syllabus  etc

 Oberlin Conservatory Flute Studio Syllabus Fall 2024

Course Materials (see below for further detail): working flute, tuner/ tuner app., metronome/metronome app, recording device (phone?), notebook (hard copy or digital), music.

 Course Requirements

Studio class:  Monday 4-5:15pm in Stull. Stull is booked from 3:30pm, so please arrive early to warm up and or help put out the chairs, especially for our guest artists 🙂

Studio Class provides invaluable opportunities to perform for your peers, to get constructive criticism and feedback, to learn about pedagogy, and gain valuable experience in developing your own effective and supportive criticism. In theory, one unexcused absence is permitted from the official hour of studio class. Other absences should be approved in advance or be the result of emergency or illness, or technology failure (in the case of remote attendance). 

lessons:  Attendance is required at every scheduled lesson*.

For in-person lessons with Alexa, please send Alexa a recording of your etude the day before your lesson, preferably sending Alexa a link by email. 

Promptness: in the music business, being “on time” literally means having your instrument out and being ready to play at that appointed time. People who can't do this won't get hired back. In keeping with the conservatory's professional training, being on time also applies to lessons. PLEASE knock very loudly on the office door at the appropriate time. It is best to unpack in Alexa's office to avoid the risk of damage to your flute in the crowded hallway.

Lateness: If you are going to be late unexpectedly, please make every effort possible to make contact as soon as possible (ask someone else to deliver a message to the guest teacher). Emergencies can happen and it is courteous to communicate. If you are 10 minutes late without communicating, that will be considered non-attendance.  If Alexa is late to your lesson by more than ten minutes without communicating, she owes you lunch or something comparable.

 *Scheduling: Lessons are scheduled to fit around your and other students’ schedules according to the schedule information you supply to Alexa. If your schedule changes, endeavor to swap with another student and please advise the teacher as soon as possible. If you can't arrange a swap, it might mean you have to miss that lesson for this semester because there will probably be no mechanism for make-ups due to Alexa's sabbatical. 

A regular weekly lesson time, established by the end of add/drop period, is the goal but availability of guest teachers and myriad of other reasons will mean lesson times are sometimes not consistent.  PLEASE double check, every week,  that you have the correct time for your lesson for that week.

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Course Materials

Flute: You will have your flute maintained by a trained flute tech every 6 months. The flute studio has an abundance of shipping boxes designed for flutes, and several spare flutes are available to you at any time if yours needs repair. Due to time constraints, Alexa will only undertake emergency repairs, depending on proximity to your important performance dates. If Alexa is unavailable, Kirsten Kulma of the Cleveland Woodwind Repair workshop is the nearest skilled technician for emergencies.

 Tuner, metronome, recording device: Using app.s on your smart phone may be perfectly adequate for these essential practice tools. 

 Notebooks: A notebook is required (either electronic or hardcopy is good), due on or before the last day of classes. 

Required content: At the conclusion of each lesson, you will make a note to yourself to specify what will be prepared for the following lesson. You will also review your recording of your lesson and make a note of important points covered in the lesson. The goal is to ensure maximum productivity in your practice, so listening in a timely fashion is important. Also, notebooks will be checked during the semester (i.e. don't wait until the end of the semester to make notes). 

The following is not a requirement, but a flute notebook would be invaluable to you (and will earn you a higher grade for the semester- see grading contract) if it also contains: 

-Notes from guest/external/summer masterclasses 

-Goals/aims (projects, competitions, auditions, festivals, ?)

-Notes from listening to recordings

 -Repertoire list

-"Wish list" of repertoire

-Practice diary

-Notes from concerts attended

Recordings: Please note that the conservatory’s electronic data bases (a truly massive collection of recordings) will work anywhere. From off-campus, you need to enter the numbers on your library card to gain access.  

Music: The library is a very impressive collection but still may not have exactly what you want and when you want it. Please advise Alexa via email of what you cannot access (Alexa can ask the library to order music). 

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Performances

 Recitals: Everyone is encouraged to perform, live or otherwise, as much as humanly possible. For instance, this might include establishing your own Youtube channel, playing on all divisional recitals and signing up for summer school auditions that are held at Oberlin even when if you don't think you'd be able to attend that summer school.

 Grades: Please see flute studio grading contract (scroll down below).

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“Extras” 

Excerpt class is on Thursdays at 6 in Bibbins 238 for the month of September only (please see the relevant page on the flute studio website for the schedule of excerpts and links to resources)

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Other important stuff

- Alexa expects a sincerely friendly and supportive attitude in this studio primarily because this is extremely important for your career development (see syllabus addendum on "professional" conduct) and your professional reputation (see syllabus addendum on "professional" conduct).

- contact Alexa if you have ANY pressing concerns.

