Thank you for visiting my new Mini-Site at Flutewise.com.

Many of you have asked me to make my past columns available to you, so now you can browse through an archive of my articles and follow other links for more information about me.

In my columns, I write about flute music, history of the flute and flutists, tips on technique and interpretation, and what it is like to be a musician. I think it is important to set the flute in a cultural and historical framework.

I'm always delighted to hear from you, so continue sending me your emails. Now you can write to me at mimi [at] flutewise.com

I feel privileged to have the opportunity to share my love for the flute in this way. Remember to love playing your instrument and have fun always!

Warmly, Mimi

Composing Winners

The results are in for the first ever Flutewise Composition Competition! Before I announce the winners, I want to tell you about the wonderful entries we received. Flutewise members submitted compositions for a wide variety of instrumentations, including flute and piano, two flutes, and flute, cello, and piano trio. The other two judges, Flutewise editor Liz Goodwin, and composer Jeremy Gill (see Jeremy's comments in the … issue of Flutewise), and I were very impressed by the quality of the compositions. Our Flutewise composers
displayed impressive musical expressiveness and technical skill, often creating distinct moods in their pieces, and using imaginative titles and carefully chosen dynamic and tempo markings. Our applicants, who were between the ages of nine and sixteen, showed a high level of musical maturity and took pains to present professional-looking pieces of music. Many compositions were engraved using a music software program, others were submitted in careful manuscript.

I'd also like to say a few words about competitions in general. Most of us who play a musical instrument will at some point enter a competition, usually for performance, sometimes for composition or another skill. You may not always win, but you can make it a positive experience by focusing on striving to be the very best you can be. Compete only against yourself. With a healthy attitude, competitions serve as learning experiences, and if you win, all the better.

I'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the Flutewise members who entered the Composition Competition. Every one of you made a valuable creative effort. We are thrilled that the Composition Competition gave you, our readers, an opportunity to let your musical creativity reach a wider audience, and that we got to see again just how talented and creative our readers are.

And now, to announce the winners: Drum roll, please…

1st place Harriet Brooks-Davies (age 9), Flute Jig for Flute and Piano

2nd place Mary Kay Ho (age 15), Dance Eat Dance Monkey Party for Flute, Cello, and Piano

3rd place Kirstie Gifford (age 16), Turkish Delight for Two Flutes

Honorable Mention: Jennifer Wheeler (age 12), A Walk in the Countryside for Flute and Piano & Joanna Matthew (age 13), Summer Sunday for Two Flutes

We invite you to play them by clicking on the links above. All five winners will receive a piece of sheet music and a Flutewise T-shirt.

To all Flutewise readers, we encourage you to continue to compose. Let your inspiration take you to new and exciting musical places!

I'm pleased to present comments from Jeremy Gill, member of the judging panel. He is a Philadelphia (USA)-based composer, conductor, pianist, and professor of music at Temple University. He is also a great friend and colleague, who will be performing with me on my Dolce Suono Chamber Music Concert Series again this season.

Comments by Jeremy Gill
The pieces submitted were all unique—this is already something to celebrate. In general, I would suggest the following for those who want to hone their skills:

When writing for multiple instruments, think of each instrument as a unique voice—be careful to keep each one in its own range, giving it its own space. When one instrument is high, another is medium and another is low. Also, allow each instrument to contribute its own idea—don't feel that you have to let every instrument play the same tune or motive.

Avoid writing music directly into a notation program (like Finale or Sibelius). Sing your music, play it on your instrument, imagine it, and only when you have a clear idea of what you want sit down to notate it. When you write into a notation program, you compose by trial and error—you hear something you like and you go with it. This is limiting, while your imagination is limitless.

Study harmony. Some people have an intuitive sense for harmony, others have to work hard at it. Whether it comes naturally to you or not, you should always try to further your understanding of how music works. You can get a book on harmony and read up on it, or (and this is a much better way to learn) you can listen carefully to lots of music—play it whenever possible—and try to figure out how it works.

Music is magical, but it operates according to clear rules, and its mysteries will be unveiled if you spend the time necessary to unlock its secrets. Your love for it will only grow as you learn.

Join Flutewise to read my next column about flutes around the world in the Winter 2006 issue.