Newsletter - April 2018

Letter from the
President of the Flute Society
Janet Webb

I hope you have all had a nice Easter long weekend! A week earlier, we had our 2018 Gala Day. With a dance theme this year, it was a great success and fun for all. Thanks goes to the large turnout of enthusiastic flute players, the expertise and hard work by our tutors and committee members, as well as our special guests.

One recipient of our 2017 Flute Society Grant - Sarah Monk, composed a work for us to perform - The Manning River Dance. It was a most effective piece and we learnt some new techniques to create the sound of the crickets in the area. Congratulations Sarah!

In a session with Fiona Garlick from the Early Dance Consort, we learned how to dance the Baroque minuet, bouree and hornpipe. Everyone joined in and danced around the room. That knowledge was then used in group playing with the help of tutors.

Our final guest was Brian Kim. At only 18, he has been accepted to the Paris Conservatoire (the home of the flute!). His wonderful performance in our final concert was an inspiration to us all. We wish him every success in his studies abroad.

Parents were treated to a wonderful concert to end the day where the students performed Sarah's piece with great enthusiasm. Last year's Eisteddfod winners also gave impressive performances as did the individual groups formed during the day.

Thank you all for coming and we look forward to seeing (and hearing!) most of you again in the Eisteddfod on June 17.

Best wishes,
Janet
President of the Flute Society of NSW

Interview with Brian Kim
 

Mark Xiao: When did you start playing the flute?
Brian Kim: I started having lessons on the flute in January 2010.
 
MX: What do you love about the flute?
BK: What a difficult question! I love everything about the flute but if I had to pick out one aspect of the instrument, it would be its unique purity. Unlike other instruments where there is a reed, bow or mouth piece, the flute is played directly from the air of the player. I think the flute allows the audience to see the person behind the flautist: his/her thoughts, emotions, character and philosophy. This is what makes flute performances so special and interesting to me! This is what I love most about the flute. 
 
MX: Do you play any other instruments?
BK: I don’t play any other instruments at the moment, but I did play the piano during my high school years. 
 
MX: What type of flute do you play on?
BK: I play on an Altus 1507. I really like the versatility of Altus flutes in terms of the colours they can produce.
 
MX: Who is your favourite flute player?
BK: Another difficult question! When I started playing the flute, Jean-Pierre Rampal was my favourite flautist. At the moment I love listening to Emmanuelle Pahud and Philippe Bernold! 
 
MX: What is your favourite piece on the flute?
BK: My favourite piece on the flute is the piece(s) that I am playing at the moment. 
 
MX: What are your plans for the near future?
BK: My plans for the near future is to commence my studies at the Paris Conservatoire and learn from Phillipe Bernold. I hope to develop as a musician and as an individual in society! 
 
MX: What are your plans further down the line?
BK: I hope to pursue a career in music. To earn a place in an orchestra is ultimately my dream. Playing together with other great musicians who love music as much as me as an occupation would be an absolute dream! I hope to become a reputable soloist also! 
 
MX: What is one of the best pieces of advice or words of wisdom you ever came across?
BK: One of the best pieces of advice I received was actually from my mother. To do whatever I liked the most and enjoyed doing the most. I think this allowed me to approach my life with an open-mind: not just playing the flute, not just listening to flute music... but rather listening to all kinds of music, whether it be Western arts music or pop music, hanging out with my friends, playing the sports I want to play, studying subjects that I want to study, etc. I think it is important to have a balance in life, and I also believe that this ultimately benefitted my flute playing! 
 
MX: What do you think have been the strongest factors behind your achievements thus far?
BK: The strongest factors behind my achievements so far... I believe that firstly my love for music has been one of the strongest factors behind my achievements so far! It is important to do what you love as this will make you enjoy the process of practising, preparing and performing! The second aspect is determination. I believe the ability to persevere and continue to be determined even during hard times is one of the most crucial aspects in music! This ultimately drove me and helped me to get over difficult patches of my musical journey so far.

And finally, balance! Balance in life is so important to being a musician. I believe to be able to have the musical understanding of most repertoire, it is absolutely crucial to have the experience. If you haven’t felt the joy and happiness of life (whether it be achieving success or hanging out with friends) or the sadness and darker times (losing a family member or experiencing a break-up), how do you effectively express them in your music? I think experiences in life is so important to playing music as it will ultimately enhance the understanding and expression of the music (although I am aware that I have limited life experiences as an 18-year-old!).

Flute Society of NSW Eisteddfod 2018

The Flute Society of NSW organises an annual Eisteddfod for all ages and abilities. Explore previous Eisteddfod results here.

The 2018 Flute Society of NSW Eisteddfod will be held on June 17, 2018 at MLC School, Burwood. More information will be announced shortly.

2018 David Cubbin Memorial Fund

Grants are available to assist young Australian flute players attend a Flute Festival or Flute Event during 2018. Please send a letter requesting financial assistance to:

David Cubbin Memorial Fund
C/O Robert Brown
PO Box 3228, Norwood
SA 5067

Closing date is Tuesday, May 1, 2018. Please include your contact information - postal address, telephone number, e-mail address. Applicants are required to provide a supporting letter from their teacher.

Remembering Beryl Potter

The members of the Flute Society of NSW are deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Beryl Potter - an extraordinary pianist, accompanist and person. 

Many of us were not only accompanied by Beryl, but were encouraged and supported by her. Her career spanned so many years, Beryl was a part of so many of our flute playing lives. 

Beryl was also a most beautiful person - gentle and refined. She will be sorely missed.

Job Bulletin

The Riverina Conservatorium of Music in Wagga Wagga, NSW is seeking a locum flute teacher to fill a one year salary contracted placement commencing from the beginning of the public school term 4, 2018 (Monday, October 15) and to conclude at the end of term 3, 2019 (Friday, September 27).

For more information, please refer to the official application information.

upcoming events

COLLABORATE WITH US!

The Flute Society of NSW would like to call upon all of our members, both in metro and regional areas to get in touch with us if they have any ideas they would like us to be involved with. Examples include hosting a masterclass with musicians from around the state to taking advantage of the enormous talent we have here and putting on a concert or even organising trips to Sydney for lessons and concerts. Just send us your ideas or requests and if they are feasible and within our power, we will help you realise them!

WE WANT YOU

If you have anything you would like us to include in our next Newsletter, whether it be an event you would like us to help promote, or a CD or book, or simply want to let us know about someone you recently heard and would like to share it with our flute community, please send them to our Newsletter Editor, Mark Xiao at mark@flutesandflutists.com and we will try to include it in our next Newsletter.