- All flutists are expected to observe every soloist performance given by the flutists in this studio and are strongly encouraged to observe every Oberlin ensemble performance (including flutists). If you are unable to attend, you should communicate that with an apology to the performer in advance AND advise Alexa ( so she is aware of your efforts to be a good colleague).

-Please check the flute studio's website for announcements and any advertising of competitions, jobs etc and please advise Alexa of anything you think should be included (Alexa REALLY appreciates your assistance in contributing information about events).

Contact information for Alexa:    Email: alexa.still@oberlin.edu    Text: 440 935 5471. 

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Flute studio syllabus addendum - Professional conduct

common sense about treating others the way you would like to be treated! 

Music is a collaborative art for everyone except perhaps rare soloist pianists. Being a successful musician usually requires much, much more than talent. For many situations including freelance work, it will be assumed that your performance level is adequate, and your personality and reputation then become the deciding factor in being selected for employment. The music world is, like any specialized field, very small. Your fellow students will be your future colleagues…. NOW is the time to begin practicing successful “person-skills”, time management and presentation skills.

Be courteous/respectful    THINK before you speak or act. Rude people don’t get asked back.

Musicians will never hire someone they perceive as disrespectful. Playing someone else’s solos and making any uncomplimentary comments upon performance or equipment (especially if unsolicited) will create a bad impression that cannot be repaired.  The best policy, especially in a freelance situation, is to keep your critical opinions to yourself. The exception would be a principal flutist making thoughtful, supportive and constructive suggestions to the player on flute 2 or piccolo, where the conductor clearly expects the principal to be responsible for the section, and where rehearsal consistently demonstrates that a constructive comment may lead to improvements and is therefore appropriate.

Be on time   Latecomers are labelled "unreliable" upon arriving late more than once and it doesn’t really matter what the reason for being late is. Being late conveys disrespect for others. A latecomer will never be hired for professional orchestral sessions or chamber music.

Absence is worse. If you are unfortunate enough to be late/absent with good reason, make contact with the party concerned as soon as possible to apologize first and explain second. NEVER wait for the other party to “find” or contact you.

Be well prepared     Poor performance might be forgiven. But laziness (i.e., somehow giving the impression that you are not doing your best work) conveys disrespect for others, and is resented and remembered. If your performance is below your perceived ability, you will not get asked back.

Be supportive     Love Music.... Love Musicians!  We all appreciate companionship and compliments. A kind word costs nothing. However...

Be sincere  A person obviously “sucking up" is not to be trusted. If you can’t genuinely mean what you say, just don’t say it. Find an alternative comment that you can be sincere about (there is always something positive that can be said).

Be circumspect about your presence in social media. Once an image or comment is posted, it is literally impossible to retract it.

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 FLUTE STUDIO GRADING CONTRACT

Flute Studio contract for a “B” grade:

1   Attend all lessons and make a sustained and dedicated effort to improvement.

2   Attend studio class regularly (i.e. not missing more than one studio class per semester). 

3   Perform in studio class at least twice per semester (see roster on flute website).

4   Submit a flute notebook, due on the last day of classes. Alexa will be assessing these. Extensions may be granted if requested in advance of the due date.

5   Make EVERY effort to attend fellow flute students’ performances and also make an effort to investigate flute-related events off campus. Apologies in advance of conflicts with fellow student recitals should go to the student who is performing and also notify Alexa.

6   Look after school instruments impeccably; cleaning and wiping off all fingerprints after every use, with immediate notification to Alexa of any accidents or problems. Any instrument returned in less that impeccably clean condition will lead eventually to restricted use of our best instruments.

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Flute studio contract for an “A” grade:  

ALL of the above “B” grade components plus:

A summary of each flute-related performance that you have attended during the semester and or the recordings you have listened to that include prominent flute parts. Each performance can be discussed in just a few sentences, about the music and the performers, noting aspects that can confirm keen observation. This should be included in your flute notebook.

and at least three of the following:

1   Participate in every studio class with Alexa by offering “constructive criticism” comprising at least one supportive and substantive verbal comment at each class. 

2   Post a recording that is accessible to the general public (Send Alexa the internet location).

3   Enhance your flute notebook with 3 or more substantive additional sections of your choice (see seven possible additions under “flute notebooks” in syllabus). 

4   Participate in orchestral excerpts class or make some sustained effort on an individual project throughout the semester, to be assessed at the end of the semester (discussed and agreed upon with Alexa near the beginning of the semester).

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Flute studio contract grading- “A+”

All of the “B” and “A” grade components plus:

Practice diary, with multiple entries per week, detailing agenda and reflective review of practice sessions.

Or

Some other additional and substantial project, to be discussed and agreed upon with Alexa.