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The Survival of the Flutist July 2, 2018 0 Comments STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION!The following was a talk I offered at the 2015 National Flute Association Annual Convention Flute Lover’s Luncheon in Washington D.C. Once upon a time there was a flutist who wanted to succeed in the music field more than anything else. The flutist wanted to play principal flute in a great orchestra, become famous, and be adored by all of the other flutists. If only they had this job, everything would be great. I would be happy and important thought they. The flutist applied to great universities and conservatories for music study. But the flutist’s concerned parents asked the professor what their child could do with a Bachelor of Music degree. The teacher replied, “Nothing.” After an uncomfortable silence the teacher added, “yet-anything.” |
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Crayons January 15, 2018 0 Comments black and white possessing no hue black and white page of music black and white background markings not much without each other connections not the notes but the way we connect them truth and silences, of course Someone special to me once volunteered to alphabetize all the crayons in my mega box. Guess what? They don’t end up grouped by family color. They end up in a rainbow in the middle of an already rainbow box of crayons. at first, what?????? Where are my graded, shaded, ombre colors that make me so comfortable in their sameness? gone Now I’ve started a practice while dog walking (hm….not a flute practice but I like it, I like it….) I pay close attention to my surroundings when I’m out walking Mrs. Dog I have to I’m a woman I’ve always... |
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THE TWO-PART April 20, 2017 0 Comments THE TWO-PART PART ONE The Busy Badge This semester exceeds all standards of busy by a mile. It’s not just me, it seems as if everyone is singing the same song. The schedule I thought looked reasonable on paper is a house of cards and everyday I wonder if it is the day it will tumble to the ground. Somehow, though, it stands while swaying and teetering. How did it happen? Why did it happen? This week I set out to reflect on my own badge of busy. Of course I missed a week of blogging (or maybe two) because I was so busy adjusting my busy badge, pointing it here and there and, well you know the story because you probably have one, too. In the early days of freelancing it was most important to be busy. I mean really busy-the kind of busy that made you feel as if you actually had a promise of a career in this field, let everyone know you were sought after, let everyone know you were good thus validating your practice efforts with... |
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WHEN DID IT BECOME OK? April 3, 2017 0 Comments Am I color blind?Nope. I used to say I was colorblind, that I didn’t notice such things but I’m not colorblind and I do notice. I notice color just like I notice size, shape, and other visual details. Does that make me racist? Nope, thank you very much. Actions-words-sentiments make people racist, xenophobic, homophobic, misogynistic, and all kinds of discriminatory. Now some of you may have already assumed the eye roll position and are wishing I would just shut up (and maybe I should), and you might be wondering when all these people are just going to shut up and get on with it-get on board. Maybe these people won’t ever shut up again. Maybe that’s why we’re seeing a flash flood of discriminations. So, here goes this post. “When it did become OK?” When did it become OK - to reduce a black, congresswoman to a comparison of a singer with the identifying features of race and hair. “I didn’t hear a... |
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BREAKFAST IN ATLANTA March 26, 2017 0 Comments BREAKFAST IN ATLANTA HAVING JUST REMOVED MY SLEEP NECK SUPPORT, EYE MASK AND EAR BUDS, I WALKED OFF MY FIRST FLIGHT OF THE MORNING FOR A LAYOVER IN ATLANTA. I HADN’T HAD ANY COFFEE YET AND WAS SEEING DOUBLE. I SET OFF LOOKING FOR AN ACTUAL, SIT-DOWN RESTAURANT SO I COULD SPEND A FEW MINUTES REMEMBERING HOW TO BE HUMAN AGAIN. PLUS, I’VE BEEN PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND SOME GOOD FOOD AND RESPECTABLE COFFEE IN THIS AIRPORT. COFFEE IS WHAT BRINGS ME TO THIS ENTRY. “GOOD MORNING, WHAT CAN I GET FOR YOU?” ASKED THE OBVIOUSLY CAFFEINATED AND SPIRITED SERVER. OUT OF MY MOUTH SPUTTERED, “I WSDFDF LIAHKLJHJ A AJKLJFH.” SHE RESPONDED, “OH, A LATTE? I’M REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT THOSE!” I LIKED HER RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE SHE WAS FLUENT IN JIBBERSIH WITH A SIDE OF BIG SMILE AND GREAT ATTITUDE. THE SAID-LATTE WAS EXCELLENT (SHE WAS PRETTY PROUD OF THAT TASTY LATTE AND ADMITTED TO A FEW... |
