TEACHING
HAUTE ÉCOLE DE MUSIQUE (HEM), GENEVA
teaching philosophy
My teaching is based on three main principles: honesty, independence, and versatility.
Honesty
First, honesty means that as interpreters we must remain faithful to what composers have produced. In other words, students must learn how to translate the music as it is written. This includes articulation, dynamics, tempi. As Aurèle Nicolet said, “before interpreting the piece, play what is written.”
Independence
Second, I want students to be independent and able to progress further with intuition. I use question-asking as a tool, rather than telling them to do things. This greatly enhances the teaching efficiency, as students remember better what they have discovered themselves.
Versatility
Thirdly, I insist on students being fully versatile, like today’s actors in the theatre. They must be able to be authentic in music going from baroque to classical or contemporary, to give just a few examples. And finally, I insist a lot on sound quality, including having a full range of colours.
MENDELSSOHN
Watch my Geneva students and I perform an arrangement for flute ensemble of the Scherzo from Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, op. 61.
the ASPeCT I most emphasize in My teaching and My own playing
In my teaching I try to emphasize the physical aspects of flute playing. To be a flautist, we need to understand exactly how the human body works in relation to the playing. There is nothing philosophical about it. This is purely physical.
I want students to know exactly the name of muscles involved, how breath support works, the difference between quantity vs. speed in the air stream, and all these things that you need, among others, to be a good flautist.
I often see that when I ask questions, new students do not know these things and tend to think about purely artistic concepts. Of course, interpretation is all about expressing yourself, but it is very important to master the physical part too.
MASTERCLASSES
- Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London (UK)
- Royal College of Music, London (UK)
- Royal Academy of Music, London (UK)
- Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester (UK)
- Royal Academy of Music, Copenhagen (Denmark)
- Conservatoire National de Région, Lyon (France)
- Conservatoire National de Région, Nancy (France)
- Scuola Civica di Cagliari (Italy)
- Centro Cultural Kraus, Madrid (Spain)
- Barcelona Conservatoire (Spain)
- Conservatório de Lisboa (Portugal)
- Conservatório do Porto (Portugal)
- Conservatório de Aveiro (Portugal)
- Belgrade Conservatory (Serbia)
- University of Niš (Serbia)
- Universidad Simón Bolivar, Caracas (Venezuela)
- El Sistema (Venezuela)
- Beijing Central Conservatory (China)
- Shanghai Conservatory (China)
- Guangzhou Conservatory (China)
- Hangzhou Conservatory (China)
- University of Guiyang (China)
- Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts
- University of Taipei (Taiwan)
- Yong Siew Toh Conservatory (Singapore)
- Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Singapore)
- Sydney Conservatorum (Australia)
- University of Melbourne (Australia)
- University Auckland (New Zealand)
- University Hamilton (New Zealand)
- Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal (Canada)
- Faculté de musique, Université de Montréal (Canada)
- University of Chile, Santiago de Chile
- Escuela Moderna de Musica , Santiago de Chile
- Conservatório Nacional, Quito (Ecuador)
- Conservatório de Guayaquil (Ecuador)
- Curso Festival Union de las Artes, Guama (Venezuela)
- Rice University (USA)
- Austin University (USA)
- University of Northern Iowa (USA)
- University of Western Illinois (USA)
- University of Georgia, Athens (USA)
- University of Wisconsin, Madison (USA)
- University Federal of São Paulo (Brazil)
- State University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
- University Federal of Minas Gerais (Brazil)
- Encontro Internacional de Flautista Tatui (Brazil)
- Curso de Verão de Brasília (Brazil)
- Conservatório De Falla, Buenos Aires (Argentina)
- Conservatório Beethoven (Argentina)
- Conservatório Provincial, Córdoba (Argentina)
- State University of San Juan (Argentina)
- National University of Cuyo, Mendoza (Argentina)
- Universidad Nacional de Bogotá (Colombia)
- Universidad Nacional de Manizales (Colombia)
- Universidad de Pereira (Colombia)
- Universidad Antioquia de Medellín (Colombia)