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Myth-Conceptions about Breathing

By Lea Pearson, DMA As a flute teacher and singer, I’ve heard many descriptions about the processes of breathing.  When people come to me for help with pain or tension, they often have strange ideas about breathing that have no basis in the reality of actual anatomical structures and movements. I’ ve met: It’s a confusing and frustrating playing…

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Important lessons for flutists from Leonardo da Vinci

by Yulia Berry Leonardo da Vinci was not only a great artist, but also a great scientist, inventor and philosopher. Among his innumerable inventions are the machine gun, the mechanical knight, also called Leonardo’s robot, the parachute, the flying machine, the Ariel propeller, which outlines the idea of ​​the modern helicopter, various musical instruments, a scuba gear, which also…

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Professional Development for Teachers

By Lea Pearson, DMA, LBME N.B. This article is a beginning discussion about professional development. Given the worldwide nature of this publication, it is an open invitation for you, the reader, to contribute valuable resources in the comments section. Please share what is useful and effective in your country! What is professional development?  Why should we, as teachers, be…

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The Electric Flute: An Introduction to Playing with Effects

By Melissa Keeling INTRODUCTION I will never forget the first time I heard my flute through effects pedals (the “electric flute”). Though I didn’t realize it at the time, that day was the beginning of a beautiful journey of creativity, exploration, and finding joy in my music-making. Without effects, I’m not sure I would still be playing the flute…

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Playing All the Notes: Flute Music by Underrepresented Composers

Michelle Barraclough with Joshua Lyon, Carmela Steyaert, and Grace Young At the end of the Fall 2021 semester, I encouraged my college flute students to consider learning a piece by an underrepresented composer (female and/or a person of color). Previously, works by these composers were not frequently included in traditional concert programming. Happily, this is changing. I provided a…

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Generating Income Through Corporate Sponsorships

By Dr. Heidi Kay Begay WHY OBTAIN SPONSORSHIPS? As a modern-day musician, I often hear of creative artists who have trouble funding their next project. Whether they are trying to find funds for their teaching or performing residencies, their online platforms, or obtaining funds for their non-profit organization – it can be overwhelming and daunting to know where to…

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Welcome to the Big Pond: some advice for first-year college students

By Michelle Barraclough As a flute professor, the beginning of the fall college semester is an exciting time for me. I enjoy reuniting with the upper-level students and welcoming the new students. The campus environment is full of fresh experiences: meeting people who may be very different from you, living independently without a parent’s guidance, and managing time well….

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Overcoming the Starving Artist Mindset

by Anamarie Diaz, The Financial Flutist The starving artist mindset holds a lot of weight in our society. This ideal is known by artists and non-artists, but we aren’t born believing that artists struggle financially. This concept is learned and internalized by the way artists are portrayed in media and from comments that are said to us by individuals…

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Selecting the Best Pads for Your Flute

By Rachael Simon As a professional flute repair specialist, one of the most common questions I receive from flutists is, “What kind of pads should I get?”. I love getting asked this question, because pads are probably one of my favorite things to talk about. It’s for good reason–there are few components that are as crucial to the sound…

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