Hi All,
I played the flute for a couple of years in high school and dropped it due to other commitments. But now I'm really keen to get started again. I don't remember anything, so will have to start from scratch. I'm getting well and truly ahead of myself here, but how do you go about becoming a flute teacher or making some money from it? I'm 29 years old now and am wondering if it's too late for me? Is it like sport, where you have to start when you're 5 and play your whole life?
Thanks!
Well... I wouldn't say that it is impossible to become a "pro" player, but being completely honest here, the odds are against you. Heck, the odds were against me when I started taking lessons back in high school at the age of 17.
I myself have been very lucky in the regard of how much I have accomplished in only a few short years. I played for Jim Walker yesterday [a very famous flutist in Hollywood], and he was quite impressed. He ended up offering to not only give me lessons via satelite broadcast, but also let me skip the prescreening audition round at the school he teaches at and go straight into the finals when I am ready for graduate school. That is a BIG honor, and I'm very lucky. This weekend was a realization of the fact that my dreams and goals are actually achievable.
So my point behind my little story is, is that it's not impossible. What is important when restarting the flute is keeping manageable and more importantly REALISTIC goals. I could easily see you restarting and getting to a point where you could play for your own enjoyment and join a local community band. A lot of people do that. You could also [after a length of time with lessons of course] maybe have a studio where you could teach beginner and early-intermediate level flutists. It would also be a fairly realistic goal to do some very light freelancing in terms of wedding gigs. But it would be very important not to step on the toes of local professionals who make their living off of these gigs.
Take baby steps, and you will do fine. Make small realistic goals. I sometimes like to think of it like this: Small goals are like pennies. If you keep an eye on the pennies, the dollars take care of themselves. [ It's an allusion to attaining financial wealth. I just use it in the sense that small goals eventually achive big goals].
Thanks for replying and congrats on your recent success. I realise the odds are against and that i'm getting WAY ahead of myself. Just wanted to know if there was even an outside chance. I mean if I wanted to become a pro tennis player, for example, it just simply can't be done at 29yo. Just wondering if flute was the same. First aim is to learn some very basic songs! After that maybe join some sort of local band just for fun.
It is not impossible at all! I am 52 years old and took the flute back up 1-1/2 years ago. Went over 30 years without playing. I started back up by myself, then began lessons with a college professor, and was asked last September to be the flute instructor at a local music store. I play in several community groups in my area as well as a flute group that plays for nursing homes and wedding receptions, and have been asked to play for several church cantatas.
I do not aspire to be the premier flutist in an orchestra, but I do want to be the best musician that I can be, as well as have the pleasure of making music. I believe that everyone should go for their dream, no matter what their age. Good luck, and good for you!
it's certainly possible. i've known a pro oboe player who start playing oboe when he was 21. i also started playing flute on 15, hope someday i can be a pro...
