Flute Teachers!

Ilovetheflute · Post by **Ilovetheflute** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:42 pm

Has anyone studied with Christina Jennings? If not, does anyone know anything about her or the college of music in Boulder Colorado? I am going there for undergrad and was wondering about her and the program. Any help would be great!! I just want to know if I can contend with those flutists graduating from places like Rice, Carnegie Mellon, Oberlin etc!?!

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:49 pm

Hi!

I haven't studied with her, but she is by far my favorite flutist. I am looking to study with her for my Master's degree. I haven't met her, but have emailed her a few times and she seems really friendly. I am sure that our friend on here by the name of Sidekicker can tell you about her a bit more. He knew/met/heard her perform back when she was living in Oklahoma.

Background info on Mrs. Jennings:

She attended The Juilliard School for her undergraduate and master's degrees. While there she studied with Jeanne Baxtresser and Carol Wincenc. She studied with Leone Buyse for a while at Rice, and I think she might have gotten her DMA from there [if she has one]. She won the NFA Young Artist competition when she was 25. She has won several competitions other than that, and does a lot of masterclasses. She has a website: http://www.christinajennings.com

There is a lot of good stuff on there, and a link to the UC Flute studio website. She has a few clips of her playing on her website [and pics etc.]. She also gives a seminar every summer called "The Panoramic Flutist." Her co-host for the seminar is her teacher Leone Buyse. I was going to be attending it this summer, but it has been cancelled this year. It turns out that she and her husband [VERY recently] found out that they will become parents to a set of twins on May 5th. As a result, they are returning all deposits/application fees for this year's program.

Well... I hope that this was helpful. If you have access to a backlog of the FluteTalk magazine, back in 2003 , she was the featured artist, and had a 3-4 page long article and interview in it.

So, if you are studying with her this fall, I certainly hope you stick around long enough for me to ask you about her! I am green with envy at the moment because I want to study with her quite badly. But, I am content enough to have webcam lessons with Jim Walker at the moment.

Ilovetheflute · Post by **Ilovetheflute** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:58 pm

Wow well thanks for your very thorough answer! You have really given me some insight on Mrs. Jennings! I was wondering if she is giving birth this may. I did an audition for her in December and she did not look pregnant at the time but that would mean she was only 3 months. Well anyway...do you think that going to Boulder will make me or any flutist attending there capable of being as good as let's say someone from Rice? I am an aspiring orchestral player and all I want to do is be in an orchestra.

Where do you go now?

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:31 am

I don't think that she knew she was pregnant either! Everything was on schedule for Panoramic Flutist 2 weeks ago, and it is now cancelled quite suddenly....

UC is a school that can definitely turn you into that kind of player if you want it to. Almost any school is like that. The majority of how good you are as a player is determined by your drive and willpower to succeed. Last year's NFA Young Artist winner was a 22 year old from a public state school in the middle of Iowa. He came out of nowhere, and was amazing!

I go to a state school in central KY. When I came here, I wasn't in a position to consider a conservatory of any kind. But, between my hard work/dedication, I think [and a few other people in the music biz] that I will be a serious contender for any school/conservatory in the country when I apply for graduate schools. I am hoping that they are right.

Ilovetheflute · Post by **Ilovetheflute** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:24 pm

Yes I do agree with you there. Do you have any advice for an entering freshman???

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 6:23 am

Practice HARD. 4 years is not a long period of time in which to become a professional level player. I didn't practice as hard as I should have my freshman year, and I really regret it. Don't stay up too late, don't party too much, don't skip class, and don't forget to do your homework.

When being off to school by yourself for the first time, it is WAY too easy to start living an unbalanced lifestyle. If you don't have balance, then the other parts of your life are going to suffer. I for example am too prone to spend more time practicing than socializing. I was starting to get lonely, so I joined a music fraternity [Delta Omicron] so that way I would have a set amount of time every week that was forced socialization. I've been much happier since then.

Just find balance. Practice hard, and be willing to start from the beginning again. Chances are are that Mrs. Jennings will want to change a few of your basic playing techniques. Try your best to learn things her way, but don't be afraid to start trying other new things if her methods don't work for you after a while. And seriously... don't party too hard/much. That can seriously mess you up. I personally am not a person to enjoy partying, so I never had trouble with that. But, I do know several people who had to learn this lesson the hard way.

Oh, and make sure to have fun.

