Of Same – Same – Different Workshop for flutists
The Workshop
What an AMAZING workshop!
Thank you to everyone that took part and
contributed to our music making.
I organised an online workshop for flutists in May 2020. I sent the participants my piece Fantasie Impromptu-ish and asked them to familiarise themselves with at least one or two phrases. The purpose was to find multiple ways that one can interpret the piece. That would happen through exploring and accepting how our experiences form our choices. Some more information about it can be found here.
The goal was to produce variations of the same piece by freely manipulating the sound colour, timbre. If we were to choose just one property of sound to work with and manipulate then timbre would be it! This would happen by changing the colour of phrases, adding articulation, grace notes or scoops and dynamics. For example, if there is a legato jump, the performer can slide between the notes. We can see a staccato mark to mean detached and from there on we can give it an entirely different meaning, from simple detached to marcato, staccatissimo, to any percussive sound. Rhythm can be exaggerate to make a phrase more expressive.
This was a fantastic experience for musicians from different countries and musical backgrounds to play together. Music games are an amazing way to make musicians feel more comfortable with you and their fellow musicians especially in virtual settings.
We organised a second workshop only for the students of Cypriot flutist and flut educator Eva Stavrou. The theme was to play, learn and feel more comfortable with all the colours of the flute. I received videos from the girls’ performances of the piece I wrote for them a few months later. They were terrific! A huge progress and boost of confidence and ease in discovoring and performing contemporary techniques in a matter of months.
* Extended techniques article is here and part 2
Special thanks to Evi, Athina, Lauri and Kata for their support, inspiration, and kick!
© Rania Chrysostomou, 2020
Rania Chrysostomou 
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