Playing Softly on the Piccolo

By Cindy Ellis

Cindy Ellis

We have completed 4 out of 5 performances of Shostakovich's 10th Symphony this week, and the piccolo part is one of the most rewarding and demanding in the repertory. Not only is the part full of lightening fast technical passages where the piccolo is the top of the tutti woodwind ladder, there are many exposed piano level solos. Make sure to use a smaller aperture, but do not press the top lip down towards the bottom: instead bring jaw, tongue, and lips slightly forward. Make sure to use steady support and alternate fingerings become my primary choice for many of the notes. See next month's Flute Talk for an expanded version of these tips... Let's Talk Picc article is called SShh...Time to Play Softly!

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