Talking Flutes

Annoying Marcel Moyse with changing tape cassettes...The Importance of intonation in an audition and many many more stories and teaching experiences from the wonderful flute player and Professor of flute at the Royal Academy of Music in London Kate Hill. Having been a fellow Flute Professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London for many years, Clare reminisces with her friend and colleague Kate...

"I literally lay awake at night wondering what that flute sounds like" This week on 'Talking Flutes Extra' Jean-Paul speaks with self-confessed 'Flute Nerd' and multi-instrumentalist Josh Johnson about everything flute.  From his love and passion for Sankyo flutes though to the use of wood and metals used in flute making. "That piece of wood that has been made in to a piccolo doesn't want to be a...

"It's a wonderful journey of discovery!" This week on 'Talking Flutes' Clare speaks with Renaissance and Baroque flute specialist Elizabeth Walker about her love for performing on early flutes. "One of the big challenges with Baroque flute is the strong and weak notes e.g D is a strong note and yet C (next door) is a weak note..." An insightful and information discussion about the joy of early flu...

"Employing the imagination and never letting go!" In this extended 'Talking Flutes Extra' podcast this week, Jean-Paul speaks with Emmy, Grammy and winner of over 50 Downbeat and many many other music Awards, the multi-instrumentalist, composer, recording engineer, entrepreneur, music Professor and all round lovely guy Dr José Valentino. During the podcast José speaks about his musical journey to...

The musical genius that is Charles Koechlin (1867 - 1950) In 'Talking Flutes' this week Clare speaks via Zoom with musician and flute player Nicola Woodward about her study of, and recording of the 'Chants de Nectaire', 96 unaccompanied pieces by Koechlin. Charles Koechlin (1867-1950) was a French composer who although unduly neglected during his lifetime is finally earning the recognition he dese...

"Teaching is not a science, it's artistically very easy!" In 'Talking Flutes Extra' this week Jean-Paul talks with William Dowdall Professor of Flute at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin about Syrinx, flute playing and his wonderful new short flute teaching videos. Get your free original Syrinx flute score via www.williamdowdall.com   'Talking Flutes' and 'Talking Flutes Extra' are podcas...

Motivations for change in 2021! With the devastation that Covid has caused to music, musicians and people around the world in 2020, Clare and Jean-Paul discuss their hopes for the New Year and 2021 as a a whole that Vaccines will bring to humanity. 'Talking Flutes' and 'Talking Flutes Extra' are podcast productions by the TJ flute family.  For more information visit www.trevorjamesflutes.com  

Banishing 2020 to history and looking forward to 2021! In this festive edition, Clare and Jean-Paul talk about their Christmas traditions and also the importance of planning your flute practice to give yourself permission to take a little time off.   On behalf of the team at 'Talking Flutes' and TJ flutes, may we wish you a very happy Christmas and my 2021 bring you much joy and good health! 'Talk...

"Being homesick for my culture during this festive time of the year." In this 'Extra' podcast, Jean-Paul catches up again with NY based Swedish musician and flute player Elsa Nilsson at the end of a turbulent year for her.  They discuss how she is feeling now and also look at her new album 'Dark is Light is'. 'Talking Flutes' and 'Talking Flutes Extra' are podcast productions by the TJ flute compa...

Happy Birthday!!  The legacy of Sir James Galway with the 'Galway Flute Academy' "Get a book on singing, read the first chapter on breathing and then apply it to your flute playing.'' "There are no short cuts to playing the flute..." In this special 'Talking Flutes', Clare speaks via Zoom to Sir James and Lady Jeanne Galway at their home in Switzerland.  As you can expect there is so much wisdom a...

What it's like to play 'l'apres midi' and the punishing schedule of being an orchestral flute player. "If you're not sure if you want to be a flute player, then if you have to ask that question...don't!" Due to the overwhelming response from the podcast last week, Gareth Davies - Principal Flute of the London Symphony Orchestra returns and speaks with Clare about the wonderful book he's written en...

"It's a given that you've got technical prowess at an audition so don't play anything complicated...you'll impress nobody!" One of the most insightful flute podcasts of the last 12 months with wonderful insight in to orchestral auditions and what, and how to play.   Arguably the best flute job in the world! Principal Flute of the London Symphony Orchestra Gareth Davies speaks with Clare Southworth...

