Category: Thoughts

Flute, Performing, Thoughts, Utah Valley Symphony

Patriotic Concert Thoughts

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Outdoor summer concerts in the park are always fun. Of course you invariably have mother nature to compete with, especially the wind. Honestly though, this year the wind wasn’t too bad. The biggest challenge is moving your clothespins fast enough to turn your page, getting your music clipped again before it blows away and playing your next entrance on time. It feels like a musical race, so to speak.

This concert was a musical celebration of the 250th anniversary of America. It was nice to enjoy some traditional classics such as America the Beautiful, Battle Hymn of the Republic, songs from West Side Story, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and of course, the Stars and Stripes Forever. Regrettably, I didn’t get a photo of our flute section playing our three piccolos for the famous piccolo solo. But that’s okay, it was still enjoyable. An audience member commented how it was fun to hear the three piccolos playing. I thought, “If you couldn’t hear the three piccolos, then maybe you should visit a hearing specialist, haha.”

We also played the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky. If you look closely enough on either side of the orchestra, you can see some mini canons. They might look mini, but they were programmed to make some real canon sounds at the appropriate time in the music. It was awesome to actually have canons going off. Admittedly, the first one took me by surprise. Even though I knew it was coming, it was much louder than I was expecting. But it was an amazing feeling playing the incredible music while they were sounding off. What a genius composer!

Another fun thing about an outdoor venue such as this is to see all the families with young children come who might not otherwise be able to sit through a formal concert in a formal setting. I love the feeling of community and friendship that these events naturally bring. As we were playing, I thought to myself, “This is one of the reasons I love playing the flute. I love sitting in the center of the orchestra and making music with my colleagues and having family and friends come enjoy the music.”

May God Bless America!!

Festivals, Flute, Thoughts

End of Semester Thoughts

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As this flute semester is drawing to a close, I’m pausing to reflect on my students’ development. I’m really pleased with how they have grown with tone, vibrato, dynamics, and rhythms, to name a few. Beyond their flute abilities, and perhaps even more important, is how they have grown in their confidence, their patience, and their dedication.

We finished our flute festivals a couple of weeks ago and all of my students received Superior ratings (again)!! Woohoo!! Way to go everyone!! However, for me, the recognition of their hard work by receiving Superior ratings is not the end goal. I believe that what is more important is what they’ve learned and how they’ve grown this past semester. Festival is a way to help push flute students to polish songs and really focus on improving certain aspects of their playing. In fact, I had one student who ended up being sick and wasn’t able to participate in festival, but I rejoice in the progress she made in preparation for the event, even though she wasn’t able to participate.

And so in music, as well as in life, we should periodically pause to reflect on the progress we’ve made since the new year and pause to reflect on what steps we can now take to continue our improvement and progression. Choose one thing you can do to strengthen your skills as a flute player. And choose one thing you can do improve yourself as a person.

Flute, Practicing, Thoughts

A New Year – A New Day

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We are eleven days into the new year. What have you done differently these past eleven days? Have you made a long list of goals or does that just discourage you? Resolutions are great but also hard to keep, especially if you are over zealous with your goals. I hear that January is the busiest time at the gym with everyone and their new goals, but then gradually attendance tapers off as people give up on their goals.

A new year seems to be more of a fresh start for many people. Although, in reality, each day should be a fresh start for all of us. A new day is a new opportunity to accept who we are yet view the fresh possibilities that lie before us for the next 24 hours.

How will YOU use this new day? How will YOU use this new year?

My advice is to start small. Goals don’t have to be monumental. Perhaps your goal today is simply to smile just a little more than you did yesterday. Maybe your goal is to be a little kinder or more forgiving. Or maybe your goal really is to exercise more. Whatever it is, start small.

Now in terms of flute practicing, again, my advice is to start small. Perhaps your goal is to practice for 5 more minutes. Maybe your goal is to listen to your tone instead of going through the motions. Or your goal could be to memorize one more measure of your song. Whatever you choose, make some kind of goal when you get your flute out and don’t just go through the motions.

And, also as with life, don’t just go through the motions. Live each day. Try a little harder and if you don’t achieve your goal, remember that tomorrow will be a new day.

Thoughts

Count Your Blessings

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  • Count your Blessings instead of your Crosses.
  • Count your Gains instead of your Losses.
  • Count your Joys instead of your Woes.
  • Count your Friends instead of your Foes.
  • Count your Smiles instead of your Tears.
  • Count your Courage instead of your Fears.
  • Count your Full Years instead of your Lean.
  • Count your Kind Deeds instead of your Mean.
  • Count your Health instead of your Wealth.
  • Count on GOD instead of Yourself.
Flute, Thoughts

What is Success?

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Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Success is like an iceberg. People often only see what is above the water.

They forget about how much of that iceberg is below the water.

Photo by SIMON LEE on Unsplash

They don’t see or recognize the hard work, the failure, the persistence, the dedication, the sacrifice, the discipline, the criticism, the good habits, the courage and everything else it takes to get there.

Next time you wonder if you are successful, remember that you are doing better than you think you are. Whether it’s flute playing or anything other endeavor in life, as long as you keep trying to improve, as long as you pick yourself up and dust yourself off, as long as you don’t give up, you are being successful.