Becoming a professional flute player...?

You need to get into the BEST conservatory program you can, and study with top teachers. That means - you needs to be studying in HS with top teachers - and practicing like a person possessed. This does not mean over and over and over and over - this means a clearly defined plan, assigned to you by - that top teacher.

This may mean a commute each week for an hour lesson or longer - and a decent flute. Audition for everything worthwhile - you need to get into all the honors groups (like All-State) you can, or colleges will just not bother to look at you. And - keep up stunning academic grades - yes, they count BIGTIME.

Do not let people tell you that it is ALL about the audition - it is not, although the audition better be STUNNING. You need to start accumulating a good library of literature - again, on the advice of - that top teacher. Go to Yahoo Groups and join Flutenet - it will be a good forum for you to belong to, and about a million times more informative and POLITE than this place.

Join the National Flute Association - if you cannot get to conventions at least devour the Quarterly. GO to local or regional flute conventions and flute societies. Get a subscription to Flute talk.

Go to www.fluteworld.com and other FINE FLUTE dealers - not the Big Box places like Musicians Friends and Woodwind/Brasswind - but places that specialize in FLUTE only - and read everything you can, and learn about makers, options, etc. Do NOT assume that the more expensive the flute, the better it will make you play - nope. You can spend under 3 grand, and be set for a VERY long time - or get a fine used flute and have it worked on - the better the initial flute the better the outcome. (Like cars, flute makers will make things that the wealthy buy - and they STILL cannot parallel park.) Play with as many people as you can - especially adults who are professionals.

I love that commercial about the guy who wants to improve his golf game - so he says he needs to play with *raisins* - tanned old guys! Play for others often - nursing homes, church, etc, - do not let SCHOOL be your only experience. Let these opportunities (and you will have to make your own) be on-the-job training - costs you nothing, gives back to others, and is good for you.

Do all the things that you were taught in kindergarten - be on time, polite, respectful, neat, well-prepared - you know what to do. There is ZERO room for ego, unless you want to play alone in your bedroom forever. Go to www.clarinetinstitute.com and buy that GREAT CD-ROM of literature - has tons of etudes, solos, etc. - all public domain.

The money you save on these, will allow you to buy the real expensive copyrighted stuff - last time I looked, the Ibert Concerto was about fifty bucks. LISTEN to fine players. Look on YouTube for people like Nina Perlove.

Buy CDs of really fine flutists, of all styles - you will learn as much from Michel Debost as Dave Valentin - and sometimes, not so much form the Big Stars who just keep punching it out . . .

Good luck - but you do realize that the competition is unreal. I think that is why we have jokes about going to Heaven and getting harp - it is to accompany all the FLUTISTS already there! Good luck!

Added - repaired some typos and auto-fill silliness.

Practice, not just classical music but modern to XOXO.

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