Technique and Suzuki Teacher Training Audition

[CJM]

I’m a clarinetist who happens to have a handful of flute students and I want to be better able to guide them so I’m thinking about auditioning for Suzuki flute teacher training through book four. The audition piece is the Sarabande and Finale of the Blavet D minor Sonata, which I got this week and doesn’t look too bad. Before I get too set in my ways, I have a few questions regarding my right hand technique specifically for the audition video:

Is it acceptable to leave left hand fingers down when playing C# in fast passages? For example there is a 16th note pattern in the second octave that goes: FDC#D FDC#D

Could I leave the E-flat key off for that whole pattern? or do I really need it on for all the non D notes?

Is it ever acceptable to use the second finger for F#?

I know they want hand shots in the video. Is this the stuff they are even looking for? Or, is it more about giving a musically solid performance and not so much about the way in which you got there?


Thanks for the input.

[Fleming]

Is it acceptable to leave left hand fingers down when playing C# in fast passages?

Could I leave the E-flat key off for that whole pattern? or do I really need it on for all the non D notes?

Is it ever acceptable to use the second finger for F#?

If you're playing quickly enough and/or the alternative fingering doesn't affect the tone enough to make it sour, then do what you need to do for the music to sound good. While I prefer to keep to the standard fingering, I'm specially prone to using the second finger for F# and not worrying about the E flat key when it makes properly playing a passage easier.

But, that's my advice for a performance, not an audition where your fingering will be scrutinized. If you absolutely cannot get the music right with the standard fingering, use the alternate fingerings and be ready to justify your decision. Otherwise, work until you can confidently do it with the standard fingering.

Or, is it more about giving a musically solid performance and not so much about the way in which you got there?

Since this is teacher training, I'd expect them to care very much about your technique as well as your performance. Not just the fingering you choose, but also the quality of your fingering (eg. your fingers don't wander, close to the keys, and a light touch). The idea being that if you don't have good technique, you can't be expected to teach good technique.

[c_otter]

Is it acceptable to leave left hand fingers down when playing C# in fast passages? For example there is a 16th note pattern in the second octave that goes: FDC#D FDC#D

You can leave the right hand fingers down for DC#D. This will flatten the pitch of the C#, but often this is a good thing.

Leaving the left hand fingers will flatten the note way too much.

[fluteguy18]

You need to use the pinky key. No way around it. Not using the pinky key destablizes the instrument in your hands.

It is okay to leave the right hand fingers down in the DC#D passage, but not the left hand fingers. It will do funky things to the intonation.

[CJM]

Thank you all for the advice. I'm really enjoying getting this stuff in shape.

CJM