Jolene Harju Madewell Archives | Bret Pimentel, woodwinds

Flutist Jolene Madewell improves her articulation with understanding of how the tongue moves.
Patty Mitchell discusses the oboe and getting into college.
David Pierce gives brief summaries of some books on bassoon reedmaking [update: link dead].
Saxophonist James Barger explains a method of vibrato development using a mobile app.
Clarinetist Jenny Maclay is organizing a Kroepsch studies boot camp for June.
Nicole Riner gives piccolo advice.

Favorite blog posts, April 2018

April 30, 2018 by Bret Pimentel

The flute bloggers were especially busy in April.

Flutist Nicole Riner shares some research-based recommendations (from 2004) about gender stereotypes and school band programs.
Jolene Harju Madewell prioritizes aspects of flute tone production.
Michelle Barraclough discusses orchestra pit playing for flutists.
Roderick Seed gives tips on improving flute resonance.
Flutist Rachel Taylor Geier offers advice on recital preparation.
Bassoonist Betsy Sturdevant continues her series of orchestral excerpt blog-masterclasses with the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique.
Woodwind player Larry Weintraub explores musical careers on cruise ships and in European publicly-funded ensembles.

Favorite blog posts, March 2018

March 31, 2018 by Bret Pimentel

Jolene Harju lists some favorite flute recordings.
Woodwind player Larry Weintraub shares information on careers in military bands.
Bassoonist Anna Norris is writing a series of posts on playing John Williams’s Five Sacred Trees.
Flutist Roderick Seed explores issues surrounding cheek puffing and chin pressure.
Clarinetist James Zimmermann discusses the relationship between the clarinet and bassoon cadenzas in Scheherezade.

Favorite blog posts, September 2017

January 1, 2018September 30, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

Flutist Jennifer Cluff offers advice on (not) playing with pain.
Clarinetist Jenny Maclay invites you to enlist for Baermann Boot Camp starting October 1st.
Cate Hummel shares tips on basic flute care.
Flutist Jolene Harju discusses breaking the habit of playing “test notes.”
Rachel Taylor Geier challenges you to test your flute knowledge with a quiz.
Oboist Jennet Ingle finds inspiration in fancy fountain pens regarding “flourish.”

Each of these fine woodwind bloggers has been featured here repeatedly, so be sure to subscribe to their RSS feeds and/or social media streams. And get in touch to let me know who else I should be following! (You, maybe?)

Favorite blog posts, June 2017

January 1, 2018June 30, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

Clarinetist/doubler Gentry Ragsdale-Szeto finds ways to squeeze in practice on multiple instruments.
Oboist Patty Mitchell discusses the energy musicians put into playing, teaching, and listening to themselves.
Clarinetist and saxophonist Andrew Allen explores some difficulties and benefits of playing and teaching multiple instruments.
Flutist Jolene Harju shares tips on keeping double-tongued notes resonant.
Clarinetist Jenny Maclay doesn’t play rests, but does observe silences.

Favorite blog posts, May 2017

July 19, 2022May 31, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

Flutist Terri Sánchez blogged like crazy this month, with many downloadable exercises and practice ideas. A few I liked included this one-minute warmup, these harmonics exercises, these 100 ideas for getting “unstuck,” and this advice on creating your own warmups.
Heather Roche shares some clarinet works by female composers. (Check the comments section for more.)
Flutist Jolene Harju does an interesting video experiment with expressive body movements.
Clarinetist Jenny Maclay suggests practicing recovery from mistakes.
Ed Joffe shares his experience with developing a multiple woodwinds graduate degree program.
Flutist Andrée Martin discusses priority scheduling for practicing and for life.
Barry Stees offers some tips and tricks for playing low, soft orchestral bassoon parts.
Flutist Vanessa Breault Mulvey shares ideas on being observant of your own playing [update: link dead].
Saxophonist Sam Newsome recommends slow progress. He also shares some interesting experiments in “prepared” soprano saxophone.
Cate Hummel warns against some small but problematic flute habits.

Favorite blog posts, April 2017

July 19, 2022April 30, 2017 by Bret Pimentel

Bassoonist Anna Norris suggests showing up for auditions.
Michael Shults switches between jazz and classical saxophone.
David Freeman transcribes recorder parts for Stairway to Heaven (but plays them on an electric keyboard…).
Michael Lowenstern addresses a bass clarinet reed question.
Flutist Vanessa Breault Mulvey discusses squeezing’s detrimental effect on flute playing [update: link dead].
Saxophonist Bill Plake discusses tone imagination.
Flutist Jolene Harju shares ideas for getting the most out of your lessons. I also liked her “Fundamentals Workout Planner.”
Jennet Ingle learns something about disappointing performances.
Saxophonist Jay Brandford shares an Eric Dolphy anecdote about dedication to detail in practicing.
Matt Stohrer shares his procedure for “setting up” a new saxophone. This is sort of a commercial post, but instructive about what a new instrument might need to play to its best potential.
Flutist Jennifer Cluff explains anchor tonguing.