Primary goals in my teaching
- To develop musical expressiveness
- To improve awareness of tone to expand tonal color
- To demonstrate practice tools that will help make most efficient use of your (usually limited) practice time
- To discuss fundamentals of harmony and music analysis to help you better understand the "grammar" of music
I began my flute study in 1966 with a violinist, Anton Peshek (the band director for the Middle and High School Bands in Menominee, MI), who soon passed me on to flutist Father Joseph Mattern. They both played in the Green Bay Symphony. At the Lawrence University Conservatory I studied with the inimitable Fred ("Prof") Schroeder, who, like Devienne, played both flute and bassoon. I have since had the good fortune to have worked with Samuel Baron, Thomas Nyfenger, Robert Dick, Bernard Goldberg, Eleanor Lawrence, Andras Adorjan, and Henry Zlotnik. I continually refer to all of their great teaching when working with my students. I like to take a positive approach to problem solving, and often quote Sam's "Baron Theory of Optimism" that if you did it right once, you can do it right again.
In Dr. John's Flute Clinic you will find articles and links to information on practicing, teaching, the music business and more. Many generous flutists have kindly agreed to allow me to include their wise counsel in this section of the web site for which agreement I am very grateful. I hope you will find these resources useful.
