Me preparing video for an international 10~15 year old junior amateur competition entry (submit deadline March 15th). Maestro Peter-Lucas GRAF will be the head judge.

Please feel free to give critique! Thanks!

Flute used: Sankyo Artist (CF401) with Sankyo NRS-1 headjoint

Pianist: My Piano Teacher

Score: Trevor Wye edition
First cadenza: my teacher
Second Main cadenza: me and my composition teacher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU13p15OkkM

I don't know who gave Pyrioni's post a negative vote, but I do think that was a pretty chicken-poo thing to do.

This is not Pyrioni's chance to show off, he is legitimately seeking helpful information toward making his performance better.

There will ALWAYS be people who are better than you, and worse than you, at playing the flute. It isn't all about who's the best (though competitions and their awards do seek to find the 'best'), but about doing your best, making improvements and being a musician. These competitions honor musical accomplishment, not judge who is the better person.

Excellent playing! Wow! My suggestion would be that you should keep your hands in position and rest the head on your shoulder during those little piano solos. It will look a lot better! Also, look content! In those piano solos, look content with how it's going, but not happy or cocky, just satisfied! I cannot fault your playing though! Wow! Maybe try and fill out the higher, thinner notes?
Good luck!

"but about doing your best, making improvements and being a musician."

Tibbiecow, thanks, you are right~! after received messages and advices and critiques from more than 70 people from youtube, GFC, Larry forum, our local forum, local teachers and from ex-principal of Argentina, national champion of Spain, principal of Greek national principal, I know I have sooooooo mamy problems in my playing, those professionals can spot so many problems in my playing that many I didn't even notice, music is so profound, and there are tons of techniques I need to improve, and so many pros out there, all I can do is just to improve myself and do my best. thanks.

<Added>

thanks Pyface for your tips, :)

I'll work harder on tone and techniques and musical contrast.

<Added>

oh intonation too

<Added>

my Sankyo flute has good cutting on the blowing hole, with very high riser and steep drop-off plate, so its sound is good, and easy to respond, but same time hard for me to control it, and if I don't focus more and blow downward then the sound will become very buzzy, I only used it for a 1 and a half months now, still not used to it and not used to open-holes. so I like my old Yamaha 211 better, much warmer -good for Mozart piece, but my flute teacher forced me to use my Sankyo. :(

<Added>

And thank you very much to Kate too, below:

I think it was an all around very nice performance and you have had very helpful comments already I see on your youtube page. Without mentioning what has already been said, I will only touch point on one thing and that would be to work out some of the phrases with the double tonguing. Perhaps with a metronome and take it very slow until it is smooth and even when up to speed. I am sure you are already working on that anyway. Good luck! This is one of my favorite pieces that I started playing at the same age as you when I heard it on an old tape of Rampal playing it.

I agree with most of the comments. I think your technique is far superior to mine, I can't say much...I did hear some weird "blips" where you hear little notes in between as you switch note to note in slurs. It's always nice to go back and take things slow again, which is something everybody of all levels should do.

However, I do believe there is a lot to be desired in musicality. I like Mozart. He is graceful, light, and playful. I think you should really put this character into your next take. Mozart is hard because it requires technical skill, but it's way harder to make that graceful, light, and beautiful while you're mercilessly going from note to note. I can see you are working on the character...there are some moments that are spot on, but there many that are not (cadenzas!!!!). I think you should keep thinking about this. As for all the tone color, stuff, I won't repeat b/c other people have said the same. I'm sure you are working hard. Good luck!

Thank you so much Kate and Spark12, tonight I experimented with rounder tone, hope this is ok for Mozart:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD5eYiDbulU

Yeah!!! This piece is definitely under your finger better now. I can notice a mark difference between this performance and your last. Better on tone too. If you don't mind me being very picky, the only thing that I really noticed was the tuning got a little off right before your first cadenza in the lower register. I know, it is a bear with the tuning when jumping down to the low register like that! Now that you have it under your fingers better, you can start to play around with it more as you won't be having to concentrate on that as much. Have you watched Nina Perlove's video on "the pop" as she calls it? I think that is a good one to watch that you could use. Also, have you thought about experimenting in some spots with your vibrato? Like on the upper register when holding a note out? I think that a bit more shimmer to the end of them with vibrato would be a nice touch. I would have to go listen to it again and tell you exactly where I mean. Where did you get your Cadenzas? I like them.
Great progress and work!!!

Thanks Kate again, you're completely right, it's hard to control intonation at this round tone's embouchure! - a new different set of embouchure for me. I will work hard on it. Also I was very conservatory on vibratos on Mozart. Thanks for your advice and tips and pointing out!!

The First cadenza: was written by my flute teacher.

The Second (Main) cadenza: I tried to write a short one based on Pahud's cadenzas, and then my composition teacher corrected most of it for me.

Getting better
It sounds like you are learning to make the NRS-1 headjoint sound great.
I have found for myself the 'Professor Headjoint' effect of playing different, high quality headjoints.
A new headjoint can be easy or difficult to play at first, but once you really learn to play a headjoint well (and this can take months!), going back to your old HJ will reveal new abilities.
When people say that Sir James can play a Gemeinhardt, or a Bundy or other flute really well, I think they misunderstand a bit what is going on. It isn't just that an inferior headjoint can be played with virtuosity- it takes some serious talent to get that kind of response from such an instrument. Perhaps it's a bit like a Horse Whisperer with a wild mustang- sure, the talented horseman can tame and ride the horse within an hour, but that doesn't mean a wild mustang is a suitable mount for a beginner!
I do digress- but I mean to say, keep up the good work, and the hard work, of mastering a new flute. It will definitely be worth it in the end.
And I want to agree with the 'slow it down and make it right' at 1:53 in the recording.

Thanks Micron and Tibbiecow!! I will work harder on those

Yep, still trying very hard to tame my NRS-1

Sorry guys, I think I will let you all down.

My piano teacher is sick tonight, recently everyone has got flu here except me, and the deadline of submit is iin 48 hours.

I have only this take 4, it's still not perfect, because of my poor techniques :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZgexp6lGr0

I can't record anymore takes now, becoz my pianist is very sick.

I can see all kinds of flaws in all my takes. I am thinking to submit either take 2 or take 4 for the Graf competition age group 10~15, what do you think? Please help me choose. Thanks.

Why don't you record your pianist playing once and use the record to practise when she is not there?

It will cost you lots cheaper in pianist hours and could be an alternative for sickness or Agenda problems. But, would she allow you to do this?. Not that a recording could ever substitute her, but it could multiply your practise time for no cost.

I cannot pay myself a single hour or pianist, but I often use my self-made, synthesized recordings of accompaniments or other voices to improve my practise. In my case, at least, this works OK and is very useful.

Thank you all for helping!! Just received notice that I got in into the Final after Peter-Lukas Graf and other Asian top judges reviewed my video.

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad112/pyrioni15/71b44e17.jpg?t=1270286847

and the final will be on July 9-12, I still have 3 months to perfect my Mozart

Congratulations!! I wish you the best of luck as the competition progresses.