Semester 1 - Fall 2015
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Goals:
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Tone quality
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Lightness
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Double tonguing
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Pitch accuracy
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Air excess
Reflection: Throughout the semester I realized most of my issues were caused by lack of sufficient air support. By increasing my air support through deeper and fuller breaths, I drastically improved the richness of my tone, increased my pitch accuracy, and eliminated wasted air through focusing my embouchure. However, I did not meet my goal of improving my double tonguing. I began the process, but am far from finishing it. I will continue to set double tonguing as my goal for next semester.
Semester 2 - Spring 2016​
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Goals:
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Tone quality
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Finger dexterity
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Double tonguing
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Air support
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Sophomore--standing Jury
Reflection: Throughout this semester, I continued to work on my air support. I fought against returning to my old habits and continued to push myself to take, fuller and deeper breaths. However, I discovered that my tone issues were not from my air support alone, but also from the closing of my mouth with my tongue. After this discovery, I practiced to keep my tongue down and my mouth open. By practicing this, I was able to improve my tone and have an overall more open sound quality. Also through this discovery, I improved my double tonguing. I have far to go on double tonguing, but am much closer now to cleaner and faster tonguing. Despite these improvements, I failed to pass my Sophomore--standing jury. However, after months of research, I finally purchased a Burkart S4 head joint with a Resona 300 flute body.
Semester 3 - Fall 2016
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Goals:
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Sophomore-standing Jury
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Tone Quality
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Clarity and Resonance of notes
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Finer Dexterity
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Double tonguing
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Experimenting with colors
Reflection: This semester proved to be quite a challenge for me. Although I made leaps and bounds in regards to my technique and tone quality, my clarity and resonance of notes within my double tonging was sorely lacking. During this semester I let my frustrations guide my practice and prevent me from making positive changes in my flute playing. As a result, I failed my Sophomore--standing jury a second time. For next semester, I plan on learning from these mistakes and have a more focused goals for my flute practice sessions.
Semester 4 - Spring 2017
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Goals:
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Sophomore-standing Jury​
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Tone Quality​
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Clarity and Resonance of notes​
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Finer Dexterity​
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Double tonguing​
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Experimenting with colors and vibratos​
Reflection: This semester proved to be challenging for me. I personally worked to learn from mistakes in the previous semester in order to improve. My level of practice greatly improved this semester and helped set great habits the propelled me to finally pass my Sophomore-standing jury at the end of the semester.
Semester 5 - Fall 2017
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Goals:
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Continue to learn by teaching myself
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experiment and try noew sounds, techniques, and ways of practicing
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Challenge myself
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Take notes
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Continue to accept that growth takes time and patience
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Be more internally driven--not externally driven
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Be proactive, not reactive
Reflection:​ This semester was the most challenging semester I have yet face. The repertoire alone pushed me to levels of performance I never knew I could reach. My technique, understanding of rhythm and tempo, and my tone most of all improved drastically throughout this semester. But the biggest improvement was in my practicing mentality. I willingly challenged myself and experiment with different ways of practice and became more willing to and open to the practice. As a result, I was hardly ever frustrated and instead improved drastically with my playing.
Semester 6 - Spring 2018
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Goals:
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Continue to learn by teaching myself
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Experiment and allow myself to fail
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Challenge myself--start working on the hardest pieces/spots first
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Take notes and plan out my practice
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Continue to accept that growth takes time and patience
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Be more internally driven-not externally driven
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Be proactive, not reactive
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Keep an open mind
Reflection: This semester I continued to grow as a flutist. Building upon my knowledge and skills gained in the previous semester, I continued to push myself. This semester culminated in my Junior Standing Jury, which I passed.
Flute Playing Goals, Moving Forward​
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Continue to learn by teaching myself
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What am I doing and why am I doing? What purpose does this specific warn up or way of practicing serve?
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Keep using the skills and new habits that I have created that have proven successful over the past couple of years.
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Experiment
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Allow myself to fail and make mistakes
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Don’t be afraid to fail, don’t be afraid to sound bad when practicing
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Try new sounds, new techniques, new ways of practicing
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Find new things to experiment with
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Challenge myself
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Set daily/weekly challenges to accomplish. Pick a “hard section” to focus on that practice session, that day, or that week.
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Keep track of these things and follow my growth
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Hold myself to higher expectations and work to meet those expectations
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Taking notes
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Continue to record my practices
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Record trouble sections and how I passed them, or my latest improvement
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Write down frustrations or impatience and how I dealt with it
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Goals and planning
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Set goals for that practice
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Plan out the practice session
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Don’t do any less than what’s planned, nor try to brush by and do more than I can handle at once
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Continue to accept that growth takes time and patience
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Set long term and short term attainable goals (see challenges)
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Be more internally driven—not externally driven
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Just like in teaching, discover what I don’t know, or aren’t comfortable with and then be eager to learn how to improve that and learn more
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Be proactive not reactive
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Keep an open mind
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Just have fun!
