The Flute Kitchen
The Flute Kitchen is a stimulating programme for all levels of flute player from grade 4/5 standard through to professional. With a combination of classes, flute choirs, ensembles, performance and extended technique seminars and the option to take individual lessons from some internationally renowned tutors. The aims of the programme are to give participants greater awareness, ability and confidence in their flute playing and music making. A friendly, relaxed atmosphere is created to encourage all those attending, with an emphasis on participation. Those wishing to play/perform will be asked to prepare appropriate set pieces for classes and chamber works for coaching in ensemble playing. There will also be discussion forums for those seeking a career in music.
The beautiful and historic spa town of Harrogate, with its parks and gardens, castles and abbeys and closeness to the breathtaking scenery of the Yorkshire Dales, is an ideal venue for the course; relaxing, invigorating and inspiring.
Thoughts from Paul about the 2011 course:
The Flute Kitchen 2011
One of the most frequently asked questions asked about summer flute courses is:
“What exactly will be going on?”
This is a very understandable question, as for many of us, going on a working holiday when we are obliged to suddenly become friends with people we have never met before, is often more than a daunting prospect!
The purpose of this ‘News Letter’ is to put your mind at rest.
We have just finished the 2011 Flute Kitchen summer course and whilst it is fresh in my mind I can give you a snap shot account of the week’s activities (The Old Bell pub every evening being an obvious end to every day for those above the minimum drinking age and a great place to catch up!).
Each of the ten years that I have been taking part in this course, we have tried to constantly make improvements on the previous years. I now feel that from an artistic side we have a very thought through and interesting course. This year, the major improvement was on the food side (one of THE most crucial parts of being away from home). A new company has been brought into the school to manage the catering. My goodness, things have changed! They are extremely well organized, highly professional (I have never seen men wearing suits in a school canteen before!) and the food, whilst not quite to Michelin star status, is much more than acceptable for a summer course and way above anything that I experienced when I was at school.
Breakfast:
Everything that you could want for. Each day a cooked breakfast, cereals galore, fresh fruit, toast, juice, tea and fresh coffee.
Lunch:
A very good salad bar, jacket potatoes with an assortment of fillings, soup, puds and fresh fruit.
Dinner:
A hot meal (the burgers one night were AMAZING!)
The Course.
Monday
Everyone arrived at about 1.30 on the Monday afternoon and at two we all gathered for the first full ensemble practice with Margaret. As we literally just go through the repertoire for the concert on Friday, it is a treat to see the faces of those who have never been on such a course before! You will never see eyes more wide open in an attempt to read all of those new notes whizzing past on the paper! This first rehearsal is always on the scrappy side, but the concerts on the Friday, after just a few days of work, could not be more different.
Following this there is tea and then the allocation of rooms. Harrogate Ladies College is just out of the town centre (a very easy walk away) and all of the accommodation is in houses (very old, solid and traditional) dotted around the main buildings. The rooms are clean, quiet and each house has kitchen facilities (very necessary for keeping after hours bottles nicely chilled!).
After dinner, we have a general get together, the first part being when we simply get to know one another. The tutors play some pieces together (John and I played one of the Rabboni Sonatas from the new edition, Clare played some Fauré and Tom and I played the Doppler Andante and Rondo) then everyone joins in to sight read a well known work (this year it was the first movement of Bach, Brandenburg 3) with John Alley conducting and providing useful tips.
Tuesday
After breakfast the class splits up into groups for a three quarter hour warm up session.
Then, an hour of full ensemble with Margaret.
After coffee, we again split into groups covering such topics as:
How to work with an accompanist.
Learning how to make scales both fun and interesting.
How to organize your practice.
The first session after lunch is devoted to repertoire, again with everyone split into two groups. This is very significant for the younger participants on the course. They will have plenty of opportunity to hear the more advanced players throughout the week, but it is very important that they have as much time as possible to focus on their own level, so that even within a few days, they can really notice improvements.
After tea, we focus on trios/quartets and works written for multiple flutes. This is coached by the tutors (Margaret, Christine, Clare, Tom, John from the LSO and myself). With such a high degree of focus on playing the flute throughout the week, this is an opportunity for everyone to explore music. In chamber music we have to be accompaniment as well as soloist!
In the evening there is a very special concert in the Wesley Chapel in the centre of Harrogate. There is a saxophone and clarinet course running at the same time as the flute course and this concert is when the tutors from all three courses get together to put on a show. This is unique to The Flute Kitchen and it is generally agreed that this concert really is very special. All of the tutors on the Sax and clarinet courses are world class players and to have the opportunity to hear them perform in such a wonderful, intimate and beautiful setting is nothing short of amazing! It also helps to broaden our outlooks. Flute music shouldn’t only be about Bach, Mozart and few relatively unknown French composers!
The other three days of the course follow a similar pattern, with a concert on the Friday evening when everyone has the chance to perform, in the full ensemble, in groups or on their own.
Added to this, every year to date we have been fortunate to have two prizes from our sponsors, Powell Flutes of America and Trevor James Flutes. An alto flute worth in the region of £1700 and a solid silver, hand made head joint worth something over £1000.
WHY SHOULD I GO ON THIS COURSE?
Excellent interactive tuition and coaching from a well established and helpful team.
Finely tuned programme of activities.
Friendly atmosphere.
Excellent facilities and catering.
Two amazing prizes.
Harrogate.
Much more than yet another flute course.
Excellent pastoral care.
The possibility of a private lesson with one of the tutors.
Performance anxiety class with Jean-Paul Wright.
Interaction with saxophone and clarinet courses.
The chance to have one to one coaching with LSO pianist John Alley, who is an inspiration to all.
The Old Bell Inn!
The Old Bell Inn!
PS One of our more senior participants has been Robert (Bob) Gooch, who as a recording engineer for EMI was lucky enough to work closely with Maria Callas and Herbert von Karajan (among many, many others). Just to have the opportunity to have a pint of Black Sheep with him and to hear his stories from the golden age of recording is worth the course fee (for the older among us)!
Paul Edmund-Davies, flautist and tutor.