Unforgettable Music Teachers

 Dear Flute lovers,

 I'm still loving this  Jeremy Denk article in the New Yorker about his piano teachers when he was young and the fantastic drawings one of his earliest teacher put into his lesson notebook each week. Read this fun piece here:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/04/08/every-good-boy-does-fine

To see his actual piano lesson notebook, watch the video here: Video at the NewYorker

Quote: 

" (My piano teacher) Leland’s notebook is surprisingly visual. In place of the paste-on stars used by piano teachers everywhere, Leland drew stars by hand, giving nuance to his praise: sometimes the stars were beaming with pride, sporting halos or crowns; sometimes they had sidelong glances, to reflect mitigated success; some stars were amputees, and limped on crutches; and sometimes things were so generally disappointing that he drew a slug, or a caterpillar, or even, on one terrible occasion, a toilet. There were other artistic annotations, such as a drawing of a large check from the Screwball Bank of West Burlap, dated April 7, 1981, and made out to me for a million dollars: I had at last remembered to play a correct F-sharp in place of an erroneous F-natural.

On a typical page of the notebook (March 12, 1981), Leland writes, “Scale practice is getting sloppy.” He suggests practicing scales in a series of rhythms—eighth notes, triplets, sixteenths—and urgently switches to capitals: “USE METRONOME.” This heartless device is invoked constantly: “Metronome! You need an outside policeman every time the inner policeman breaks down”; “Use Metroyouknowwhat”; and on and on. Anyone who has taken music lessons knows the indignity of emulating a machine until every last human vagary vanishes. The clicking monster was also part of Leland’s cunning scheme to prevent me from playing everything as fast as I possibly could. In response to my performance of William Gillock’s “Forest Murmurs,” Leland writes, “Forest Murmurs, not Forest Fire!” Below a carefully drawn portrait of a sullen Beethoven saying, “Man muss zufrieden sein! (One must be happy!),” he complains that my tempo “sounds like a Hell’s Angels motorcycle race.” At the bottom of another page, there is a “Quote of the Week”—“It’s amazing what you can do when you go slower!”—attributed to me in the act of discovering this brilliant truth."

Enjoy,

Best, Jen

Anchor tongue reversal success story

Dear Flutelovers,

What a success story! Read below to find out the secrets to reversing anchor tonguing from this lovely University fluteplayer! Enjoy our emails going back and forth where an anchor tonguing habit is reversed (with audio proof!)

Gianna writes:

Dear Ms. Cluff,

Hello, I hope you are doing well! My name is Gianna and I am a flute student from the United States. I just finished my sophomore year of university as a double major in Music and English, and I am currently looking at masters programs for either Music Education or Law. I have been playing since October 2014. I took private lessons for 7 full years before starting college, and my current teacher plays in a professional orchestra. I have studied with her for 2 years.

I am emailing asking for your advice or help with a flute question. I know your website says that you are in retirement right now, and to only email you if we have a rare question. I think my question does fall into that "rare" category, however, I do completely understand if you do not wish to answer questions at the time being. I have looked at your website for years, and it is such a wonderful resource, and I've learned so much from reading all of the articles! Your flute blog also happens to be one of the only places online that talks about anchor tonguing. Even with teachers I have worked with in real life, anchor tonguing is not a very well-known topic. 

I have been anchor tonguing since I learned to play the flute and only realized this together with my current teacher and your article on anchor tonguing in August of 2024. With the way my anchor tonguing works, my tongue pushes up against my lower lip. I have come to discover that my embouchure is tongue-assisted, as the tongue has pushed my embouchure into place, especially my lower lip forward. I physically tongue somewhere between the middle of my tongue and the tip of my tongue. It is not exactly the "na" tonguing done with the middle of the tongue, but something similar. I have always struggled with tonguing clearly. Every professional flutist I've seriously worked with has noticed that my tonguing is subpar compared to my tone, finger technique, musicality, etc., but none could easily tell it was because I was anchor tonguing. I can double tongue, but it is not exactly the correct way. 