Hey Mr Moyse, what's with that pipe? To celebrate 'Thanksgiving' in the USA, this week on 'Talking Flutes' Clare and Jean-Paul talk about some of the many flute related things they are thankful for.  They mention about how they stumbled across the flute at the start, their first flute teachers, how Marcel Moyse study books convinced Jean-Paul he would never be a world class player, and how we shou...

How we teach and how our students learn! In 'Talking Flutes' this week Clare returns from a walk along the beach with her beloved dogs and reflects about how teaching in these strange times will change the way we think about flute tuition in the coming years.  'Talking Flutes' and 'Talking Flutes Extra' and podcast productions by the TJ flute Company.  For more information visit www.trevorjamesflu...

"Size really does matter!" In 'Talking Flutes Extra' this week, Jean-Paul speaks to musician, flute player, author, teacher, arranger and composer Stephen Clark about his very successful publication 'The Flute Gym'.  They talk about the benefits of transitioning from hard copy sheet music to doing practice and performing via iPad and blue tooth pedal to turn pages, warming up using a drone tone fr...

"It oozes out of every pore!" This week on 'Talking Flutes Extra' Jean-Paul speaks with Principal Flute of the RTE National Symphony Orchestra about the most important part of musical communication.  Using your 'tone' and how when listen to a good flute player, their sound comes oozing out of their pores as they communicate a story to an audience.  How Covid-19 has affected her love for making mus...

Squashed and lost flutes, buckets of thrown urine and breaking down on the edge of an English mountain at 3 am in full concert dress...and much much more! In 'Talking Flutes' Halloween podcast this week, Clare and Jean-Paul recount their musical nightmares! Please continue to send in your suggestions for future podcasts including guests by email to flutepodcasts@gmail.com   'Talking Flutes' and 'T...

"I can't see Hollywood movie and T.V music sessions ever being a permanently remote operation post Covid." In 'Talking Flutes Extra' this week Jean-Paul speaks with L.A based Gina Luciani about the change to remote orchestral recordings for Hollywood TV and films during Covid-19.   Gina also talks about re-arranging the famous 'Carmen Fantasy'  for flute and how she has been true to the original o...

"Life rarely works out as you initially think it will!" This week on 'Talking Flutes Extra' Jean-Paul speaks with composer and flutist Nicole Chamberlain about her career in 3D animation, and then the sudden and complete change in her direction to becoming a successful flutist and composer. Please keep sending your questions and suggestions for future podcasts to flutepodcasts@gmail.com and to @ta...

"Breaking musical boundaries...It's much more about instinct" This week in 'Talking Flutes Extra' Jean-Paul speaks with the fabulous queen of Low Flutes Carla Rees.  Covering many aspects of flute playing from motivation, how making a mistake can be a hugely positive learning experience, how improvisation isn't as hard as you think it is through to her development of an online full or part time mu...

Exercise and Music are like the 'Yin and the Yang' Celebrity Hollywood Personal Trainer and flutist Ridge Davis talks about his journey from doing his flute Masters at Coburn with the legendary Jim Walker to becoming 'Ridge Davis' the fitness guru. The key to any goal directed exercise or study is in 'chunking' your work.  Setting smaller goals and give your self the mantra "Yes I can - Yes it wil...

The musical pulse keeps the music alive! 'Who I was and how I identified myself with... was suddenly gone!" We have an extra 'Talking Flutes Extra' this week where we catch up with Elsa Nilsson who on a previous podcast recorded last May, was struggling to cope with complete lockdown in NY.   We also speak about how she is feeling now and how she has taken her tutor book 'Between the Beats' to a w...

The joy of playing in a group and developing your musical ear can't be understated. In this 'Talking Flutes' podcast, Professor of Flute at the Royal Academy of Music in London Clare Southworth reminisces about playing in the very popular British flute group called 'Bamboozle' 30 years ago and the fun they had playing on radio and TV. We love receiving your emails with questions and suggestions fo...

Video game music gives the flute arranger interesting problems! In 'Talking Flutes Extra' this week, the uber popular Barry Griffiths aka @grizzlyflute on Instagram talks about designing his posts, his lavish and often complex arrangements and the simply fact that he takes no notice of any algorithms.  He just posts when he wants to! Please keep sending your questions and suggestions for future po...

"It's so important to learn music by memory as you listen so much more when you're not looking at the dots!' On 'Talking Flutes' this week we talk to the phenomenally talented musician, composer, author and producer Mike Mower about his life in music, making it big with his group 'Itchy Fingers' and also with working and arranging music and albums with Sir James Galway. Please keep sending your qu...