During my college years, I remember sitting in a lesson with Mark Sparks, the Principal Flutist of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. We had been working on everything to do with building a consistent and beautiful flute sound. These lessons were transformational for me! Then he said something that intrigued me. " The most beautiful sound on the flute is always the most in tune." At that time, intonation was something that felt like a complete mystery to me! When playing in ensembles or even...

A beautiful, well-developed sound is one of the benchmarks of a truly professional musician. For woodwind and brass players, playing long tones is a necessary and fundamental aspect of sound development. Even in the beginning years of study, teachers will require their students to play long, sustained notes. But how does this discipline actually create a beautiful sound? What happens when you repeat these exercises over days, months, and even years? Is there a point where playing these is NOT...

Anyone who is familiar with classical flute study has probably heard of the famous 17 Daily Exercises for Flute by Paul Taffanel and Phillippe Gaubert. This book is the standard technical manual for most professionals and aspiring flutists, alike. Its value is immense as a technical resource, but how can a young student glean the most from its comprehensive pages? Most importantly, how can this book become a trusted companion for any flutist in the entirety of a career? I've been playing...