Michael Lange Music Company

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On Fluting.....

What does it mean to be a flutist? I have often asked myself this question in an attempt to put this wonderful experience into a perspective that others can share. Indeed, it is the hope of every musician that we may pass on our experience to another. It is totally human and natural that we desire to pass on this gift we share as flutists. The fascinating part of it all is that you don’t have to be the greatest flutist in the world to gain tremendous rewards from fluting. All one need do is simply engage in the activity! There is always something to be learned at any stage of acquiring proficiency.

If I were to sum up my basic philosophy on fluting and have something meaningful to pass on to my students it would be summarized into a simple mantra: “As you live, so shall you flute.” Fluting is a way of living. It is a reflection of who you are and how you live. If you want to teach better, get to know your student better. They are unique individuals with differing needs and goals. Don’t treat them all the same. There is a growing phenomenon of teachers who do not recognize this most basic reality and attempt to recreate all of their students in their own flutist’s image. That is a gross misunderstanding of the human component of teaching. Fluting has become stale because we crank out automatons of fluting and the richness of our uniqueness as flutists is in danger of being lost. Don’t do this to people. Don’t do this to fluting! Teach that unique person as a unique person. The flute is just the vehicle that we share.

So how did I arrive finally at my mantra of living and fluting? It started when I examined this strange relationship I have with this otherwise lifeless and inanimate object known as a flute. After all, a flute is, by itself, nothing more than a hunk of dead metal. But it is the product of another human being, and their life and work is reflected in its production. So we receive this gift and apply ourselves with it. Only then, can we breathe through it expressing music within the limits of our proficiency. Focusing on these realities led me to some stunning considerations that I also attempt to pass on to my students.

The primary consideration involves the relationship of the two parts, flute and flutist. I’ve already established that the flute itself is a dead hunk of metal. For it to come to life, it needs a flutist! What does it then become? It obviously becomes a reflection of what the flutist brings to it for it has no musical purpose if that is not true. It is at this point that I make a very important distinction. “One does not study the flute. You are a student of the flute.”

It is rather interesting that an inanimate hunk of metal can so enrich our lives. You cannot master the flute. That is unattainable. Someone can always conceive of something beyond the realm of technique and the ability of even the very best player. What the flute offers us is a challenge. It represents all the techniques and styles within its design for the ultimate purpose of making music. That makes the music the ultimate goal and confirms that the flute is only our tool of choice for achieving that goal. As a repairman, I must know the capabilities and limits of my tools. The flute as a tool is no different; it just serves a different goal. Any tool inspires me to see what I can actually do with it to realize those goals and limits.

So I now understand some basic concepts. Music is the ultimate goal of our craft and the flute as my tool of choice reflects my musicianship. Now I must be a student of the flute. I must enter into the pedagogy of its techniques and capabilities. I have made the choice to do this, and by doing so I conform an aspect of my life to this goal. Fluting is now a reflection of my life. I bring my life to its study. It has challenged me with its own inanimate uniqueness and now I submit to that challenge and enter into an exploration of all the wonderful possibilities fluting possesses. By doing so, when you hear any flutist play, you hear their life story. You see the product of their work and the goal of musicianship and then the flute itself disappears. When one looks at a great work of art, you can see the individuality of the painter. You do not see the brushes used to produce it. For us musically as flutists, this is no different. Our flutes are merely our brushes.

Now we concentrate on the challenge. It is here through the hard work of learning technique that our lives are most affected. It is even more evident at this stage that we are not studying the flute but are students of it. This regimen of technique is now a life activity. It illuminates our strengths and weaknesses and we must respond if we have chosen correctly to be true to musicianship. Since musicianship is the ultimate goal, we must recognize it or we are wasting our time. “Musicianship is completely within the realm of the player.” Like the painter, it is our individuality on display. One of the best lessons imparted to me concerned a love for music and musicianship. In brief, one must have the essence of good music burned into their soul. If you can give that to a student, they will figure out technique in their own way, because their soul will demand their body to produce it. That is the power of music. Embrace good music done well. All that is left for the teacher to do is guide each student on their personal journey with helpful tips. This allows the student to progress at their pace, through their life’s experiences.

Music through fluting is now their companion for life. If you can do this, you have passed on a tremendous gift. One humbly approaches the unattainable and becomes enriched by the beauty of music as a result. Since music itself is a reflection of the musician that brings it to life, we witness a portion of the beauty of humanity because we have approached with the knowledge of what it means to be a flutist. We see the unique beauty therefore of a flutist’s life as expressed through an otherwise lifeless hunk of metal. We hear not the brush, but the painting and become enriched by the beauty of that individuality.

As a player, teacher, and fixer of flutes, this is what it means to me to be a flutist. And so I leave you with my mantra: “As you live, so shall you flute.” That being said, I also offer one final complimentary thought:

“Live well, Flute well!”

Joe Butkevicius

If you have any questions and/or comments, send an e--mail.

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