College flautist search, any ideas?

Flute_star3 · Post by **Flute_star3** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:33 pm

I'm still searching for a college, at this point I'm considering all the big name schools. I'm wondering if any of you have had any experience with any of these flautists, I'm trying to gather information on how they are to learn from. Jeanne Baxtressor, Mary Stolper, Bonita Boyd, Marina Piccinini, Michel Deboost, and Willam Montgomery are high on my list. I know they're big names, but what the hay. Do you know anything about their teaching? Or have any other suggestions?

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:24 pm

Hmmm...... BIG names indeed.

Bonita Boyd accepts OUTSTANDING players. I heard a freshman flutist at Eastman play recently, and he was wonderful. Marina Pincinnini is one of my favorite players. I played for Michel Debost in a Masterclass once, and I liked him quite a bit. He was a fantastic player in his day [he is 74 right now, and his playing is diminishing in quality]. I will honestly tell you, that the results and changes he can make in a person's playing in a short amount of time are amazing.

Jeanne Baxtressor is a legend in the flute world. If you get to study with her, you will be quite lucky indeed. I don't have much room to talk however [she is on my list of Graduate school teachers].

Anyway, Good luck in your search! Also give some local state schools a look as well. They are really great places to build performance experiance if you play your cards right.

pied_piper · Post by **pied_piper** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 9:21 pm

I can't personally speak about any of these except Bonita Boyd.

She was the featured soloist at the Hampton Roads Flute Faire this past February. She is certainly an excellent player. For one of her concert selections, she played the Polenc Sonata and I was in awe of her sound and abilities.

Later in the day she held masterclasses for the three top competition winners in both the high school and collegiate categories. Excellent teacher! Firm but caring and able to hone right in on the players weaknesses. Her suggested changes made an immediate improvement in the players performances.

Flute_star3 · Post by **Flute_star3** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 10:42 pm

Hmm, interesting. What kind of comments did Michel have for you Fluteguy?

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:07 am

When I played with him, he commented that I had a very good tone, great support, and good technique. His only comment for improvement was to play with more energy. He said:

"How old are you?"

""

"Only ___? You play like me, and I turn 74 tomorrow. Kind of like an old man. You must play like you are a young person. More energy. And this... this Chaminade... you play it like a funeral march. It is much too slow. This was written at the turn of the 19oo's and it is supposed to be light and whimsicle. You know, that is one thing I did not know when I came to America. All Americans play Chaminade like a funeral march. Too slow. You obviously have the technique to play it faster. Let's try it again at this tempo: 90"

[I was playing it at 76, and at 90 it was MUCH better.]

He also commented that I could use greater dynamic contrast. They were already good, but he thought they could be even louder/softer. But he was very complimentary overall. He was not like that to everyone though.

He is a very interesting person. In the masterclass with other performers, he was very funny. One person played loudly ALL the time. His comment about that was: "You know my student, Matthieu Dufour, yes? You see, he didn't win his job at the Chicago [?] Symphony by blowing the $h*+ out of everybody."

Another student wasn't supporting enough, so he started pushing him while he played. Then he asked the student to push him as HE played. He wouldn't budge. Then, just to prove a point, he pushed back [while he was playing] and charged the student like a a bull/ Matador.

He was very funny. He criticizes you in a manner that is humorous. Anyway, I took his advice on the Chaminade, and the next day auditioned [and won] our University Concerto Competition. I performed it with our orchestra later that semester.

Flute_star3 · Post by **Flute_star3** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:42 am

Wow, he sounds great! Thanks for sharing that Fluteguy.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 2:56 pm

He was very good in a masterclass environment. I just wish Oberlin had a Graduate/Master's degree, because I would definitely audition for him.

Flute_star3 · Post by **Flute_star3** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:05 pm

Okay, what about Nicole Esposito? She is the flautist at University of Northern Iowa. Anybody know anything about her? Maybe had a friend or something that studied with her?

etgohomeok · Post by **etgohomeok** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:55 am

Mary Stolper judged a contest I won.

So,

She's the best

Flute_star3 · Post by **Flute_star3** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:19 pm

Oh? She's at Depaul which is high on my list. What was she like?

concertpianist16 · Post by **concertpianist16** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 11:40 am

I don't know of any big names but I've heard that Central Washington University is one of the best ones in the state of Washington. But I"m not sure how far you're willing to go for college.