As soon as I realized, I set out to correct it. Once I un-anchored my tongue, I couldn't play at all for at least a week because my whole embouchure fell apart and I had no idea what to do with my lower lip. Lots of Moyse longtones, lyrical tone exercises (Trevor Wye, Studies in Lyricism, Tone Development Through Interpretation), harmonics, tonguing exercises (T+G, Reichert, Maquarre), etc. later, I can play the "normal" way without anchoring my tongue. However, it felt almost as if I was learning how to play the flute all over again. Two semesters later, my tone, musicality, ability to play with dynamics and taper, etc. is still not up to par with the way it was before I un-anchored my tongue. That would be 8 months. I know on your website it says it might take 5 weeks to correct the anchor tongue, but I feel as though I've completely plateaued. I've been trying really hard to keep as positive as possible, but it is frustrating. 

I have never performed without my anchor tonguing. Usually, that is my default way of playing unless I am intentionally in the practice room working on playing without the anchor tongue, or showing my teacher the progress I made. My teacher says she wants me to sound good, and with the new un-anchoring, I just don't sound as good, so she usually tells me to play with my anchor tongue. My teacher told me if my anchor tongue tone and playing is a 10/10, my un-anchor tongue tone and playing is a 7/10 -- but it's a pretty significant 3 point drop. Not the kind of playing that will win more competitions or get into more summer programs. My teacher says that when playing without the anchor tongue, having a strong inner lip as well as the corners of my lips back will help a lot. In addition, I should focus on air pressure, keeping my throat open, and using more air. I have been working on all of this. She told me she has no problem with me exploring my anchor tonguing with other teachers or reaching out to others for advice.

This all comes down to the questions I have: have you ever worked with a student in university who has had to overcome anchor tonguing? How long did it take to correct the anchor tongue and feel like playing without it was truly natural? Besides what I am doing now, is there anything else I can do to correct the anchor tongue? Are there any specific tips you have for anchor-tonguers in terms of fixing the embouchure and how it relates to the embouchure that one may have created when anchor tonguing with a tongue-assisted embouchure? Is it worth it to keep trying to play without the anchor tongue when I have been playing with it for 10 years? 

I've never actually left a flute question before, so I hope this email isn't too long. 

Thank you so much!!! Many thanks!!!

Sincerely, Gianna

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Jen writes:

Hi Gianna,

Thanks for asking a very interesting question and giving all the details. I did have one student who corrected her anchor tonguing in two months just from reading my article on it, but she did it over Xmas and just presented it as already fixed the following term. I'd actually love to hear a recording of your single and double tonguing on one note. It would help me to hear. (Note: scroll down to hear it)

I think that part of the solution for you might be the placement of the tongue inside the mouth once it is no longer supporting the lower lip.

For me I've found that the tongue is not lying flat at the bottom of the mouth (out of the way and leaving a large air-channel) but is half way up the mouth in a horizontal manner, with the sides of the tongue actually touching the inside of the TOP teeth.

You might have been trying to pull your tongue out of the way when in fact it's useful as an "elevated floor" when the edges of the tongue touch the inside edge of the UPPER molars half way back in the mouth.

The tongue position know-how is something Keith Underwood teaches. It's not covered in the Roger Mather e-book (which I sell) but Betty Mather and I discussed this several times. It's also mentioned briefly by James Galway (but I don't have a link) where he says that when he's double tonguing he can feel the sides of the tongue against the inside of his upper molars. The tongue's position as a platform, a bit like an elevator inside the mouth is one of the fundamentals of channeling the airstream. The tongue is best utilized slightly risen in the mouth to guide the airstream into the embouchure hole of the flute. If you can touch the lower edges or insides of the upper molars using the tongue as a platform for that channeling, you narrow the space in the mouth vertically and that speeds up the air all by itself by geometry and gives you fast air. That alone makes everything easier.

