Organizing the Flute Ensemble
Starting a flute choir? Need organization tips? Need job descriptions? Start here.
Directing the Intermediate Ensemble
Technical ability and musical understanding:
This flute choir met twice monthly for two hour rehearsals. Students were in the 6th through 8th grades. This is what I wrote at the time I was working with them:
© Shelley Collins
- Be prepared for a wide variety of playing abilities, especially in groups that have no audition requirement. Several of the students in my first flute choir started the first rehearsal without the ability to play B or E natural. Although some of my students had studied privately for several years, few of them knew how to count compound meters. Keep in mind that students all play the same part in band, and their private teachers guide them through new pieces. Students at the middle or grade school level may struggle with sightreading individual flute choir parts.
- It is important to define the term "flute choir" to the students; some of them may not even know what a flute choir is, and they may be surprised that there is more than one part! One young student was relieved when she realized that the other students were playing different parts--she thought she was making mistakes!)
- Choose flute choir literature that is a grade easier than you expect the students will be able to play. Sight-reading a challenging work can be very intimidating for young players. While the students may be able to work up their parts individually, they will struggle with putting the parts together, as this isn't something which they have to do in a band setting in which all flutes play the same part. I recommend choosing music with no more than three or four parts. Trios work very well when all three parts are on the same page. Students can highlight their own parts, and they can follow along or even play while the director works with a different section. I often have the entire choir sight-read each part before I make assignments.
- In some flute choirs, all of the students will clamor for the first parts. In others, everyone will fear the first parts! Explain the importance of having strong players on the lower parts. I try to rotate parts so that each player gets a "top" part at least once. The bottom voice should have the largest number of students.
- During sight-reading sessions, I count preparatory beats aloud. During subsequent rehearsals, preparation is silent, and the prep beats very small, with a large upbeat. The conductor should explain to students that he or she will begin only when all students are watching.
- I once watched a young conductor attempt to start his first flute choir rehearsal. He gave a prep beat and a down beat-and nothing happened. The students all stared at him! To avoid this, breath on the upbeat and exhale on the downbeat. The conducting gesture needs to be very rhythmical and somewhat large.
- I discovered that one of my ensembles had little understanding of the role of the conductor. I found that after I taught the group basic conducting patterns and gestures, they were more responsive and attentive. They had fun taking turns conducting the group, too!
- Any student who plays an alto flute should understand that the flute sounds a fourth lower than written. Because students often struggle with this concept, I use the circle of fifths. The altos have to play one "time zone" behind the rest of the group. Therefore, if the group is in C, the alto is one "hour" behind, in F Major.
- Each student should be assigned a numbered folder, or, for a more permanent group, a folder with their name on a label. Each piece of music should also be numbered. The students should sign out each piece of music that goes into their folders. When piece of music "number 6" is left on a stand at the end of rehearsal, the director can easily see who has checked this piece out. I got tired of parts being "stolen" (a middle school euphemism for "lost") that I charge $0.50 for a lost folder and $0.25 for a lost page of music. (Yes, I give out photocopies. I've had everything from ink markings to Kool-Aid on my music, so I don't distribute originals any more. I DO purchase the music my groups perform, however.)
This flute choir met twice monthly for two hour rehearsals. Students were in the 6th through 8th grades. This is what I wrote at the time I was working with them:
- First 10 minutes: warm up. I use this time to teach or review musical concepts or to work on difficult rhythms. I locate troublesome rhythms from the flute choir music and write them on the board. Students play scales using these rhythms and various articulations and dynamic levels. The students then play scales in canons to encourage them to play independently of other players. There are some GREAT canons in "Flute Sessions" for this purpose.
- 3-5 Minutes: Tuning: I always wait until this point to tune. Because students play at one dynamic level but often tune at another, many directors "spot tune" whenever they become aware of an extremely out of tune player. Students should all listen to each other during the tuning process. Frequently ask the entire group how an individual needs to adjust.
- 20 minutes: This is the best time to work on the most difficult parts of the music, while the students are still really alert. It is also a good time to teach new concepts. During this practice time, the group rarely plays through the work. Instead, the focus is on small sections.
- 10 minutes: Play through larger sections of the music as a "reward" for 20 minutes of focused practice. Take note of sections which need more work. Ask the students for input as well.
- 10 Minutes: Sight read music for later concerts. Simple duets work well. The class can divide into two parts, or, for small groups, the students can play the melody while the director plays the second part.
- 5 Minutes: Break-this is very important! Even in shorter rehearsals, I always give students a break, which greatly diminishes the talking during rehearsal. Breaks can also be given to sections while other parts are being rehearsed.
- 10 Minutes: Mini group lesson: After a break, I try to play a little for students, tell a few music history anecdotes, or teach a music theory concept. Good topics include key signatures, time signatures, the circle of fifths, building triads, articulation, posture, breathing, and correct fingerings. Students often enjoy volunteering to demonstrate correct techniques for the class.
- The remaining time is spent rehearsing sections of the music.
- I try to end each rehearsal by playing through an entire piece or large sections of a longer work.
© Shelley Collins
Board of Directors: Job Descriptions -- by Phyllis Louke
This information first appeared on the "flutist" discussion group at yahoogroups. Thanks to Phyllis Louke for permission to copy it here.
A Board of Directors is a good idea, unless you want to do all the work yourself. Our board consists of :
If I stepped down as director, there would be several people in the group that could step in. At the present time, there are probably 5 others in the group who feel comfortable in leading part or all of a rehearsal on the rare occasions when I have to be absent. We have several current, ex- or retired band directors in the group, and we frequently encourage members to try their hand at conducting (especially in our less formal summer season). On our Spring Concert, two other conductors will each conduct one piece and I will conduct the rest of the program.
Our group owns 2 alto flutes and a bass flute, and two file cabinets full of music. The group has been going strong since 1986, so I don't anticipate it ever disbanding. I'm not sure legally what would happen to the music library and instruments if the group ever ceased to exist. We'd probably have to consult the IRS about that.
By Phyllis Louke, Director, Rose City Flute Choir, Portland, Oregon
A Board of Directors is a good idea, unless you want to do all the work yourself. Our board consists of :
- President/Music Director
- Vice President (in charge of Membership--keeping a roster, taking attendance, dealing with member issues)
- Treasurer (handles the money)
- Secretary (correspondence, prints programs for concerts, can help with some Membership tasks, such as roster, etc.)
- Publicity (handles concert publicity, making concert posters, etc.)
- Librarian (houses and maintains music library, duplicates and distributes music at beginning of new concert series)
If I stepped down as director, there would be several people in the group that could step in. At the present time, there are probably 5 others in the group who feel comfortable in leading part or all of a rehearsal on the rare occasions when I have to be absent. We have several current, ex- or retired band directors in the group, and we frequently encourage members to try their hand at conducting (especially in our less formal summer season). On our Spring Concert, two other conductors will each conduct one piece and I will conduct the rest of the program.
Our group owns 2 alto flutes and a bass flute, and two file cabinets full of music. The group has been going strong since 1986, so I don't anticipate it ever disbanding. I'm not sure legally what would happen to the music library and instruments if the group ever ceased to exist. We'd probably have to consult the IRS about that.
By Phyllis Louke, Director, Rose City Flute Choir, Portland, Oregon