I will have a local Woodwind Open Concerto competition coming up on March 11th. Many years Oboe K314 beats Flute K314, because Oboe tone is just too sweet! Any suggest how to beat the oboe? thanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33_Arr_Y6bM

Please I need critique, need to improve in a short time. thanks.

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I used my teacher's round tone, warmer and darker coloured, I was blowing rather in than out. Is this tone colour OK for Mozart, and to counter Oboe's sweet tone? Or should I use brighter colour? thanks :)

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The judge will be one American doctor of music and one British conservatorie professor. What do American scholar like to hear? I know British scholars like conservative interpretation and rounder colour.

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oh the competition hall will be a dead hall, does my sound project enough? Americans judges always talk about projective sounds.

is it a good idea to imitate the tone of a Baroque flute in Mozart's time? my present teacher taught me the baroque tone like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKuSR12zRlE

Is the other flute concerto a possibility? If one likes oboes, then there is no way you will convince that person the flute is better, on the other hand if someone prefers the flute then oboes need not apply. That's life I am afraid.

instead of thinking of the tone in such an abstract way, although I agree with trying to define the timbre of the sound, think instead of each section and phrase as a character in a Mozart opera, go watch one of his operas and see the beauty and humor in each character...then translate that into your tone...think of each section as one of these characters...the joy and color in your tone will then shine through

To: Philoshite, Yes, you are right, but flutists here like to use K314. It's too late for me to change now, already handed in the programme.

To: Patrick, thank for your hint, I will try to do that

The link from Youtube is a Traverso but the acoustics are a bad representation of the actual tone quality. There is a lot of reverberation in that church sanctuary. It is very difficult to find a good recording of a Traverso because of acoustic issues. Many players will perform in spaces that are too big and too live.
Try this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flXOz5EiIws
Notice that a great deal of the tone has to do with the quality of articulation. With the Traverso, many modern players use a embouchure aperture that is too big and also they over support. Very easy to imagine that it's only fingered differently but it is also a different "Tone support" experience. These things make it hard to emulate the tone of the Baroque Traverso.

The traverso generally had a tone that was less bright because of a few factors that include a conical bore -(Getting smaller in diameter to the foot joint) AND it also generally had smaller holes for finger venting and embouchure. Comparatively, listen to performances by singers in the contralto range vs. the soprano.
The volume is low on this but you may get the idea:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECIiZ-KYxzE

I see, thanks so much! Bilbo

Also, "What do American scholar like to hear?"
I think that any scholar would like to hear a quality musical interpretation.
This is not to say that an appropriate tone is more or less important. Maybe, it depends upon the person judging but they are going to want to hear you playing at your best.

I agree with Bilbo, don't think of them as judges, even if one has a PHD in music, think of them as an audience

Patrick, I really wish that we had met in NYC. We always seem to be on the same page.:-)

Regarding the Mozart (Or any piece for that matter).
Think of it as a story to be told and not just some line of individual notes. Find the story, study it well, and pass the story effectively on to the listeners and it should be good. Judge your own playing more carefully in your practice than you'd judge any other musician's. Imagine yourself in the audience, hearing your flute. Record yourself and go back after a few days. Listen and fix the issues.

I think American Music Doctors like projective, powerful and bright tones, last year I gave him powerful bright tone on Telemann, and this American music doctor gave me "1st prize with honour" on senior solo competition :

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad112/pyrioni15/330f73bc.jpg

OK, dear two teachers, I will follow all your advices!! thank you

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Yes, telling the story with my music, this is great idea, is what Galway told us. Also, teacher Patrick told me privately to find out all the opera characters played in Mozart's music.

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Last year, Patrick came here and gave me private flute lesson in person before competition. :)

Too bad this year Patrick can't come here. :(

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Patrick's tone is so good! no wonder he was a Principal Flutist in Germany. Bilbo you got to hear him play in person.

"Patrick's tone is so good! no wonder he was a Principal Flutist in Germany. Bilbo you got to hear him play in person."
Thanks, I would enjoy that. It is rare that we 'mericans export our talent to Europe.

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I should also add that I"ve heard his tone online but I've always said that "In person" is the only way to experience flute tone. :-)

"It is rare that we 'mericans export our talent to Europe."

Yeah, I heard that before, most of them just go to Europe to study music and then go back home to teach.

Robert Aitken of Canada is another great North American, he is teaching flute and music and conduct in Germany! He comes here and teaches us flute often too.

"I think American Music Doctors like projective, powerful and bright tones..."

Really? My flute professor is an "American Music Doctor" and she is much more concerned about dramatic use of dynamics and tone color than she is about "bright tones."

If you only pander to what you think your audience wants to hear, you'll never grow as a musician. You need to have your own reasons for playing a piece a certain way, and "I think the audience would like to hear me play it bright and loud" should not be one of them. If you play it the way you really feel it should be played, it will be much more convincing and enjoyable than the performance of every other kid who tries to play to the preference of audience.

OK you are right TBflute, thanks for your advice

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I should more concentrate on the tonal colour change and dynamic and character change :)