I was watching Leah, the director of the community band I'm in, playing flute with a professional wind symphony. She was the only flutist with the instrument to her mouth and playing a very demanding solo. But I couldn't see her fingers moving. What in the world, was she using only overtones?
Suzy was there with me and she said that Leah was the master of no wasted movement in playing. Indeed, I had to look around to figure out who the flute soloist was. And parts of the solo were so high I thought it might be a pic playing. It was really a tour de force for the proponents of controlling those flying fingers for any instrument performance. And while I seem to sway and move a lot when I solo, Leah was as still as a church mouse under a cat's gaze.
Just for contrast, here is James Galway, a noted flute professional who's flying fingers don't seem to affect his playing of the always difficult Flight of the Bumblebee.
Suzy was there with me and she said that Leah was the master of no wasted movement in playing. Indeed, I had to look around to figure out who the flute soloist was. And parts of the solo were so high I thought it might be a pic playing. It was really a tour de force for the proponents of controlling those flying fingers for any instrument performance. And while I seem to sway and move a lot when I solo, Leah was as still as a church mouse under a cat's gaze.
Just for contrast, here is James Galway, a noted flute professional who's flying fingers don't seem to affect his playing of the always difficult Flight of the Bumblebee.