Have you all seen this video of SP playing flute at the Ms. Alaska competition?

(No, this is not meant to be a political discussion.)

Could someone figure out what age she was when she played this? I think it would be interesting to know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0OZ9W2K_z0

She was in the Miss Alaska contest so I think that she was probably younger than 23. Keep in mind that she is a beauty contestant. She is not a professional flute player.

If you want to see something really funny. Go to you tube and search Marimba Miss America.

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Well, maybe 25 or younger.

Oh good Lord! NOT Sarah Palin again!!! I did see that video. Not only does she lack political savvy, but she also lacks it in flute.

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She may not be a professional, but she was introduced as being an accomplished flautist. ????????

She may not be a professional, but she was introduced as being an accomplished flautist. ????????

Funny huh.

My sister was a pagent queen. They didn't introduce her as a beautiful young lady who sings extremely off key.

I remember listening to that song on Galway's "Wayward Wind" LP. Ha, my kids don't even know what a "record" is.

Ok, now be nice, here is the link to my 2nd attempt at using this new software.... I love SNL, and this is how I found out that she played to start with:

http://www.new.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=167481&id=1072235527

Kara: she was probably accomplished to all the other contestants.


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actually, she sounds quite good.

She sounds good compared to whom though? You can't be serious. Her tone and breath support are lacking along with her pitch. Accomplished flutists? Maybe for someone only playing a couple of years.

I went and listend to it again. She can barely get her low notes out. Maybe she was nervous. lol! Okay, I will be nice now

She was age 20 when that vid was recorded in 1984. She had been playing for 10 years.

The best comment that I heard about her performance was that during the rests, she smiled well.

At least she made an effort to learn something more than one tune. Some contestants in these sort of events only want to learn enough to get through the "talent" part. They only want to know how to play the tune on a flute and not how to play anything else. That's what I had as a student many years ago.

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Not to criticize her but she was raised in a fairly small town. Wasilla has grown a lot probably since 1970's and the level of interest and music education has probably improved in similar areas since back then.

I also think that there is somewhat of a perception that the flute is an easy instrument by people that don't know and consequently it may not be taken quite so seriously by some.

I saw her impersonator on Saturday Night Live with a flute and wondered what that was all about! Funny. Reminded me of how I played in 7th grade, with my right thumb sticking out like that.

Yeah and if you look cloase on the SNL picture I posted the link to above, her footjoint is twisted around and the two keys are on the bottom of the flute. LOL

"At least she made an effort to learn something more than one tune. Some contestants in these sort of events only want to learn enough to get through the "talent" part. They only want to know how to play the tune on a flute and not how to play anything else. That's what I had as a student many years ago."

my band director calls those kind of contestants who only learn the one thing trained monkeys.

My ears hurt a few times with her intonation, but to be fair - it might be a factor that sometimes it's hard for the performer to hear the backing when up on stage..

After 10 years she was a little mediocre though - that's if she was pursuing exams for those 10 years. But she was a million times better than the star wars trumpeter!!! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Wffwg7pA0t8

Yeah! um.....wow....They tried to cover her up with the background special effects to little avail! Alas, it left Chewbacca howling.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wIV8jHnfwP8

OMG!!! She sounds like she is playing in another key! This has got to be a joke!!!!