Flute Keys

Jennifer Hunt, Editor

April 2000 (Volume 1, number 2)

(The web version is sans graphics, etc.  Join to see the real thing!)

Inside:

Letter from the President
Editor's Notes
Report on Campbellsville Flute Day
Officer's Spotlight
The Technician's Corner
News Bits
Membership Information
Kentucky Flute Calendar

Letter from the President

Dear Flute Society of Kentucky,

It has been very exciting to watch the FSK grow.  We began with a handful of people who had an idea and a lot of dreams.  Now we have more than 100 members from across the Commonwealth, we have had a first major event, we have our own website, and we are publishing our second newsletter.  But, this is only the beginning, so keep an eye open for all of the upcoming activities and opportunities for you to be involved with the other Kentucky flutists.

As I said, we have our own website.  This is all thanks to our very own "web-meister," Dr. Sonny Burnette!  With the help of Georgetown College, Dr. Burnette has created an attractive and useful website at the address: www.FSKentucky.org.  Please send your thoughts (and thanks!) about the website to Dr. Burnette.

The Board of Directors will be meeting again soon and we are anxious for your ideas and dreams for the future of the FSK.  Please contact us personally or via the website and let us know your thoughts.  I would like to encourage you all to continue to work hard as the school year ends and challenge yourself during the summer.  I hope to see you all at the upcoming flute events!

Take care and keep practicing,

Lisa McArthur
President, Flute Society of Kentucky

 

Editor's Notes

SOLO AND ENSEMBLE FESTIVAL REVISITED

Recently, we had the experience of serving as judges for a district solo and ensemble festival.  This brought back many memories of playing at these events ourselves, and reminded us that there are several basic points that cannot be re-emphasized too often.

  • You and your teacher should pick a reasonable piece to play.
  • Get an accompanist if your piece calls for piano, and practice as often as possible with the pianist well ahead of time.
  • Make an impact with your playing; observe dynamics, communicate a musical idea.
  • Tune to the piano or to your fellow players; not to the tuner.
  • Don’t stop and repeat notes if you miss them or make a mistake, move ahead.
  • Be sure you are in observance of the festival rules regarding supplying the judges with an original copy with measures numbered.

Jennifer and Leslie Hunt

 

Report on Campbellsville Flute Day

On January 14, 2000, 85 flutists descended upon the small town of Campbellsville, Kentucky.  The occasion was the first meeting of the Flute Society of Kentucky, which was founded by Dr. Lisa McArthur, flute professor at Campbellsville University.

The day began with registration of attendees followed by the first meeting of the Flute Society of Kentucky (FSK).  Officers were elected and assignments for the day’s flute choir rehearsals were given.  Participants spent the first hour and a half in flute choir rehearsal for a concert to take place later in the day.  Following the morning flute choir rehearsal, the master class began.  Jim Walker, a recording artist and teacher in the Los Angeles area, as well as a native of Kentucky, was our guest artist.  He was tireless in his enthusiasm with the fourteen students who were selected by taped audition to perform in the master class.  It was an excellent opportunity for all concerned to hear him teach and play with Kentucky flutists.

The afternoon was spent with a continuation of the master class with Mr. Walker, and in another flute choir rehearsal before the final concert.  The evening concert featured the work done by all the students who attended Flute Day.  They performed the pieces studied during flute choir rehearsals through the day.  Newly-elected officers Leslie Hunt (treasurer), Lisa McArthur (president), and Jayne Copland (secretary) also performed solo works.  Jim Walker joined members of the flute quartet Flutopia in the performance of works he had arranged.  Mr. Walker also played solo performances in the evening concert.  As one ensemble, all Flute Day participants performed a world premiere of an arrangement of My Old Kentucky Home by Jim Moore, which was conducted by Dr. J. Robert Gaddis, FSK Board member and Dean of the School of Music at Campbellsville University.

Jayne Copland

 

Officer's Spotlight

The FSK elected officers at the first meeting held at Campbellsville University on January 14, 2000.  Officers will serve two-year terms.  This column will feature a different officer in each newsletter.  

