted to know first. I asked about making my sound bigger. By bigger I mean...LOUD! She had me do some exercises of singing while playing. Not caring about the quality of the flute noises. She said that the worse it sounds now the better it will sound in the end. So I was singing while playing, and I was glissando-ing my voice while holding stationary notes on the flute. This really opens your throat, and you feel exactly where you need to have the air just flowing through. You also run out of air quickly. This is where making sure your waistband doesn't contract while you are playing. That is the support. So after singing my Taffanel/Gaubert #4 scales (Major and Relative minor scales in different modes) I started playing them without singing. HOLY CRAP! My sound literally tripled in volume. Holding a C3 (or a C6 for you piano people) almost necessitated moving to the recital hall! It was LOUDDDDDDD!!

So now I am working on a beatiful piece called "Madrigal" by Gaubert. This is a LOVELY piece. I am playing it for the Juniors/Seniors Masterclass in a couple weeks. I am also working on Hindemith's Acht Stucke (8 pieces), and Nielsen's The Fog is Lifting...ok if you know this piece...can we please get it stricken from the repertoire list. This is one of the most horrible pieces I have heard. Nielsen writes fabulous concerti, but this is nothing wonderful by any means. I am also working on Berbeguier Etudes. I have to memorize an etude a week, and for my jury in December I have to have my pieces memorized too. They are big on memorization. Good thing I have a photo/audiographic memory! Of course all of the Taffanel/Gaubert #4 scales have to be memorized. This one is not easy in the minor sections. It goes Maj./Rel. min./Maj./Rel. min...etc.. The minors are horrendous to memorize. The majors took me an hour...LOL!! The flute professor is AWESOME also. She has a great teaching method. She is kinda hard to understand sometimes as she is Swiss, but we make it through (esp. with the help of our 5 TA's).

I just purchased Rodrigo's Gentilhombre Fantasy (it's not in front of me so I can't spell it since I immediately looked at the music not the name!)...I think I would like to do this as a duet with a guitar with piano accomp. That would be fabulous. Nothing else I bought today was great, though. I am kinda upset. The Frank Sonata sucks! Ibert's Piece is ok, but really isn't that great. I can't wait to buy the Bolling Suite...It was in stock today, but I had so many other things to get that by the time it was said and done I didn't have enough cash on me! Since the Bolling is 45 dollars...it has to wait til next time.

Well, that's my start of college in a nutshell. Hope you guys enjoyed it, and I am sure there will be updates soon. I have another lesson tomorrow...I CAN'T WAIT!!!

And Patrick, I do keep playing things I like. Since I hate half of the stuff we have to play...and to tell the truth..shhh..I haven't even practiced the band music since we got it last week...LOL That's going to be FUN tomorrow. Maybe they will kick me out. ahhh...dreams!

-Dennis
Don't ever let me ramble on like this again!

Dennis, oh Dennis, please, if you hate a gorgeous piece like the Franck Sonata, please keep it to yourself, that is how vicious arguments start on here, same with Nielsen, and I am saying that as someone who doesn't particularly care for him, but I respect him

Learn to respect composers, good ones, even if you don't like their music, someday you just might be paid to play something that "sucks", and you will have to play it like you love it, not always easy to do..but you have to pull it off...putting down pieces is very typical in music school at the university level, but not wise in the real world...

but that is what separates the wheat from the chaff, the amateurs from the pros...

Hey Dennis,
While your Pearl it getting fixed, I can send you my Yamaha 561 if you would like. It is not like I will be using it anytime soon. Anyway, I have that other 581 comming in next week. I have too many flute right now. I need to start selling some.

I did get a chance to record me playing the first part to that Rondo all Tura duet and then I played the second part with it. It is so much fun to play!! I can't wait till you get it recorded. Now I have to come see you so we can play this.

Madrigal is such a beautiful piece. I played that at church and it was a real crowd pleaser. I am looking forward to seeing that Rodrigo piece. It sounds like a lot of fun to play.

Your teacher sounds really nice. I am curios as to what headjoint she is using.

Have fun and I will talk to you later.

Hey Dennis! I'm glad you're enjoying the lessons, even if everything else is less than what you wanted. I'm just curious...Which Bolling Suite is it (1 or 2)? I learned parts of 2 for a recital that I never got to play last year, and loved it! Jazzy is my favorite movement, though!

Ramble? Who rambled? Sounds like you are excited and that you have a good reason to be. It's always nice when you have something about your playing that bothers you and someone else can tell you what the "magic" fix is for that problem. I am enthralled with how excited you are and I hope it continues to be such a positive experience for you. I look forward to hearing your next recording with your new and improved tone/volume! Best Wishes!

Patrick,

I respect Nielsen entirely! I love playing his other works that I have the music for. His chamber music is phenomenal. I think with the Frank Sonata...it's too violin-y. You can see right through the piece to know that it was originally a violin piece. I am sure it sounds great on violin (alas I do not have a recording of it)! These are just not my preferences.

Chris,

I was working on the first set of Bolling. #3 Javanaise is my favorite! I have be transcribing them so that I can practice whilst waiting to purchase the music.

Kate,

If you think that would help me...I am all go for it now! I could never realize how poor my flute was (and to speak the truth, it's only the padding and silencers) until I played on pro flutes. J.L. Smith is coming to my school Friday, my teacher wants me to try a Goosman with platinum riser, a Williams well pretty much any high end silver head with platinum riser and without to see the difference.

Dotted,

I am excited to be excited. I may be unhappy with the band situation, but band is not my focus. My focus is what makes me happy, and playing flute does that. I am trying to think if I should try out only on flute for next semester's bands...or if I should do both just in case I am still not in the top 12 of the entire Flute Studio. I would rather not audition on the clarinet I think. It keeps me from concentrating where I need it most, I believe.

Hopefully I will get to try a REAL gold Burkhart. The one that I tried was a friend's and he plays inline-g. I couldn't cover that darned hole to save my life!

Summary:

I appreciate every composer, just don't like all of their music. Loving trying out all sorts of flutes. Not keen on clarinet anymore. Bolling is freaking awesome!

-Dennis

good explanation Dennis, just please don't insult great composers, also, do you know which instrument the Prokofieff Sonata was written for? During the baroque period, most pieces were interchangeable between flutes, oboes and violins...

The Franck is a challenge because of the breath control and sophisication required to pull it off, one needs a wide range of color...

How do you define a "great" composer, and is it OK to insult the average ones? I don't see the problem with saying you don't like a piece, or the work of a person, as long as you have a reason for doing so. You shouldn't blindly like everyone you hear or play- one has to develop SOME critical faculties!

not what I meant, I don't like all composers or pieces, but to say the Franck Sonata "sucks" is pushing the envelope a bit, IMHO

That's as may be. But it doesn't mean no-one can come on here and vent about something they dislike, whether it be for carefully considered critical reason or purely personal ones.If you don't agree with them, you challenge them. That's what makes discussion forums worth having- it doesn't need to turn into a nasty argument unless you make it that way.
And anyway, I don't think I've ever seen a fist fight over Mozart vs Beethoven...