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Worth it March 18, 2017 0 Comments Worth itOnce upon a time there was a child. Like all children, the child wanted to do a good job at children things; do well at school, do well at home, be a good kid, learn, play, and be encouraged. As the child grew they began to realize they weren’t good at everything they tried. They were good at, say, English but not so good at Math. They were OK at sprinting but terrible at baseball. They were able to focus in Humanities but couldn’t keep their concentration in Science. Sometimes they felt Alone Misunderstood Ugly Stupid different Caring family, friends, and teachers told them they were fine, were special, and were valued. But the child felt embarrassed when they were called on last for team picks in physical education or when they were eliminated from the spelling bee. They hated their face and wished they looked like the... |
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POLLS March 12, 2017 0 Comments Pollswhat, can, how, should, did, could, if, do, does, where, when? Polls, you know-questions, opinions, attitudes Sometimes polls give an accurate reading of a group temperature and other times (ahem) not so much. But we still form them, give them credibility, and use them. Why? I wondered. I suppose in a way a teacher is a pollster from week to week, taking a student’s temperature, if you will, assessing their trends, varying the questions depending on the answers, and delving into more queries. Polls are markers in a way, and markers can be useful. Then I got to thinking about students and the markers we set for them. We set lesson markers, for instance. Have a lesson, make suggestions/adjustments, assign lesson material, they go off and dutifully practice- repeat. I have many inspirational cards and magnets hanging in my studio. “It’s not what the world has to offer it’s what you bring to it”,... |
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Perspiration March 5, 2017 0 Comments PerspirationA couple of years ago I had the privilege to view an excellent basketball coach work with one of the top recruits in the nation in a private one- on -one coaching. I expected to see a massive amount of sweat pour forth while watching unreasonable numbers of laps, stretches into formations that would rip my quads (sadly, not ripped), moves that would make pretzels and gymnasts envious, ball handling that required octopus limbs, and shooting from the outer space regions of the court. Thing is, I didn’t. What I saw was tedious. Surely they would soon break free of the tedium I was witnessing. Thing is, they didn’t. The tedium a highly skilled coach rebounding for a highly skilled player. The player was positioned mid- zone right in front of the basket (a shot many of us could make.) Said player had only sunk a couple shots when the coach suggested a wrist adjustment. Looser? More flop?... |
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TRAFFIC February 25, 2017 0 Comments TRAFFICCars Big Little Gas-guzzlers Energy efficient White Black all colors and sizes Speeding Rushing Slow Scared Hesitant Aggressive Texting (BOO! – get your damn eyes on the road) Day dreaming unpredictable Uses turn signals Doesn’t use turn signal Cuts in front Tailgates Sits in left lane driving oh-so-slow Turns right from left lane Road rage Singing with windows open Forgets turn signal is on Radio up so loud there is no chance of conversation or even hearing an emergency vehicle Happy when they get in front of you- somehow making them feel better about themselves Courteous Abides by the speed limit Stops on red Stops on red Stops on red (Austin, I’m talking to you! Red really doesn’t mean speed up –honest!) Waves you to their lane when you have turn indicator... |
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Forest Through the Trees February 19, 2017 0 Comments Forest Through the TreesWhen I was an undergraduate at Boston University I studied with the great Doriot Anthony Dwyer. (Google her if you don’t know her, amazing firsts from her and her ancestors) One day Mrs. Dwyer instructed me to attend the traveling exhibition of Claude Monet at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. She indicated that it would help with my flute playing, though how was a mystery. I dutifully set off to the exhibit with massive swarms of others eager to see the large body of work from this master all in one location. There were so many people packed in (I would have preferred a tin of sardines) it was difficult to move around so I cleverly worked the system by hovering around the perimeter to view his work. In those days you could get very close to the paintings and close I was. I was engaged by the mesmerizing colors and brush strokes but became bored. After shuffling around the edges of the rooms and gazing upon many paintings up close... |
