Interesting conversations with pro-flutists

Dear Flute-lovers,

Something to watch:
The New York Flute Club round table conversation in March, 2014 with members of the Metropolitan Opera flute section,  Principal flutists Denis Bouriakov and Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson, second flutist Maron Khoury, and piccoloist Stephanie Mortimore speak with retired principal flutist Michael Parloff


Part I   Biographies and backgrounds (video) 




Part II (video)





Points of interest:

1. I have received emails in the past from amateur flutists who think that driving 2 hours to go to a bi-monthly lesson is too far to go.
Two of the Met flutists had their parents driving up to 1000 kilometers to take flute lessons with the best teacher in the region.
Maps are shown (Iceland and Russia). Check it out at start of first video.

2. In the second video the discussion turns to tricky flutey opera parts.
Note how one flutist said during Carmen Entracte/Intermezzo (pdf)  that they had to defy the conductor to take a tempo that actually worked. (The intermezzo has breathing problems when played too slowly.)

I've been there......
And it makes me feel better that professional Met flutists have felt the same incomprehension of flute breathing situations even in some of their conductors.

Bonus link: Video on how to play Intermezzo at the pro-level.

3. Note how many of the flutists had parents who did not play music at all.

4. Check out the super long piccolo notes (34 seconds!) and the fingering written on the part!
Interesting that the piccoloist talks about C02 conversion if you breathe in too much air before holding the long A.

Fascinating.
Truly for the true flute-nerd.
Thanks to the friend (flute-professor and fellow flute-nerd) who sent these links.

If you're interested in Opera flute parts see John Wion's publications. Well worth the study!

Best, Jen