A blog on playing from memory! An excellent skill to develop with many benefits. Incentive Memorising a piece of music, a speech or poem is
NFA 2019 Newly Published Music Competition Winners
It’s that time of year again and the results of the 2019 National Flute Association Newly Published Music Competition are in! Here is our annual
Tonguing tips
Here are some of my thoughts on tonguing, with some exercises and information about the tongue itself. Tone The first step is to get the
Haynes Flute Serial Numbers
Below is a list of the serial numbers of handmade flutes produced by the Wm S Haynes Flute Company. Please note that this does not
So you want to be a piccolo player?
Buying a piccolo is so exciting! It may be small in size but it is a powerful instrument, and eventually, you will be able to dominate everything! It can also be a very beautiful instrument and – in the right hands – an utterly magical one.
Practising Scales
For some people, the mere mention of “scales” leaves them feeling depressed, anxious or just confused! But since music is made up of scales and
Chaminade Concertino – Practice Tips
Following on from my Taffanel blog, here is a practice guide for another great French work: Chaminade’s Concertino. This piece is played a lot, but
Louis Lot Flute Serial Numbers
Below is a list of the serial numbers of flutes produced by the great French flute maker Louis Lot. From 1887, metal flutes were given
Taffanel’s Andante Pastoral et Scherzettino: A practice guide
Taffanel’s Andante Pastoral et Scherzettino is a gem in the French flute repertoire and one of my favourites. Indeed, I played this piece for my
Organising a flute event
Flute events can be a great way to bring together flute-loving people in your community, or from further afield. As an organiser of several masterclasses,
“What Should I be Practising?”
Learning the flute (or any musical instrument) is not always a smooth process of steady improvement. We all learn in different ways with our own
Tips on Andersen Etudes: Op15, No. 3
This is probably everyone’s favourite étude – it is certainly the one that gets performed the most outside of the practice room. It’s a triplet
How to Start a Beginner Flute Ensemble
Whether you are a novice in charge of your first flute choir, or you are a veteran and have run many ensembles, choosing music for
Idyll – The English Flute Unheard
An Introduction to the Repertoire When my pianist Oliver Davies and I started researching suitable repertoire to include on our album “Idyll”, we had no idea
Flute Tutor Books – Recommendations 2018
The market for flute tutor books is crowded and often bewildering. Chris Hankin picks out three modern books which are all written by flute players.
NFA 2018 Newly Published Flute Music Competition Winners
The results of the 2018 National Flute Association Newly Published Music Competition are in! Here’s the run-down of the winning titles by category. Flute and