Here is that same girl playing Bolero again. I thought you might want to look at some of the comments she got and made since you were thinking about posting a commment on there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usPkfgr4Dq4&search=flute

She writes:

I've been playing for 7 years. I also play piccolo too. I'm really good and I have first chair. Thank you!

Now I think you just HAVE to write something now! Lol!!!

I think someone else posted that comment. I thought it was the girl who played the flute in the video, but never mind it was posted under a different name, so I guess it wasn't.

I was about to ask whether Micron is "Symphonyflutist", when he posted. The comment sounds a bit harsh, but all those: "OHMYGOSH UR SO KUEL" remarks preceding it are unlikely to help her much. The very fact that she felt the urge to post two recordings of this would indicate that she could do with some constructive criticsm. (Although I don't think she's the person with seven years experience who posted.) My feeling is that this highlights the need for a good teacher, who is not afraid to give negative feedback when required. Someone who can tell her that this is fine as a work in progress, but needs work before it is done. It ought to be put tactfully though, otherwise she'll just think she's being flamed.

Whoever Symphonyflutist is, I think the opinion he/she posted there could be useful for the player.

If the flutist posts a video of her performance, sure she is expecting feedback and she must assume that there may be some negative critics.

In fact, all the other comments at "yourtube" site were so unduly positive that sound a little flattering.

But no doubt the girl has made a big effort, in dedicating 7 years (or whatever time it took for her) to reach that level.

Some people are obviously more talented than others; some will reach very high levels and become masters while many more will stay at lower levels, or even quit.

Personally, I think that those who already are up there, should try to refrain from comments similar to "Oh, seven years.. so much for so little" or "at that pace she will never do it".

It could be discouraging for those us who are still struggling with much easier pieces and still have lots of difficulties with them.

But more than for us (and for me), frequent posters in this Forum, that in a certain way already "know" each other, it could happen that the girl in the tube could visit this Forum and read those comments. That would be really negative for her, IMHO...

Sorry to disagree this time.

I agree Jose,
My only comment is that I can't understand why this video was even posted because Carpe Diem is not really one word .....unless it refers to:
http://www.catchcarpinfrance.com/
~Bilbo
N.E. Ohio

Carpe Diem is something we should all learn to do. The older one gets, the more urgent it becomes!

But I don't think this is related to the French carper in France! unless he uses all those great words such as Carpediem, Excellence, Growth, Integrity to catch bigger fishes...JJK

Truly, I have re-listened to both videos and I find them awful, specially the second at ISSMA.

However, I hope (for hersake) that Jen does not visit this thread, ever!

I have mixed feelings about this whole thread. In all honesty, I can't play this piece, and probably won't be able to for a while. (I know most of you can though.)I also think it can be great fun, as well as a learning experience to play pieces which are challengeing, and as said in an earlier thread; there is not much point in practicing pieces which you know well, except maybe for fun. BUT having said that, she does choose to play it not only publicly, but to then film it and post it twice. Is that courageous, foolhardy, or overconfident? She seems sincere enough.
On the other hand, it seems difficult to give/get someone balanced feedback (which she needs) in an internet based environment. Surely there must be some middleground between the vapid admiration (real or not) voiced by some people, and critism bordering on a flame-attack. I guess the lack of anything other than the raw words without expresion, body-language or non-verbal clues, coupled with the insensitivity that often comes with anonimity makes it hard.

<Added>

By-the-way: Nice fish J-L!;)

Jose,
I think that that fishing site is using a play on words to promote their business. The "Carp" is their fish of choice. The fish that is a bottom dweller, that in the US is kind of a nuisance fish that can take over a lake. Some people who fish would rather noodle for catfish than snag a carp. At my local lake there is a spillway where the carp congregate because people feed old bread to them. This is really a curiosity because these 3 to 4 foot long (1 meter) fish are relatively huege and in such great quantities that they end up flopping about on the backs of each other as they lunge for the slices of bread.

I'm also mixed about how this girl who is interested in being a college music major will fair. She probably suffers from being the big fish in the small pond. If she is accepted into a college music program, sho is going to need to improve a bit in her technical skills and knowledge of the flute to be successful in that enviornment. Of course we don't know anything about any other music talents, Piano or singing but based on this flute performance this includes her fingers, tuning and tone. If she doesen't accept the need for improvement, she is merely the person who is paying the way for the talented ones with her tuition through their scholarships.

I say this with reservations because on the amateur level, praise should be given out more often but for the serious professionals, it becomes a different situation.

~Bilbo
N.E. Ohio

That B. Gates is cool, though I dislike him (I don't think he cares much about it).

His Number 8 is the best, IMO.

I fished the green beast at the French fisherman site. My 600BC Etrusque diver was almost invisible, so I will change avatar for a while.

Pitty; the diver is a beautiful fresco and a good metaphor. Its is believed to represent the passing from this world to the other. (it is inside a tomb..) I may upload it somewhere, later, and post a link here.

Carpe Diem again!.

By curiosity, what is exactly a music major in the US school system? Is it a kind of professor or is it something else?

Yeah, it was really just played in a very sloppy manner. There were some nasty intonation issues throughout the whole piece, the articulation was sloppy, and it was just not polished at all. If I were a judge she would have probably gotten a 3 on this.

I kind of feel like this was maybe a piece someone gave her to push her. I have no idea if she has a private teacher or not, but she would benefit from having one if she doesn't. Maybe she was nervous since this was a competition?

I can guarantee I have a recital on tape that sounds nasty. I had that nasty billy goat vibrato through the whole thing. (Your first receital as a music major surrounded by other music majors can be terrifying!)

All in all I would say she is slightly above average for age group playign wise, but she certainly could use a private teacher to work on some things with her.

the problem that I have with the comments on her tone is that, it was recorded with a video camera. Cameras have REALLY terrible sound quality. Once I had to interview a WW2 veteran for a history class and when I watched the tape, there was a whole minute that he couldn't be heard over an airplane outside that we barely noticed when recording. Point being, the loudness of her breath or the clarity of her tone, even her dynamics are hard to determine simply because of the poor quality of her recording device.

that was a bit painful to watch, she should, as we should all, put quality of tone before speed

I think this person is a doubler brass/woodwind. If you take a look at some of her other videos she is there, but playing trumpet. I think (and hope) that the trumpet is her principle, and that she JUST picked up the flute on her own, and ALSO thought she could take something she would probably be able to play on her trumpet (level-wise I mean). I did the same thing with the Briccialdi Carnevale de Venizia when I started flute from clarinet, but I worked out the runs. It doesn't sound like she learned enough to play that song. It might also be that she had her heart set on playing that song, and fooled herself into thinking it was coming along great because she liked the piece. Either way...she needs constructive criticism from someone like Sir James, or Mr. Krantz, or someone a heck of a lot more qualified than I.

-Dennis

I am with you on that Micron. Maybe I expect a more out of my students, but her tone would never fly with me. Above average? I hope not.

I think that Dennis has a great theory and that really could be why her tone suffers.