Wednesday, June 01, 2022

Summer re-start for me

 

Dear Flute-lovers,

Well you may have noticed the quietness of this flute-blog!! Yes, sorry....I've been taking a two year break from the flute, and am about to start playing again! I retired from Conservatory teaching during Covid lockdown (I'm now in my early 60s) and also stopped playing the flute in order to rest my left shoulder/forearm musician's injury. I spent quite a bit of the time outdoors, removing invasive plants from a natural park, and returning the native plants to their right habitat. So I got lots of fresh air. But I guess I'm back babeeee!  :>) And I surely have more time now than I did when I was teaching. 

I hope flutey folk will take this opportunity to ask flutey-questions, and to think about checking out Roger Mather's "The Art of Playing the Flute" (see right sidebar for more info.) I'd love to discuss the book, and even to go further with some of the ideas about embouchure formation and ease of octave changes etc.
So let me know your thoughts.
I can be reached by email at jen (at) jennifercluff (dot) com if you have a question that is not already answered on the blog or my main website (sitemaps and indexes abound), or you can use the comment button below. The blog comments are moderated, so yours may appear a few hours later, but with an answer!

I'd also love to start a chat about new flute sheetmusic of gorgeous repertoire that folk are enjoying. I feel strongly that the flute needs lots more lyrical/beautiful/gorgeous repertoire, and that we don't have enough.
So lots of thoughts as I begin to come back from my flute hiatus.
Happy June to everyone coming out of lockdown! It looks like we'll have a beautiful summer here on the coast; nice and cool!
Looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.
Jen
Comments (16)
Anonymous Enrico said...

Welcome back Jennifer!

Thursday, June 02, 2022 4:42:00 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Welcome back, M. Cluff, I did miss your wisdom and advice. I agree with your desire to see more compositions that use the inherent, sheer beauty of a flute's sound. That is what led me to move from timpanist to flutist. While spitting and coughing into the instrument is novel and briefly amusing, it, is not the flute I love.

Thursday, June 02, 2022 4:50:00 AM

 
Blogger jen said...

Enrico, thankyou! And to our Timpanist, yes, yes, yes!
More "compositions that use the inherent, sheer beauty of the flute's sound". Exactly. Well put. Will we have to write them ourselves, I wonder??

Thursday, June 02, 2022 8:12:00 AM

 
Blogger Unknown said...

Ben tornata Jen!
Ci sei mancata ;-))))))

Thursday, June 02, 2022 8:53:00 AM

 
Blogger jen said...

Unknown said: "Welcome Back! We missed you!" and I'm all grinning and tearing up.........sniff sniff! THANKYOU!
:*>) *

Thursday, June 02, 2022 9:01:00 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You were missed. Welcome back.

Thursday, June 02, 2022 2:08:00 PM

 
Blogger jen said...

Thanks for saying "you were missed, welcome back."
Grinning. :>)

Thursday, June 02, 2022 2:14:00 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have missed these wonderful insights in my inbox, so glad you’re back! A really nice piece flute and piano piece is British Suite (Publisher is Alry)

Thursday, June 02, 2022 7:25:00 PM

 
Blogger jen said...

Thanks for your compliment and for the name of a new piece to check out.
"British Suite" can be heard here: https://ummpstore.com/en-ca/products/sullivan-british-suite
Thanks!

Thursday, June 02, 2022 9:38:00 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

So glad you are well- enjoy your flute time! Sometimes you need a break to start afresh.
I’m playing a Baroque suite with a violinist and treble recorder player. It’s by Naudot and is so beautiful. Loving it xxx

Friday, June 03, 2022 6:15:00 AM

 
Blogger jen said...

Yes, sometimes we do need a break; refresh the whole system and plan!
Naudot does indeed have some beautiful works. I've long played the Duet in the collection of "Album of Duets by Louis Moyse". Love to know which Naudot is a trio!!! Thanks. Jen

Friday, June 03, 2022 7:29:00 AM

 
Anonymous Kate said...


Welcome to your new flute journey, Jen! I will be reading along with great interest. One piece I used to enjoy performing was 'Suite de Ballet' by Ralph Vaughn Williams. Truly, a need exists for music composed for the flute. In some ways I compare this need for repertoire to that of the guitar, which borrows from other composers and genres.

Tuesday, June 21, 2022 7:15:00 PM

 
Blogger Kathryn Rose said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

Tuesday, June 21, 2022 7:24:00 PM

 
Blogger jen said...

What a co-incidence! That was one of the first pieces I ever played when I studied in the '70s with Karin Schindler, my first flute teacher! I'm beginning to believe we flutists better all start composing, don't you think? Thanks for your "welcome to the continuing journey" salutations Kate! Jen

Tuesday, June 21, 2022 7:46:00 PM

 
Blogger MATTHEW TAYLOR said...

Great to hear that you are doing well and back. Inspired to dig up the my own flute and have a good play

Sunday, June 26, 2022 6:41:00 AM

 
Blogger jen said...

Hello Matt!! It's funny about "digging out the flute" after "digging out the garden". hahahahaha! Jen

Sunday, June 26, 2022 7:32:00 AM

 

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