(click on jpg to enlarge it)

Note: I'm still working on diagramming a tongue from the front and sides and it's challenging for my computer art-work ha ha. Jen

--------------------

Gianna writes:

Thank you so much! I just wanted to wait a few days before I responded to you so I could practice this and make sure nothing was a fluke. 

The change in tongue position actually helped me a lot! This description is extremely helpful. Yes, you are right in that I was originally trying to get my tongue out of the way and put it flat at the bottom of my mouth. Using the tongue as an "elevated floor" instead and touching the upper molars helps a lot. I always had a sort of "breathless" feeling when playing without the anchor tongue before that I thought was me needing to work on breath support more after un-anchoring the tongue, but after changing my tongue position like you said, the air seemed to have a clear channel in the mouth and playing felt easier and more natural. 

I attached a video (nb: now audio) recording of me playing as you requested. I did single and double tonguing on one note in two octaves, both with the anchor tongue and without. I also included excerpts from a lyrical etude and a technical etude with some tonguing to give some context for how my tone sounds with and without the anchor tongue if you would like to listen. I do understand that I am still a student and that I also have other things to work on in my playing besides tonguing.

(Jen says: HERE IS THE AUDIO FOR THAT VIDEO )

Gianna continues:

I feel that my sound is less present and full without the anchor tongue still, but this description and change of using the tongue as an elevated floor made a difference to how everything feels, and makes me feel like I can improve past this instead of plateau.   

It's also really helpful to know that you had a student correct her anchor tonguing in two months. That has me thinking that I probably need to correct something as opposed to just keep doing what I've been doing -- I had something incorrect.

I appreciate your help very much!

Gianna

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Jen writes:

Regarding your recording holy smokes!! :>D

I find your tone very nice and full without the anchor tonguing. Your "without anchor tonguing" samples sound AMAZING!!!!!!!! I cannot be happier to hear what you just sent me. You have accomplished it already! You've already made HUGE gigantic tonal improvements by removing the anchor tonguing. The final piece of information was the one I just gave you I guess. And I will try and find out more from reviewing all my Keith Underwood masterclass notes.

Yes leaping into the high register with ease will be the last 10% of your tone journey, now that you know that the tongue CAN touch the inside edges of the upper molars from the half-way-back point (along the sides) to give you an elevated platform with which to direct the air into the mouthpiece. Exactly. All that you needed. This is incredible, actually. You've already accomplished it and only one more thought was needed. CONGRATS!! I'm so pleased I could be of help.

Gosh I loved hearing your tone quality change! And the clarity of the tonguing is FABULOUSO!! :>D

--------------------

Gianna writes:

Hello, hope all is well! I am so sorry it's been a week and I forgot to respond to you because of all the stress of final papers and exams (but it's over now and I'm glad!). Finals week was crazy!

I just wanted to say, a million thanks!!! Thank you so much!! This was the one final thought I needed, and it changed everything. Tone-wise it's so much better, and it feels so much easier to play! Really, I appreciate this so much, thank you for clearing up months of roadblocks! 

My teacher and jury were very happy with my playing during finals week after the correction, and my exam went so well!

Thank you so much again! Wishing you the best! (and yes you can publish this exchange on your blog). Gianna

----------------

Jen says:

Congratulations. You did all the work! :>D

I'll work more on diagrams for the future!

Chant de Linos played as jazz

 A fabulous new version of Jolivet's Chant de Linos played as a jazz duo with flute and guitar by Hiro Honshuku  (video)

Enjoyed this more than the original! Comments welcome!

Jen

Franck & Tchaikovsky on Piccolo

 Dear Piccolo lovers,

I just love a good transcription (and this one may even be a thousand times more riveting than the original, I dare say)! From the  "Masters of Piccolo"Festival, Moscow, April 2, 2025:

The Prelude, Fugue and Variation for Organ, by Cesar Franck

 Concert Transcription for Piccolo & Piano by Eugene Magalif

Piccolo played by: Aglaya Shuplyakova

(video)

More piccolo repertoire recommendations welcome!

