Building Confidence

By Cynthia Ellis

It would be naive to pretend there is no such thing as 'performance nerves'. I experience that pre-performance feeling as pure excitement: nervousness is always viewed as something negative, whereas excitement is quite positive. Our performances are enhanced by adrenaline: that is the 'secret sauce' of many a performance which can transport us to the next level.  But what about the students who are hit with debilitating nerves? First of all, thorough preparation is a MUST. It goes without saying that the musical aspects of the piece must be in control for confident performances. The preparation must be consistent and thorough. Learning to perform is another part of this process: have students perform at nursing homes, for family and friends, for other students, in short, ANY warm body is a potential audience member!  These impromptu performances must happen more than once a week so that the performance itself becomes a little more routine. The art of keeping centered and composed when being in front of others takes time to develop. Help students develop a pre-performance routine, which helps build self-comforting skills. Make sure students are reading about the psychological aspects of performance (Don Greene has an excellent website and there are many books on the topic). Remind your students that this too is a process.....and to paraphrase Jeanne Baxtreser, former principal flute of the NYPO, as long as the butterflies fly in formation, it is all good.

*Note - This article first appeared on the "Teaching Tips" section of Cindy Ellis's website.

For more on Cindy, visit her Powell artist profile page, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

A Winning Choice

Anushka Malhotra

For flutist Anushka Malhotra, a junior at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, the choice of a new flute was most definitely a winning one.  Anushka has been studying with Powell artist Lois Herbine for just over a year, and within the first three months of 2016, her accomplishments are certainly something to celebrate!

Anushka's family purchased her new Powell Sonaré PS-705 with KT headjoint from Windworks Studio of Philadelphia in October 2015.  In December, Anushka placed at the Pennsylvania Music Educators District 11 audition.  Jeremy Correnti, Anushka's band director at Germantown Academy, was present for the sight-reading portion of her audition and commented, "I was particularly impressed with her sound, which gave her an incredible presence in the audition room.  A tone like that will definitely get the judge's attention."

Anushka performed in the Pennsylvania District Band Festival on January 28, 2016.  In March, success came once again as Anushka placed first in the senior division of the Flute Society of Greater Philadelphia's Young Artist Competition.  Lois Herbine shared, "Anushka has developed a beautiful tone over the last few months since getting her new Sonaré flute.  She is a quick learner with a lot of potential, and she absolutely loves her flute.”

Powell introduced the KT headjoint in August 2015 as one of two new professional options for the Powell Sonaré PS-705 model (a C# trill key was the other new option). The KT headjoint is a Powell Signature headjoint made of 9k tubing with a sterling silver wall and Aurumite 9k lip plate. Powell's patented Aurumite material consists of one layer of gold and one of silver.  Aurumite 9k, specifically, has an outer layer of 9k rose gold and an inner layer of sterling silver.  Clickhere to read more about the KT Aurumite 9k Signature headjoint on our Flute Builder blog.

KT Aurumite 9k Signature headjoint

Masterclass with Jean Ferrandis

By Daniel Sharp

Sales Associate, Verne Q. Powell Flutes, Inc.

Master classes have the power to touch our musical lives in a very intense and memorable way. We’ve all been to inspirational classes which we remember to today. Powell Artist Jean Ferrandis recently gave a master class sponsored by Ithaca College and Powell Flutes on September 12th. The level of the performers not only impressed us, but also Jean Ferrandis. All four performers are students of Dr. Wendy Mehne at the Ithaca College School of Music, one of the nation’s top music schools. We asked the performers to take a moment to send us a few words about their experience playing for Jean.

Sandra O'Hare, Jean Ferrandis, and Wendy Mehne

"It was an incredible opportunity to not only hear Jean Ferrandis play, but to actually be able to work with him. I really appreciated how he kept everyone in the class involved, not just the performers, so that we could all experience new things and grow together as a studio. Jean was engaging and used a variety of different teaching techniques that I felt each of us were able to connect to in one way or another, and ultimately further our own musicality beyond the notes on the page. I would like to extend my thanks to Powell Flutes for helping to provide us with such a once in a lifetime opportunity!" --Sandra O'Hare, master class performer

Chelsea Kaye Lanphear and Jean Ferrandis

"I had the pleasure of performing "Sounds of the Forest” this past weekend for Jean Ferrandis. His energetic, honest, and constructive teaching techniques helped me explore new ideas within my own musical style. He created an environment where exploration was comfortable and productive. While it has only been a few days since the master class, I have already made vast improvements in my technique and performance practices because of the suggestions he gave. His musical character and performance styles are ones I wish and aim to emulate in my own upcoming recital. Thank you Powell Flutes for making this possible" --Chelsea Kaye Lanphear, master class performer

Sarah Peskanov and Jean Ferrandis

"My experience with Jean Ferrandis was quite wonderful and inspiring. As a flute player, I tend to focus so much on the music that I forget about the physical aspect of my performance. Jean Ferrandis introduced me to balance and different breathing techniques that I had never heard before. I learned to relax my posture and channel more air from the lower half of my body. Jean allowed me to release the tension I felt in my body while playing, which allowed my sound to open up and fill the hall. I definitely hope to work with him again!"--Sarah Peskanov, master class performer

"Before the master class with Jean Ferrandis, I knew I had played with tension in my body that resulted in a greater struggle playing and expressing, but I never had possible solutions. Probably the most important tip he had given was when he said that you should not try to relax because being completely unnatural and that, instead, you should feel free—free to move and free to play.  I had never thought about it that way and it has since helped me remove a large amount of tension from my shoulders."  --Ashley Watson, master class performer

"Having a lesson with Jean Ferrandis was an amazing opportunity. In addition to being a wonderful musician and flutist, he is also an innovative teacher. He discovers the core problems that many flutists face and is able to teach solutions in different and exciting ways. I learned so much from Jean. In working with him, I grew not only as a flutist but as a teacher as well." --Marissa Mediati, graduate assistant, had a lesson with Jean Ferrandis 

Jean was truly inspiring to my students (and me) with his creative, innovative teaching style and beautiful artistry in his concert.  My students are still talking about his visit and how much it impacted them. - Dr. Wendy Mehne

If you are interested in having a Powell event at your school, please contact us or visit our “Host an Event” page. If you would like to learn more about the Ithaca College School of Music, visit their website at http://www.ithaca.edu/music/.