Blog

NFA 2022 Premiere – Piccs on the Peaks!

In preparing for the 2022 NFA Exhibitor Showcase "The Highs and Lows of Harmony Flutes", Heather Neuenschwander from Flute Specialists contacted composer Carmen Marulanda to see if she would accept a commission to write a duet for piccolo and G treble flute. Carmen had not worked with a G treble flute before so they scheduled a meeting and shared videos demonstrating the instrument. Immediately Carmen, a Colombian composer and flautist who writes music based in the rich traditions and musical...

August 4, 2022Interview, Newsletter0 CommentsRead more...

Robert Dick Showcases the Glissando Headjoint™, NFA 2022 Exhibitor Showcase

On Saturday August 13 at the 50th Annual National Flute Association Convention in Chicago Robert Dick will present a Flute Specialists Exhibitor Showcase on his creation, the Glissando Headjoint. In this video Robert Dick previews his new piece "Lights in the Sky" which he will be premiering during the showcase at 3:00 in PDR2. The showcase will focus on Robert Dick's Glissando Headjoint™ and he will premiere the piece "Lights in the Sky" which is a set of 7 "pretty...

August 1, 2022Events, Newsletter, Product Features0 CommentsRead more...

Announcing NFA Premiere – Through and Between

While in town, composer Zachery Meier met up with Heather Neuenschwander from Flute Specialists at Sidekick Coffee & Books to discuss his new piece "Through and Between" which was commissioned by Flute Specialists and will be premiered at the upcoming National Flute Association Convention. Through and Between is a duet written for alto flute and bass flute. At the premiere Heather Neuenschwander will play alto flute and Tatiana Cassetta will play bass flute. Flute Specialists is committed to premiering new...

July 28, 2022Interview, Newsletter0 CommentsRead more...

Announcing NFA Premiere- Zip’s Blues for Two

The Highs and Lows of Harmony Flutes is a presentation that first began in 2021 for the National Flute Association's virtual convention. Tatiana Cassetta and Heather Neuenschwander from Flute Specialists decided it would be fun and informative to showcase flutes not often seen by playing duets. For one of these duets they decided it would be fun to take an E-flat flute and a B-flat flute and play a piece that is normally intended for clarinet and saxophone. The piece...

July 25, 2022Newsletter0 CommentsRead more...

ICU Compassion Concert with BETA Quartet

On March 19, BETA Quartet will be hosting an ICU Compassion Concert. This concert will be a benefit concert to raise funds for the Society of Critical Care Medicine. They will be premiering 20 new pieces written for flute quartet, all of which are dedicated to ICU workers around the globe in the midst of the pandemic. In the summer of 2021, partnering with long-time sponsor Mr. Jon Cummings and feeling the heartache and difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic, BETA Quartet...

March 16, 2022Events0 CommentsRead more...

3 Things That Will Take Your Flute Compositions To The Next Level

by Eric Lacy No Substitute for Hard Work An aspiring composer was working on some music he was writing for a small orchestra. After several months of composing, he reached a point of frustration with the outcome. When his teacher looked at the score, he assessed the music as being above average. However, he insisted that if his student wanted to improve the weakest parts, he would have to work on it. Well, the student took those words to heart and he...

February 22, 2022Helpful Tips, Newsletter0 CommentsRead more...

Flute Specialists’ Favorite Things 2021

Glissando HeadjointThe Glissando Flute: Handbook for Composers and Performers by Melissa KeelingK & K Silver Bullet Microphone SystemWin-D-FenderThe Other Flute by Robert Dick Haynes Custom 5% Gold Alloy FluteAltieri Flute/Piccolo/Laptop BackpackRobinson's Remedies Lip Renew Recovery StickSonata for Flute and Piano No. 1 by Samuel ZymanComplete Flute Method - Taffanel/GaubertRoi Flower Instrument Stand Deep Blue by Ian ClarkeWoodwind Fixit ToolFlute MaskAzumi AZ3 FluteRoi Backpack Hammig PiccolosClassic Flute NecklaceBeaumont Kitty Cat Flute Polishing ClothHandcrafted Wooden Flute StandsNocturnes for the Nativity Sonata (Undine) by Carl ReineckeRoi Flute...

December 6, 2021Product Features0 CommentsRead more...

Holiday Gift Guide 2021

Gift Ideas Under $25 Stickers: Any sticker lovers out there? Pins: Great to stick on your backpack, jacket, or lanyard! Beaumont Small Cloth: Wipe your flute down with this great microfiber cloth! not to mention the fun patterns Beaumont Bamboo Swab:Swab the inside of your flute with these fun patterns Fixit Tool:A great multi-tool every flute player needs in their gigbag! Flute Fingering Stamps:A great product to have for teachers of all levels Flute Pencil: Who doesn’t need a good pencil? Glitter Note Pencil: Goes perfectly with...

November 24, 2021Promotions0 CommentsRead more...