President, Lisa McArthur
Vice-President, Gordon Cole
Secretary, Jayne Copland
Treasurer, Leslie Hunt
Editor, Jennifer Hunt

PRESIDENT, DR. LISA McARTHUR

Dr. McArthur is an assistant professor in flute, music theory, and music education at Campbellsville University, where she is also university orchestra director.  She holds the B.M. in music education and a Performer’s Certificate from the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam College, New York; and M.M. in performance and an M.A. in music theory from Kent State University in Ohio; and a Ph.D. in music theory from the University of Kentucky.  Dr. McArthur was selected to the 1996 National Dean’s List; has been awarded the O. Helton Memorial Acres Scholarship for Excellence in Professional Service, Scholarship, Leadership and Performance in Music; and received the 1997 University of Kentucky Association of Emeriti Faculty Scholarship, recognizing future excellence in college teaching.  She founded the FSK in 1999.

 

Technician's Corner

Hello fellow flutists.  In this edition of the Society Newsletter I wanted to mention a few emergency repairs that anyone with confidence in their ability to fix things (I hope not misplaced confidence) could do.  

  • "All of the sudden" you can’t play Bb with the 1st finger of the right hand.  First check to see if the C# rod has come partially out of the key that your left hand index finger activates.  If it has, slowly screw it back in checking to make sure that the Bb key continues to move up and down.  Try playing the Bb.  Then if there is still a problem check to see if you can play the Bb with the thumb lever or the Bb lever just left of the F key.  If you can, then there is a simple quick fix for the problem you experienced.  Look under the trill rod on the back of your flute just to the left of where your thumb goes.  There is a lever mechanism which you can see.  Press the F key down and release several times and watch the lever move.  Now press and release the thumb Bb and watch the top half of the lever move.  You need to add a little to the adjustment between the two parts of the lever.  Try one thickness of paper at a time until the Bb and the F work properly.  (If it’s too thick the F will not speak).  If all is well use a tiny bit of glue to hold the adjustment in place until you can have a lasting repair done.
  • "All of a sudden" your thumb Bb will not work but the other two fingerings work fine.  Look at the thumb key as you press and release.  On the right side of the key you can see that it lifts a tail piece that in turn presses the Bb key down.  The adjustment between these two needs to be thicker.  Use the same process as before, a little at a time.

Have fun making music,

Gordon Cole

(If you would like repair questions answered just send them by e-mail to gcole00@pop.uky.edu.)

 

News Bits

Stained Glass Images, a composition for flute choir by Dr. Sonny Burnette, FSK board member and associate professor of music at Georgetown College, was included on the recently-released CD "High Altitude," recorded by The National Flute Choir.  The group consists of 19 professional flutists from across the USA, representing 14 states from Alaska to Florida.  Stained Glass Images was the winner of the 1995 James Madison University Flute Choir Composition Competition.

The National Flute Association will hold its annual convention August 17-20, in Columbus, Ohio.  It is an unforgettable experience and close to us this year, so consider going.  For information on joining the NFA, carpooling, or sharing rooms, etc., please send a message to fsk1999@hotmail.com.

 

Membership Information

The Flute Society of Kentucky is a non-profit educational organization whose membership is open to all flutists, teachers and supporters of flute music.  We are glad that you are interested in joining an organization that wishes to further the study and performance of the flute in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Annual membership fees are $15.00 for regular members and $10.00 for student members (including university students).  Benefits include the Flute Society of Kentucky quarterly newsletter, Flute Keys, discounted admission to FSK events, as well as the opportunity to learn of the exciting flute activities happening all around Kentucky.  The FSK annual membership period runs from September 1 to August 31.

To join the Flute Society of Kentucky, please complete the electronic submission form located on the Society web site at www.FSKentucky.org.  Your membership will not become official until your check is received by FSK Vice President Gordon Cole.

Please make check payable to Flute Society of Kentucky and mail to:

Prof. Gordon Cole
School of Music
105 Fine Arts
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0022
Office telephone:  859-257-8172

 

Kentucky Flute Calendar

(Please select "Calendars" from the main menu.)