Adding Confidence to Your Flute Playing

About Adding Confidence to Your Flute Playing

Grow your confidence in playing and performing in supportive course led by flautist Elizabeth Walker

What is the course about?

Discover dramatic colours and sonorities in your flute playing in this friendly and relaxed course. Tutor Elizabeth Walker will lead you in the exploration of characterful and accessible pieces chosen to help you explore sonority, colours, expression, and techniques for developing your confidence.

The course repertoire is specially selected to enhance techniques such as breathing and sonority. The theme for this course is The Flute at the Opera, encompassing dramatic works arranged for flute and piano. For those returning, it will take ideas from last year's theme Play Like a Singer.

During the course, you'll also work with accompanist Richard Shaw on your own choice of repertoire and take part in joyful full flute ensembles (giving you the chance to play piccolo, alto and bass flutes). Throughout, Elizabeth will share insights and tips for performing with added confidence.

What will you learn?

The course aims to give you a renewed focus on using your voice and full dynamic range of expression in your flute playing.

Through the course repertoire you will develop your techniques in breathing, tonal colours, intonation, as well enhancing your ability to play with confidence, musical style, and improved sonority.

How will the course be taught?

Your course days will start with warm ups, before moving onto a variety of sessions including daily flute ensemble, one-to-one lessons and rehearsals with accompanist Richard Shaw.

Who is the course for?

The course is designed for flautist playing at the Improver and Confident levels, at around the Grade 6 level. Please see our Ability Level Explained for further details.

Flautists playing on baroque or eight-keyed classical flute are welcome, but should be happy to bring and play modern flute in the ensemble sessions.

Will music be provided and do you need to prepare or bring anything?

Course repertoire will include:

Claude-Paul Taffanel & Carl Maria von Weber Fantasy on 'Der Freischütz'
W A Mozart arr. Johann Went The Magic Flute for Two Flutes
W A Mozart Overture from The Magic Flute
Roberto Ventimiglia Six Sketches for an Unwritten Opera

Flute ensemble music will be provided ahead of and during the course.

You will need to submit your own repertoire choices for your session with Richard Shaw at least one month before the start of the course.