Welcome to 2026! A new year routinely inspires us to consider our flute goals for the next 12 months. This year let’s try something new…and it doesn’t necessarily have to all be decided upon in January. Instead of a list of goals, we can reinvent our flute playing by considering what we are leaving in 2025 and what we are embracing in 2026. For each month of the year, focus instead on one thing you can let go of and one thing you can work towards. By reframing goals, pacing them throughout the year, and gradually removing the obstacles that keep us from achieving them, our resolutions become achievable throughout the year and retain new momentum each month. In this blog, I offer a few ideas to help you create your own In/Out List. Remember, this doesn’t necessarily need to begin in January. Start this system when you are ready.
In/Out Examples:
January
Out - Comparing your flute playing to others. We all have different strengths, weakness, and musical tastes. One flutist’s playing and interests are widely different from another’s. Avoid listening for the mistakes in other flutists’ playing.
In - Thinking outside the box. Do you have a unique talent outside of flute playing? Devise a list of activities or products that combine your love of flute playing with those things you do when your flute is chilling in its case.
February
Out - Forgetting to swab your instrument. I, myself, have been guilty of hastily putting my flute back in its case to make a break for it after a long rehearsal, innocently telling myself that I will clean it when I get home. Sadly, sometimes it doesn’t happen. The problem is that dirt and bacteria collect inside the flute, on the pads, and in all the many nooks and crannies. This, of course, can lead to other more serious problems down the road.
In - Scheduling a COA. Having your flute serviced every year can be like getting a brand-new instrument when you need it the most. Also, let’s be honest, our flutes deserve far more TLC than we give them.
March
Out - Procrastinating practice. Are you guilty of one too many cram practicing sessions before important rehearsals? It is difficult to face the hard stuff. It’s also not easy to learn music slowly and steadily, especially in our current world of instant gratification. Literally face the music this month.
In – Setting practice goals before each session. Be intentional with your practice goals. How much time will you invest today in long tones? Etudes? What is the one thing you would like to accomplish by the end of your practice session?
April
Out – Mindlessly practicing scales. It’s super easy to flip to Taffanel and Gaubert’s 12 Daily Exercises, Exercise #4 and hit the “go” button on your flute playing. The problem with this is that you are simply training your fingers to remember the patterns in the same way, over and over again. There is no creativity.
In – Using your scales to practice new techniques. Want to try beatboxing? Beatbox your chromatic scale. Do tongue slaps catch you by surprise when they show up in contemporary music? Practice them on the B major scale.
May
Out – Avoiding that flute recital because your music is not yet perfect. If you wait for perfect, you will be waiting forever. Music does not need to be perfect. Even performances at awards shows like the Grammy’s are rarely perfect. Trust yourself, trust your preparation, and enjoy your moment.
In – Saying yes to available performance opportunities. You may not feel ready. You may crave more prep time. Fight that constant creeping doubt and perform anyway. Every performance is a learning opportunity.
June
Out – Playing the safe repertoire. We often turn towards safer repertoire to protect ourselves from a potential let down if we can’t perfect the music before a specific performance date. This approach limits our potential for greatness.
In – Tackling that super difficult piece that seems outside your comfort zone. The comfort zone is canceled in 2026. Find a copy of that impressive work you heard last year at the flute convention. Study it. How can you simplify what looks intimidating on the page?
July
Out – Interpreting music literally. As a performer, you bring your opinion to a piece. Tone colors, dynamics, tempos, vibrato speeds, and articulations are often based on a performer’s interpretation.
In – Writing your own music. Writing a few lines of flute music or even a cadenza for your favorite flute concerto does not require an advanced degree or a publishing deal with Bärenreiter. There are no rules about what you can and cannot write. Let your creativity flow!
August
Out – Avoiding piccolo parts. How many excuses have you invented to avoid playing piccolo music? No more excuses this month. Be brave. Be bold. And find your piccolo voice.
In – Learning a new instrument. We can learn a lot about our own musical abilities by trying something different from the flute. You may discover a sound in another instrument that translates beautifully to the flute. Keep an open mind.
September
Out – Using the break period during rehearsals to cram practice. We need breaks from our instruments to avoid burnout. A break is intended for a true rest for our smaller muscles. It is not to give you an extra 10 minutes to stress out about that annoying run that you just can’t land yet.
In – Hydrating! Bring your water bottle to rehearsal! Hydrating helps our tired muscles recover faster and our overused airways stay healthy and ready for the next challenge. This month, take some time to actually drink the water in that water bottle.
October
Out – Ill-fitting concert black outfits. When was the last time you updated your concert black gear? Are you actually comfortable playing in those worn-out digs? Treat yourself to something new if your current ensemble lacks comfort, style, or practicality.
In – Invest in comfortable black shoes to wear on stage. There is nothing more annoying than trying to slay a complicated passage while painful blisters scream for relief. A comfy, stylish pair of black shoes will take you from rehearsal to stage and back again.
November
Out – Being out of tune. None of us actually want to play out of tune, yet the reality is that it is common and sometimes based on things we cannot control. We can either bury our heads in the sand or face the tuner head-on. Spend some quality quiet time with your tuner.
In – Playing out, loud and proud. Mezzo forte and mezzo piano dynamics are comforting. Like warm musical blankets during a January chill. However, they are easy to hide in to protect ourselves from showing the world our best flute sound. This month, make your louds a bit louder and play out!
December
Out – Making New Year’s Resolutions. The new year does not need to signal a grand tossing out of the “old” to make room for the “new.” Instead, learn from the old. What experiences have shaped you this year as a flutist?
In – Being grateful for your flute playing ability and trusting yourself. No matter what performances are scheduled for this month, or which ones await in the new year, be grateful for your flute playing gifts as they are now and trust your ability to shine. You’ve got this!
Happy fluting in 2026!
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About the Author, Rachel Taylor Geier:
Rachel Taylor Geier holds a DMA in Flute Performance from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, an MM in Flute Performance from San Francisco State University, and a BM in Music Performance from DePauw University. Former applied instructors include Immanuel Davis, Linda Lukas, Anne Reynolds, and Rhonda Bradetich. Dr. Geier currently teaches and freelances in Woodland, California and hosts a popular Flute Friday Blog Series.