Update: another super interesting piccolo piece (June 20 2025):

Tchaikovsky Piccolo Scherzo opus 42 (video)

Ksenia Kuelyar-piccolo & Elena Lebedeva-piano

Enjoy,

Best, Jen

Everything (so far) about Flute Etudes

 

I have learned that the best etudes are the ones that are the most melodiously attractive because we don't play them mechanically, but beautifully. There's also a lot to be said about suiting the level you're actually at and not straining your flute playing too far too fast.

It can get ugly and stressful if you have no air left and the leaps are too large, I know from hundreds of mistakes that I have made. :>) Jen (writing to the emailing flutist).

_______________________________

It was so interesting helping to locate the emailed mystery etude last week (which turned out to be Kohler's Virtuoso op.75) because it brought to light several features of self-teaching flute players:

- they can lack enough gorgeous etudes that a flutist can really fall in love with in their collection (and be playing off random photocopies with no composer's name nor opus number)

- they can, possibly accidentally, be playing Virtuoso Etudes when there may be more appropriate graded etudes that won't strain the embouchure over long practice sessions like some "work-outs" can (don't forget Andersen injured his tongue trying to out-do his imagined competition and ended his own career).

- they can possibly be just "playing through" a favourite page of an oft repeated etude for fun without making any daily technical improvements. Although we all want to have fun etudes to play, we also want to be improving each time.

So to be fairly sharing all that I know I went through my past blogposts and have linked all the best information about etudes that I've written to date, below. 

Enjoy! Many have links to free etudes.

And comment below if you have favourites to add (comments can take a few hours to appear as they are moderated to avoid spam).

Best and hope this helps get all the info. in one place,

 Jen

______________________

Jen's Articles on Flute Etudes

with links to many free ones and etude books to invest in over time.

Introduction to Flute Etudes

Graded flute exam syllabus that includes quality etudes by name and publisher (in pdf)

How to learn flute etudes

Jen's favourite etudes list (with links)

Beginner/Novice Etudes (a teacher asks)

Kummer op110 Etudes for Intermediates (with practice videos)

Intermediate/Advanced Topics:

Intermediate Etudes Collection from Australia (well worth it!)

Making etudes easier for yourself (de-monstering advanced etudes)

J.S. Bach works used as Etudes

Using Etudes for Sightreading

___________________end list so far 2025

Questions welcome!!!

Mystery Etude

 Do you recognize this etude?

Update next day: Thanks to keen-eyed Elizabeth B, we have solved the mystery in less than 24 hrs!! The Flute Community wins again! 

Answer? It's Kohler's Opus 75 Virtuoso Etudes. Ta DA!!

Thanks again Elizabeth. Fabulouso!!

____________________

I'd originally written:

A travelling adult flute player sent this jpg of a favourite etude and hoped that I would recognize it. She travelled from Australia to the United Kingdom and could not rest until she found her missing page.  

Do you recognize this etude? Please help solve this interesting mystery! 

Email me or comment below.

PS. Comments are moderated so it takes a few hours sometimes for me to approve them as I'm not always at the computer.

 Best, Jen

Goldberg Variations - Bouriakov

 Dear Flutelovers,

Like many classical music lovers born in the early sixties, I was deeply affected by the prevalence of the Glenn Gould recordings of the J.S. Bach Goldberg variations growing up in Canada:

Glenn Gould BWV 988 remastered from 1955 and 1959 (on youtube)

Well what a thrill this week to find that Denis Bouriakov has transcribed several of the Goldberg Variations for flute and has just performed them in concert!

Denis Bouriakov plays J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations (video)

Denis doesn't yet have the sheetmusic available of his Goldberg arrangement but we look forward to it when there's time in his busy career! (see his other arrangements here (free) and here.)

Comments welcome,

Best, Jen