Virtual Flute Academy

☀️Need to get back in shape BEFORE school starts!?☀️

It is not too late to sign up for our summer session!

We make customized technique plans for you and your playing needs!

For more information on the services we offer or to enroll in our summer session go to our website www.virtualfluteacademy.com/registration.

🎶Happy practicing! 🎶

Let's talk about !
When just starting a practice journal I always recommend my students to do a normal practice session and write down what you did, don’t change anything!

This helps us to identify:

✏️the good practice habits we already have :)

✏️the areas where we should spend more time on (that tricky double tonguing exercise we love to avoid).

✏️how long we really spend on each area of practice

Some of us may find that we have a lot to work on and some may find that we already have a great starting point… all of that is okay! This is all something that we will acknowledge and will help us begin working on more structured and beneficial practice habits. No judgements when we are first starting our practice journal and learning about our own routines!

Continue doing this for your future practice sessions. Right after you practice you should reflect on these ares BEFORE your next practice session:

📓Look through and see what goals you accomplished

📓Look through your notes and see what goals you didn’t accomplish

📓Write specific goals based off of the previous answers (the more specific the better)

📓Write down what you are most proud of today!

This may seem like a lot of extra work at first, but once you start doing this after EVERY practice session you will find that it really helps focus your practice sessions and gives you the accountability you need to follow through with your goals!

Are you a master practice journalist, what are your favorite tips and tricks for journaling your progress?

Let’s talk flute goals!

Why is it so easy to set goals, but not easy to follow through with them?

Not having accountability is one of the main reasons we don’t stick with our goals.

With social distancing, we are cut off from a large part of our social networks and our regular routines. It becomes super easy to put off the “hard stuff” or even worse, not practice at all 😱. I feel strongly that now more than ever, it is really important to set up great practice routines and not only make goals, but follow through with them!

Now, I am not saying it will be easy, but I will provide you with ways to make it easier.

Some of the best ways to add accountability to your practice goals are:

🍎Hire an awesome private flute Instructor
🍎Reach out to your band director for some assistance
🍎Find a trusted flute friend (or other musical friend)

Pro tip: If you don’t have a teacher, band director or a friend to check in on you and your goals regularly, I would highly recommend starting a , or start recording your practice sessions (and yes, actually listen to them).

If you have never kept a practice journal, no problem! Stay tuned for our next goals post to learn more about starting a practice journal!

How do you keep yourself accountable with your ?

Hi ! We have been loving connecting with you all here on Facebook. Let’s continue the party with the launch of our first summer session tomorrow!

What is a summer session and how do I sign up?

Each enrolled flutist will receive:

☀️A Technique Plan hand-selected for their individual ability that develops tone, embouchure flexibility, finger technique, and articulation
☀️Unlimited mini lessons and coaching sessions from Brittany and JennaMarie
☀️High-quality demonstration videos and tips for practicing for each exercise
☀️Reminders and focus points in an individualized practice plan
☀️Easy access to instructors for clarification and help
☀️Materials designed to limit screen time
☀️The incentive to “Level Up” to new Technique Plans with demonstrable progress

THE BEST PART: students can receive unlimited feedback on assigned exercises! We want everyone to be successful in developing their flute abilities this summer and know that sometimes you have to ask lots of questions to retain knowledge. We focus on providing each student with the specific tools they need to develop their current ability and guide them to the next level. This is NOT a one-size-fits-all summer program!

To sign up: read through the VFA participant agreement and fill out the questionnaire here https://www.virtualfluteacademy.com/registration.
Happy practicing ! 🎶

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I've been playing a lot of flute lately, but I try not to forget about my piccolo, alto flute, and fife friends, too. Spending quality time with instruments from the whole flute family is really fun!⁣
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𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺?⁣
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-bp

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Have you ever tried practicing in front of a mirror?⁣⁣
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It’s an often overlooked, yet very effective practice technique and much like recordings of yourself playing the flute, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘦! It will show you perhaps the strange thing your shoulder does when you get to a difficult passage, or the tightness of your embouchure on higher notes. ⁣⁣
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Often we think we are fixing a bad habit, or doing something our teacher has told us to work on, but in reality we may be reinforcing the bad habit… or even replacing one bad habit with another! Taking a peek at the mirror from time to time, or doing a whole exercise in front of the mirror is a great way to become your own teacher and to check up on these things. ⁣⁣
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𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 “𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠":⁣⁣
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💚 How is my posture? Do I have a strong stance and are my shoulders stacked over my hips?⁣⁣
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💚 Where am I breathing from? Are my shoulders rising when I take a breath, or is my breath lower in my tummy and back ribs?⁣⁣
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💚 Are my hands and fingers in their optimal playing position? Or are my fingers high off of the keys and tense?⁣⁣
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💚 How does my embouchure look? Is it getting tight and pulling the corners backwards as I play higher notes, or is it relaxed and allowing my air support to do the work?⁣⁣
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What are your favorite practice techniques in front of the mirror? If you don’t use the mirror, what other practice hacks do you have for checking in on some of your less favorable habits when playing the flute?

