Please help me! URGENT!

[JasonTongRulz]

Next week, I'm playing for the new students at our school, for the instrument demonstrations. (I'm at an all-boys school)

There are only about 7 flute players in the entire school and I'm hoping to change this (Stacks and stacks of trumpets, clarinets and saxes), and we're all each playing short solo excerpts around 30 seconds each but maximum, possibly a minute.

I'm thinking about what excerpt I should play that will convince people that the flute is cool!

I've considered playing Entr'acte from Carmen but... while it is beautiful, I don't think it will appeal to a bunch of boys that are interested in the cool jazzy trumpet and sax excerpts, the fast and exciting clarinet excerpts, or the marching-miltaristic low brass excerpts. I can't compete with slow and calm, so I'm thinking about something, in a major key definitely, that sounds bright, peppy, and also fast - very happy, cheerful and characteristic of our instrument, but not TOO technically challenging, considering I only have a few days left to learn it. Would be greatly appreciated if a recording was also attached.

Please help me!

Sincerely, Jason

[az1983]

First thing that comes to mind for me was the Bach Badinerie for flute. I've used that for a few quick-audition scenarios.

[saxyfluteguy]

I would suggest playing a section out of the Mozart Concerto in G.

Just a thought: Something in a minor key would appeal to me more than a major key as long as it didn't get too weird.
If you did this, look into playing something out of the flute transcription for the Khachaturian Concerto. It's actually really challenging, but some parts in it are easier than others.

I hope this helps!

[fluteguy18]

If you want something catchy that will appeal to the younger kids I would actually avoid classical music like the plague. While we appreciate it, they probably won't. I would do something memorable like an irish jig or something out of a really popular movie or TV show for their age (Harry Potter?).

I've done several of these things and the years that I did pop culture things (like Harry Potter), I always got a MUCH better response from the kids.

Assuming that they're male and approaching 'band' age I'm guessing that they're between 10-12. Maybe Pirates of the Caribbean or something. So while to us it seems nerve grating and annoying... you have to appeal to the masses. The 'masses' are the ones who end up paying for the lessons, instruments, music, concert tickets... etc. They pay the bills, so play what they want to hear and very few young boys want to hear Mozart, Beethoven, Bach etc...

[James_Alto]

So what did you play in the end Jason?

I think I share Fluteguy's experience; as much as Carmen, Bach or Sanmartini might appeal to us, most non-classical players really think our repertoire sucks!

I was told this week that Bach's Partita was 'academic and boring English music' (I thought Bach was German lol).

In any case, Henry Mancini's Pink Panther, or Baby Elephant Walk or Inspector Gadget comes to mind. If you're really hip, you'll play the flute version of 'Final Destination' or the theme track for Captain America. If you're like me, you'll just play something medieval and obscure like van Eyck and really put them off