Hello everyone! Happy Holidays. I hope that you are feeling better than me. Somewhere in between all these holiday gigs, I managed to contract the flu. Otherwise, its been a great season.

There is a project that I am interested in. One of my former flute students lost her flute. She is nearly to the point of graduation at FGCU. Purchasing a new flute is a must, but it is an extreme hardship. At my suggestion, she set up a page at a fund raising site. Please, at least go read about her situation and if you can, help her out.

http://gogetfunding.com/project/help-keep-my-music-alive

Many thanks,

Bill Larsen

I had a good reminder today via the misfortune of one of my former university students.

Just in case your flute or piccolo may be misplaced or stolen, you should jot down the make, model and serial number of your instruments.  Its very hard to lay claim to something that you can not positively identify.

Here's some guidelines:
1.  Call the police and file a report.  It may seem pointless at the time, but later you may be grateful that you established an official timeline.  Retain your copy of the report.  You may need the file number.
2.  Canvass the neighborhood.  Put up fliers, stick them under doors or on windshields.
3.  Offer a credible reward for a "No Questions Asked" safe return of your instrument(s).
4.  Check your homeowner's or renter's insurance policy.  If you have a policy, you may be covered for your loss.  In the future, you may want to list this as a line item on your insurance.  By the way, if you are a professional musician at any level and cannot claim status as a student, even if you list the instrument as a line item on your insurance, it probably is not covered.  You need to get instrument coverage under a separate policy.  Look at http://www.clarionins.com/.
5.  Go to every pawn shop in town.  Visit them on a weekly basis.  This is legwork that you will have to do on your own.  The police have plenty of other stuff to do.  If you happen to find your instrument, step outside the shop and call the police immediately.  Have a copy of your stolen property report.
6.  List your instrument as stolen on CraigsList as well as Larry Krantz's flutelist.

If you have some other experience or advice with the loss of your musical instrument, please resp

This will also available as a download on our "Flute Related Downloads" under the Media Menu.

LARSEN'S RULES OF ARTICULATION:

1.         Articulation does not involve the throat.

2.         Tongue forward at the gum line, upper front teeth or through the teeth, but not on the palate.

3.         Never tongue hard even when accented.

4.          The first note of a slur is automatically accented by virtue of denying accent to the connected notes.

5.         The last note of the slur may be slightly lifted or shorter.  This depends on the style/time period and
                performance practices of the time in which the piece was composed.

6.         Syncopation is weak beat accent.

7.         Separate (make space) prior to an accent.

8.         Faster tempi require shorter note lengths.

9.         Faster articulated passages do not require tonal expression. They need clean articulations, a simple tone color
                and direction.

10.        Tenuto sometimes means to give “weight” to the note.

11.        Accents sometimes mean to play the note tenuto.

12.         When practicing purposefully slower, keep the note lengths the same as the faster goal     tempo.

This is an excerpted version of a speech that I gave at a fundraising event for the SWFSO.  I thought it deserved to be shared on my blog.

I want to tell you the story of how my mad pursuit of music began.  Hopefully, I can tie it all together and tell you why the arts need your support.

From an early age, I exhibited signs of fascination with rhythm and sound.  I am told that, as a baby, I would stick my foot in between my crib and the wall, and thump out a regular beat pattern.  From this, I earned the lifelong nickname of Thumper.  To this day, I press on the footboard of our bed and rock, because it helps me sleep.  My sweet wife tolerates this and finds it strangely endearing.

My father was the master of imitating Donald Duck.  My first rude words were learned in the voice of the good Donald.  Dad managed to squeak out Donald’s voice in the back of his throat and it never failed to get a smile or a laugh out of the listening party.  Obviously, I wanted to be part of that.  It took years to master, but I became as proficient as my father, but my language was far worse. 

During summers, I would drive my Mother and sisters crazy with the odd, and unpredictable sounds that I could make with my voice.  In particular, I developed a sound that could be controlled into the effect of an approaching truck.  This was quite unpopular in the family. 

Fortunately for everyone, when 4th grade rolled around, I had the opportunity to try out instruments.  I had no real inclination, but my sisters had already surpassed any possibilities of me being successful in art, science, math, French, attendance, punctuality, attention span, etc.  “What the heck.” I thought. 

Perhaps the first time in my ten-year old life, as a band member, I belonged to something.   That something tapped into my inner desire to create and organize sound.   I felt at home, and secure, surrounded by my band nerd friends. 

As a result of my interest, my Mother saw fit to get me some lessons.  My teacher gave me everything that I needed to be inspired.  Jose Corral, second flute with the Phoenix Symphony and notable jazz musician showered me with his musicianship and knowledge, but perhaps more importantly, offered me the non-judgmental nurturing that a teenage boy flute player might need.   To this day, he is more than a flute teacher.  He is my flute father.

Through diligent practice, I won the position of piccolo with the All-State orchestra my senior year of high school.  Then I went to Arizona State on a full scholarship.  College was great!  And, I was no longer a nerd.  There was awesome power in focusing on my musicianship.  People noticed.  Especially girls!

During my college years, I had the good fortune of subbing (at the last minute) on a concert with the Phoenix Symphony.  Famed musician, Eduardo Mata was conducting.  At the end of the concert, Maestro Mata gave me a thumbs up and I was hooked for life. 

After grad school in Cincinnati, I auditioned for several positions, but could not secure work.  I formed a trio during that time, and when the other two musicians moved to Florida, I followed them.  Our trio was named Jasi.  We were quite popular here in Fort Myers.

At that same time (1983), I auditioned for and won a position with the SWFSO.  Since then, I have been operations manager, personnel manager, librarian, general manager of the youth orchestra, principal flute, soloist, and part of an education trio.   Not at the same time.

I met my wife Beth at a summer master class.  Soon after meeting, she auditioned for and won the second flute/piccolo position with the orchestra.  We became close friends, and later we got married.  Best thing that ever happened to me.

Now, Beth and I have a sixth grader of our own.  He started band this year.  He will try flute for a while to see if he likes it.  I have to tell you, he gets a great sound.  The jury is out whether he will find his “Inner Thumper”. 

I tell the story of Thumper because, in my mind, it is so clearly my first musical cusp moment.  Music is the thread that has bound my life together.  The choice to play music gave me a sense of worth and a place to be.  It saved me from many possible destructive paths and helped me find my way into being a part of this community.  I may have taught your children.  In some cases, I may have taught you! Or played at your wedding or in your church.  Or you may have seen or heard me in this great orchestra of ours.

Music must not become secondary in our education and our culture.  In performances, most especially those concerts for children, I think and feel that there must be someone out there that just needs a taste, a spark to become compelled to make music a part of their lives.   I feel privileged to have had such an extraordinary musical journey.

So, here's to all those future thumpers with a special “thank you” to all of you out there that help us reach out to them.

Thank you.