-jmw

𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, ! ⁣💞
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We’re enjoying the start of our week with 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴.⁣
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𝗪𝐡𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬?⁣
They help develop the muscles around the mouth. With strong lip muscles, we have better flexibility in the embouchure, control of intonation and soft playing, and develop our tone.⁣
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𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠?⁣
♦️The articulation at the beginning of the note: Was it clear? Was it uniform to the other notes?⁣
♦️The release at the end of the note: Did the intonation drop? Was it smooth or abrupt?⁣
♦️Was the note full of fast strong air for the whole duration?⁣
♦️Using a tuner, was the note in tune from start to finish?⁣
♦️Did the exercise sound like a phrase? Was there some shape to it?⁣
♦️Are you in time with the metronome? ⁣
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🗯𝘗𝘳𝘰 𝘛𝘪𝘱: Long tones can get boring if you zone out. Having trouble focusing? Try varying or writing your own exercises, or include slow scale work and harmonics! ⁣
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𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴?

Let's talk about 𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘜𝘱𝘴!⁣
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One of the great things about picking up your flute for the first time every day is that it's full of 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 for whatever goals you have planned! Starting with a good warm up really sets the tone for a productive practice session. ⁣ ⁣Check out our current list of favorite warmups.

How do you warm up? Tell us your favorite books and routine in the comments!⁣
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𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞'𝐬 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬:⁣
Daily Exercises - Marcel Moyse⁣
Tone Book from Practice Book for the Flute - Trevor Wye⁣
Tone Development for Flute - Emil Ick⁣
Tone Development through Extended Techniques - Robert Dick
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𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐲'𝐬 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬:⁣
28 Day Warm Up Book - Paul Edmund-Davies⁣
Le souffle, le son (The Wind, the Sound) - Philippe Bernold⁣
La technique d'embouchure (Embouchure Technique) - Philippe Bernold
Top Register Studies for Flute 90 Melodious Studies - Thomas J. Filas⁣
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𝗪𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐔𝐩𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞:⁣
(𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘐𝘔𝘚𝘓𝘗.𝘰𝘳𝘨!)⁣
17 Daily Exercises - Paul Taffanel/Philippe Gaubert⁣
7 Daily Exercises - Matheus André Reiche

Join Virtual Flute Academy this July 15 - August 14 for our inaugural summer technique session!

All enrolled flutists receive personalized exercises, demonstration videos, and unlimited feedback. The session will focus on flute fundamentals, with an emphasis on tone development, embouchure flexibility, articulation, technique, and vibrato. Students of all ages and ability are welcome!

For more information, visit: www.VirtualFluteAcademy.com

We are committed to doing our part to tear down structures that create an unequal society. ⁣
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We stand with and uplift the voices of our Black friends, colleagues, students, mentors, and community. ⁣
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Black Lives Matter.⁣
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#⁣blackouttuesday

Hi all! I'm 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞 and I am a Program Director and Instructor for the 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺.

A few things about me: I live in Northern Virginia with my fiancé, Chris, and rescue dog, Gizmo.🐶 I love reading, learning new things, adventure, and sharing my passions with others. 💞

I also enjoy teaching my private flute and piano studio and playing Second Flute in the Manassas Symphony Orchestra and Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra - OBCO and Third Flute/Piccolo in Symphony Orchestra of Northern Virginia. 🎶

I am so excited to start and develop this program along with my friend and colleague, Brittany! Enough about me, share something about you!

Hello! My name is 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐲 and I’m a Program Director and Instructor for the 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺.⁣
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I moved to Virginia from Texas after winning an audition with The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. 🥁 Now, I work for The United States Army Band, "Pershing's Own" in Public Affairs 📸 and play Principal Flute with Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra - OBCO. I enjoy performing, teaching, and spoiling my puppers 🐶🐶🐶 and house plants. 🌱⁣
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I’m excited to share, grow, and have a lot of fun in our little corner of the community, alongside my very good friend JennaMarie.⁣ 💞
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Now that you know a little about me, tell me something about you!

Welcome to the 𝘝𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺! 💞⁣
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We are an education resource for the flute community, music educators, and flute teachers. We help flutists of all ages and ability 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐮𝐩 their playing while having fun along the way! ⁣
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Stay tuned for news about our first summer session!