PorterFlute Pod

I have always had this idea that I’d go into my grab bag of advice– actually two grab bags I have - and this episode is called My Grab Bag of Life. I recorded it in case you hear something that helps. Word of caution – it will be random. Some life things some flutey things and you'll hear about Sarah. I chose some Christmas Nativity music – this time my arrangement all played by me – of Morten Lau...

Last season I didn’t do a podcast during the holidays so I thought I’d end this season with advice for getting through it all. So I chose the most obvious of titles.  – A Musician’s Winter Break. Yin? Or Yang? Yin being restorative and yang being filled with power. Both will be productive, believe me.

Lots of things are up - so I'll update you! Go Blue Flutes, where I'm playing next and some new recordings being released in 2024.

I’m happy to be coming to you with some prescriptions for naturally healing your fear of being in the hot seat during those pre-screening and live auditions for music school.  Let me tell you, I don’t like being judged any more than you do so let me tell you how to best be yourself, how to think, who to listen to when it comes to your playing (hint: it’s not you) and what is expected of student’s...

Written by flutist and teacher Marianne Gedigian, Survival of the Flutist details the journey of a flutist on their path to professional and personal fulfillment. This stunning 80+ page hard cover picture book was masterfully hand lettered and illustrated by artist, flutist and teacher Patti Adams. Produced by Adam Workman, founder and president of Flutistry Boston, Survival of the Flutist is excl...

I learned the flute before the computer was portable and I’m often asked how I did it. After asking “did what?” and “what are you asking about?”  How I made a career before the ease of information and accessibility. I realize you all want to know how we got by without the internet or computer for gaining wisdom about classical music and how to play it. Sit down and listen. There's a lesson her...

NFA Lifetime Service Award winner Penelope Fischer turns 80! Listen to our conversation in 2020 about and feature 3 of the works on the Phillipe Gaubert Study Guide we created together in 2017. Amy Porter, flute; Tim Carey, piano. Penny Fischer and AP discuss Nocturne & Allegro Scherzando, Madrigal and Sonata in A,

We review new ways to warm yourself up with two wonderful flutists! Discover Modal Flute Warmups from Laura Lentz in Rochester, NY and Daily exercises and Rubank duets online with Detroit Symphony's Amanda Blaikie. PLUS exciting news about a new method on the horizon from a very respected pedagogue. Listen in!

Listen in as distinguished professor Dr. Dowling teaches about how he quantified my sound for the audience at my 2019 Anatomy of Sound workshop. Apparently people wanted to know why I sounded and how I sounded like I sound! Dr. Dowling specializes in underwater acoustics, hydrodynamics, hydro-acoustics, structural acoustics and has worked for the Navy so - I trusted him in this study but it took s...

My coach from 1988-1990 was Trudy Kane. Ms Kane was Principal Flute with the Metropolitan Opera 1976-2008 and is Professor Emeritus at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami. She received both her BM and MM from the Juilliard School. She is active in the commercial recording field and can be heard on the soundtracks of many film scores including The Untouchables and Beauty and the Beast (o...

What's up Amy? Featuring surprise guest Gareth Davies, Principal Flute, London Symphony. Plus updates on Trio Virado, Brevard Music Center and AP's summer reading list.

Drama! Stolen Flutes! Stolen Music! It's a backstory from 200 years ago. Plus - In the preface of the Drouet Etudes it mentions that they should be practiced after the Berbiguier etudes. I was so happy to read that because I needed something to bridge the gap from Berbiguier to Altes and Rose.

New York Flute legend Elizabeth Mann and Blue Flute Alum Karmen Gould bring the one piece advice that everyone needs when they say to themselves and others, "I want to play in the movies, the pit or in rock band!" If I had a nickel for every time I hear that. You have to love it, live it and be "the musician's musician."

Fear. Blame. Regret. All feelings that can emerge on the yoga mat, in a lesson and in a personal relationship. Today I want to discuss the concept that these feelings of fear, blame and regret represent the space between where you are RIGHT NOW (who you think you are) and where you want to be (who you are going to become). No one is producing this podcast except me, myself and I so get out your jo...

Get out your piccolo notebook in this therapy session everyone because In the pod with us is legendary Detroit musician Jefferey Zook and I ask him the questions you’ve asked me.

Meet Masters of Music flute students Minseo Kim from Korea and Lexi Eubanks from Georgia, along with DMA candidate Brandon LePage from Michigan. They're all checking in and letting us her their voices as they tell us in their words, how their experiences have been in 2022. 

Meet Viviana Guzman.

This episode takes a deep dive into the "Etudes for solo flute" by Korean composer Isang Yun. Here I excerpt the dissertation and feature the playing of Dr. Brian Dunbar, faculty at Anatomy of Sound and Professor of Flute at Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.

Let's think about the awareness of our behavior in our business, or job, our workspace. We’ll speak about some of the things people are learning as young adults and are like, “HEY! I wish I knew that earlier!” Today I’m discussing what to say and how to behave in several different arts and artistic settings and hopefully it will elevate your purpose. Suggestions from Vicky Oliver, Janet Horvath, A...

Meet "Funny Girl" Alice K. Dade. She loves making people laugh in stand up comedy. AND she's a great musician and teacher. From the University of Missouri, welcome my friend Alice.

They are astoundingly wonderful people beginning their journey within the folds of the University of Michigan Flute Studio. Meet the new Blue Flutes!

Today I want to get into that very popular phrase - that "blessing" we bestow on others in the hallways of homes and music schools everywhere. "Have a Good Lesson!" What does that mean exactly? And to whom? I pose some ways we might look at this wonderful and ever-changing one-on-one meeting with our mentors. I give both perspectives here, having been in both situations. Of course, I haven't been...

There are many projects in the air around here - stay in the loop and get updated on the latest from Porterflute!

Would you like to hear about it? We're featuring snippets from my movie Anatomy of Sound made in 2012. Ten years later, my guest is movement coach Laura Dwyer, my partner in Anatomy of Sound LLC and AOS-Wellness.com We're going to introduce you to a place you can come to for answers beyond the clinic and you'll meet your new Breathing Buddy. Interested in telling your story about the pandemic and...

Blue Flute Alumni and award winning composer Nina Shekhar is my guest and we really give the attention and light to female and nonbinary composers. We want to live in the solution. From her  bio "Nina Shekhar is a composer who explores the intersection of identity, vulnerability, love, and laughter to create bold and intensely personal works." Enjoy the podcast as we feature some of her works...