My grandfather was the master of the “When I was your age…” storyline. I grew up with tales of long treks through the snow to get to the school bus stop and evenings spent with nothing more than a record player to entertain the entire family. As I enter my middle age, I find myself telling my own “When I was your age..” stories to my students. I use them not as a way of explaining how hard things used to be in the “olden” days (of the 1990s), but rather as short nuggets of advice to help them better their flute playing careers a bit faster and more efficiently than I did. In this blog, I am sharing my top 10 most valuable pieces of advice taken from these stories. Use these quick tips to ignite those lightbulbs of inspiration in your own flute playing life!
1. Harmonics are magical for your flute playing. I was recently asked, “If you only had time to practice one thing each day, what would it be?” Easy peasy – harmonics! Practicing harmonics addresses two essential things for your flute playing. They strengthen your lower register by refining the upper partials, adding vibrancy to the fundamental pitch. Hello, projection! Secondly, they stretch the embouchure for ultimate lip flexibility. In the gym, this would be like having an exercise that builds muscle (ex. lifting weights) while also stretching the muscle (ex. yoga). The best part? Harmonics are short, easy exercises to practice daily.
2. Find your practice power hours. Some of us are more productive in the morning. Others get a powerful boost of energy after lunch. And some are night owls, doing our best work when the rest of the world turns in for the evening. During my summer at the Interlochen Arts Camp, I discovered that I did my very best practicing from 7:00-9:00 pm each night. The practice rooms were quiet as most other students had already left for the day. There were no other impending activities so my attention could be laser- focused on my music. There was also something about nightfall that always sparked my creativity, like a painter with a blank canvas. My advice – find your blank canvas time. Try practicing at different times in your schedule.
3. Memorize your solos. The additional work you put into memorizing your music pays off in wonderful and unexpected ways! When I entered solo and ensemble contests in my youth, the one thing that always gave me a leg up on my competition was that my solos were memorized. Some of our finest flute professionals perform from memory (Jasmine Choi is a great example). Memorizing your music ensures that it is always there, in your mind, ready to play at a moment’s notice.
4. Sometimes you just need to slow down and notice the little things. Alexander Technique taught me to notice how my body reacts to anxiety, how my thoughts sometimes twist reality when I am nervous, and that I, in fact, have the power to choose a different reaction. Wait…what??? I can simply choose to not be scared and tell my tense neck to chill out? Indeed! If we take the time to notice those small reactions, we have the power to change negative thoughts and the unhelpful physical habits that accompany them into more positive, light, and comfortable responses.
5. Allow yourself to fail (or at least not play perfectly). The Inner Game of Music by Barry Green has been my bible for performance anxiety for the past two decades. In this book, Barry shares a story about a cellist who was struggling with a difficult passage. Instead of giving the typical, “play slowly with a metronome” boring advice, he told her to just play badly. What happened next was interesting – she played the passage perfectly! Why? Because he removed the pressure of perfection from her plate. Whenever you find yourself nervous about a performance, ask yourself what would happen if you played badly. The worst-case scenario in the imagined aftermath of an unsuccessful performance is usually not likely to happen and nearly always not the end of the world.
6. Enter that competition! Competitions can be scary. Everyone is trying to play their best to take home that trophy, scholarship, or job. So, why do it? Because entering competitions pushes you outside your comfort zone, helping you set and conquer performing goals. If you don’t win, it’s totally okay! Think about the ways that you could win next time. Competitions encourage us to take risks. You may win (yay!) but you will always improve your playing in the process.
7. Remember: It’s not “performing”; it’s just sharing. This is an idea I picked up through the Flute 360 Accelerator program and flute coach extraordinaire, Heidi Kay Begay. We give a lot of weight to a “performance.” We expect brilliance and perfection from ourselves, desperately seeking approval and applause from the audience. Yet, in reality, a performance is just a more sophisticated version of Show and Tell. You are simply sharing your playing with others. Be authentically and unapologetically yourself and your performances will always be great.
8. Haters gonna hate…so let them. We’ve all been there at one point or another. A disapproving comment shows up on your social media. A jealous colleague tells you they played your solo better at a more important competition. Silence your critics by literally not listening to them. Just give them a polite, “Thank you for your feedback,” hit ignore, and shift your focus onto living your best life. It’s literally that easy. Haters be gone!
9. Ask the questions that others are afraid to ask. We spend a lot of time in the classical world following the rules, watching the conductor, and not rocking the boat. That is exactly why I began writing a blog. I wrote about the difficult stuff. I tackled burnout, perfectionism, and dealing with rejection. I asked the tough questions about why we still subscribe to outdated ideas about what a music career “should” look like. By doing so, I opened dialogs with other flutists that had previously remained shut or discussed only behind closed doors. Don’t be afraid to speak up.
10. Know your strengths and find your niche. I spent several years dreaming of a career in performance. I wanted desperately to join an orchestra, teach at a University with a booming studio, and tour as a virtuoso. In order to accomplish these goals, I did what many of us did - I followed the rules. I practiced for several hours per day. I gave recitals. I played in school orchestras and bands. Yet, there was no job waiting for me on the other side of grad school life. Feeling like a failure, I started a blog. I didn’t think anyone was reading my ramblings, so I gave myself creative license to be myself. Little did I know, these blog posts would become my niche. Sure – I’m a decent flutist, but my writings make me truly me. Not all flute careers look the same. Create a new path that is all about you, your strengths, your interests, and your unique view of the flute and flute playing.
Happy fluting!!
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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 Davis, California and hosts a popular Flute Friday Blog Series.
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Related blogs: Practice Makes Progress - Designing an Effective Practice Routine • Knowledge is Power - Audition Tips