Ilovetheflute · Post by **Ilovetheflute** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:20 pm

Well thanks so much for your advice! I was wondering about how long should one play a day in college? 2,3,4 hours a day?

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:36 am

Well... first build up your endurance. On any given day, I get between 6-8 hours of playing time in a day. But, that includes flute studio, Wind Symphony, Orchestra, Woodwind Quintet, and then my private practice time.

I would start getting in just an hour or 1.5 hours of practice a day.... AT FIRST. But then build it up. As a music major, you will be playing a lot more in the day than you are used to. Build it up gradually.

stewyflute13 · Post by **stewyflute13** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:05 pm

Hey, I also applied to Ms. Jennings' studio and I have some information. She is also my favorite flute player in the world and I have been communicating w/ her through e-mails a little bit also. She is not pregnant, Matthew Dane and Christina Jennings are adopting two foreign children. btw, "ilovetheflute," have you already sent in your deposit to CU Boulder? and have you also been admitted to places like rice, carnegie mellon, or Oberlin? I auditioned for Mrs. Baxtresser on my birthday in Febr.!

Ilovetheflute · Post by **Ilovetheflute** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:57 pm

Hi stewyflute13. I have actualy never heard her play, but I know my favorite (well one) is Emmanuel Pahud. Oh and thank you for updating me on her "pregnancy"! I actually thought she was expecting! Have you decided to go to Boulder? I have sent in my letter of intent...reluctantly. Where else did you apply/get admitted to? I was not sure if I wanted to be a music major until recently so the only two "big" music schools I applied to were Northwestern and McGill. The story with those two is really kinda weird. I have been in touch with Mr. Kujala at Northwestern and he actually admitted me into his studio, but my test score was not high enough for Northwestern. As for McGill, I am on a waitinglist....but sort of admitted..it's weird haha Did you get into carnegie mellon?! How was ms. Baxtresser?!

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 8:16 pm

What a relief!!!! By the way the email appeared, it did not seem at all apparent that she was adopting. Whew! What a nightmare that would have been.

Oh, and Ilovetheflute.... you MUST listen to her play. She's woooooonderful.

Ilovetheflute · Post by **Ilovetheflute** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 9:02 pm

I know!! haha !! do you know where i can get a recording?

stewyflute13 · Post by **stewyflute13** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:26 pm

"ilovetheflute": Mrs. Baxtresser is absolutely the most charming, elegant, delightful woman you will ever set your sights to be around in your musical life. I applied to NEC, Oberlin, Carnegie-Mellon, CU-Boulder, and another school in my state in the fall, but did not get into the "big 'ens." I did play my best, however and did very well and got to meet some of the most famous flute teachers in the country, so that was an experience not to be missed!!

This Spring I decided not to give up, so I sent my cd out to some nice, but not illustrious Music Schools in the hopes that I would be accepted. And I was! I applied to West Texas A &M, DU Lamont School of Music (where I got a multi K pr. year gracious flute scholarship) and a somewhat unheard of state school in Denver where Dr. Nancy Andrew teaches, and I have found they also offer a Meteorology Degree, which I am quite interested in. So, that's my story. =)

Fluteguy18, In lieu of Ms. Jennings' Panoramic Flutist, I am (hopefully) attending Bernard Goldberg's summer Flute Seminar in Piedmont, OH. He is a great master teacher, and Marcel Moyse said of him that he was "without a doubt my successor." Now, the deadline to apply is actually tomorrow but I have been informed by my friend and coach that Mr. Goldberg is taking applications and all you have to do is mail a cd and fill out a simple application on his website at: http://www.bernardzgoldberg.com/ Hope this Helps!

stewyflute13

Ilovetheflute · Post by **Ilovetheflute** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:31 pm

Wow...well that is wonderful! Congrats on everything! Have you decided where you are going? Wait now were you accepted to Boulder and would you count that as a "big" music school?

stewyflute13 · Post by **stewyflute13** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:46 pm

I was not accepted to Boulder. Christina said my audition was very well prepared, tho.. oh well. She just said the competition was insanely out of this world. btw, what did you play?

I would count Boulder as a very nice school to pursue your flute degree because Christina Jennings is there. I don't know if you got to talk to her at all, but she's got the whole package; she is a wonderful, humble, sweet woman also, not just a beautiful playing flutist- I think anyone would be safe taking flute at her school. On her studio's website, she announced that two of her students won major competitions this spring. I think you will do fine! =)[/u]