Teacher Appreciation Event

At Flute Specialists, Inc. we understand that this is a particularly difficult year for flute teachers at all levels and we want to help! Sign up for our FREE teacher appreciation event on Sunday November 7, 2021 at 2:00 pm on Zoom. This event will feature a panel discussion led by Marianne Gedigian, Melissa Mashner and Callie Brewer PLUS a free workshop with Lea Pearson titled “Helpful strategies to empower your students to ease tension and nurture expression”. One lucky attendee will...

October 7, 2021Events0 CommentsRead more...

Flutelight Emerges with “Duets & Dahlias!”

by Barbara Ogar Flutelight was created with the goal of creating community through music by presenting free and budget friendly Music Education opportunities, performances/masterclasses from stellar artists, and coupling everything with Community Service.  Flutelight was very active and then Covid prohibited live music/in-person group opportunities of listening, learning, and playing together. On September 19, how happy we were to emerge with "Duets & Dahlias!" The program was held at the Starkweather Arts Center, in Romeo, Michigan and featured Hannah Hammel, Principal flutist...

September 27, 2021Newsletter0 CommentsRead more...

Flutes by the Sea Masterclass Q & A

by Viviana Guzman Q: How did the Flutes by the Sea Masterclass get its start? A: The San Francisco Flute Festival was born in 2012. We started offering summer masterclasses in 2013 in the beautiful oceanside village of Half Moon Bay here in the San Francisco Bay area. Q: What is one of your favorite memories from the class? A: Our guest artists through the years have included Carol Wincenc, Amy Porter, Jill Felber, Julien Beaudiment, Alice K. Dade, Erika Boysen, Fluterscooter, Maxim Rubtsov,...

July 27, 2021Events0 CommentsRead more...

Announcing PRFS Competition Winners

Flute Specialists, Inc. is happy to sponsor the Puerto Rico Flute Symposium Young Artist Competition. This competition was open to all flute players from age 18 to 35. The first place winner received a $500 cash prize sponsored by Flute Specialists, a solo performance with the Puerto Rico Festival Orchestra, and a full scholarship to the 2022 symposium. The second place winner received a $200 cash prize sponsored by Flute Specialists, a 45-minute recital at the 2022 symposium and a...

July 23, 2021Feel Good Stories0 CommentsRead more...

A Flutist’s Guide to the Voxman Etudes

By Rose Bishop & Lizzy Darling Though the pandemic-induced lockdown utterly changed our performance schedules, we chose to look at these unprecedented events as an opportunity to pursue scholarly and educationally minded projects our usual schedule left little time for. This decision was especially exciting, as we had received a mechanical license for the Voxman etudes from Hal Leonard only days before the lockdown. In hindsight, this was particularly fortuitous, as our reduced teaching and performance schedules allowed for thoughtful, meticulous,...

June 25, 2021Newsletter0 CommentsRead more...

Announcing 2021 Scholarship Recipients

We happily announce the recipients of the Flute Specialists of Michigan scholarships to the Robert Dick Contemporary Flute Week at Wildacres Retreat in Little Switzerland, North Carolina, June 27 - July 3. Flute Specialists is delighted to support the Robert Dick Contemporary flute Week with two $250 scholarships. Candidates were required to submit a short statement and also a video of their playing. Sarah Curtiss is going into her second year of her Master of Music in flute performance at...

May 12, 2021Feel Good Stories0 CommentsRead more...

How the DSO flute section was able to #keepthemusicplaying (and more!) during the pandemic

This past year has been like no other and flexibility, creativity, and patience have been more important than ever. Through all the challenges and many concert cancellations that the COVID-19 pandemic forced upon all of us, various musical projects have helped us stay inspired. Many of these projects were through the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and we are so grateful to the DSO for the opportunities they’ve created for the musicians. Additionally, we are in awe of the inventiveness of DSO...

April 12, 2021Feel Good Stories, Newsletter0 CommentsRead more...

Spring Giveaway!

Enter our spring giveaway! Fill out this survey for a chance to win $100 to Flute Specialists, Inc. Giveaway closes May 31st at 11:59 EST. Winner will be drawn at random. Must be following us on either Facebook or Instagram to win. Good luck!

March 26, 2021PromotionsComments OffRead more...

#FluteMarchMadness *Update- End of Week 2

Check us out on Facebook and Instagram to cast your votes for week 3! March Madness, but make it flute! That’s right, it’s time for #FluteMarchMadness. We have ranked the flute excerpts from the “Orchestral Excerpts for Flute” and it’s time to fill out your bracket for your favorite excerpts. Download yours here, fill it out, and post it to Facebook and/or Instagram using the hashtag #flutemarchmadness. BONUS GIVEAWAY: Upload a video of yourself playing the winning except for a chance to...

March 16, 2021Asides0 CommentsRead more...

Salty Composers and How to Avoid Them by Nicole Chamberlain

https://youtu.be/1cxTTkaduk4 Working with a living composer may not be something everyone got to experience in school, and if so - it may have been with a student composer who was still learning and stumbling along the way just like everyone else going through the learning process. So let’s start fresh shall we? I’ve been fortunate that I have professionally experienced creating music both as a composer and a flutist. I’ve witnessed the process through both lenses, and I would like to share...

March 12, 2021Newsletter0 CommentsRead more...