A little while back, I received this email from a teacher concerned for her student with scoliosis: “I have a student that has scoliosis. She has been told by her doctor that she is going to have to stop playing flute due to the severity. I know that if she is sitting correctly, and using complete correct posture this really shouldn’t be …
The Maturing Flutist
Yesterday Dr. Steve Mitchell and I co-presented at the National Flute Association Convention in Orlando, FL. Our talk was titled “The Maturing Flutist” and it covered a lot of the issues that concern aging musicians and the elderly populations. You don’t need to be a flutist to benefit from this, as lots of the things we covered relate to the …
3 Marching Band Fitness Hacks for Flutists
Ah band camp….long, hot days with your instrument and at the end you’re rewarded with an aching back and feet, right? Well, you might not be able to get out of marching band, and you might not be able to change your band director’s mind about what’s good for you to do vs. what looks good, but here are 3 …
Activating a Weak Rotator Cuff Using the Body Blade
Have you heard of the Body Blade? It looks deceptively easy, but if you have any muscle weakness you’ll be shocked how difficult it is to control. This is an excellent tool for activating the weak muscles of the rotate cuff which can be especially painful in musicians such as flutists, guitarists, string players and pianists. Start out with 5 …
Playing With Double Jointed Fingers
Not all of my posts are about exercises and stretches. Sometimes, altering your ergonomics is an option all too few musicians know about, be it changing the way your instrument is made or held or, in this case, using special jewelry to prevent instability in the fingers. I’m going to be continuing this series soon with other instrument specific options, …
Do You Follow Me On Pinterest?
Music Strong is on Pinterest! Come see what we’re pinning for musicians, for health, for fitness and for fun. [SlideDeck2 id=6105] Please follow and like us:
Are you Music Strong?
Whew! I have been traveling so much, there has been no time for updating, sorry!  This last week I was blessed to have been invited to present at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacadoches, TX. I gave a flute masterclass, a recital, two Music Strong workshops and a presentation on being a musician in the military. It was a wonderful …
Keep It Simple!
Have you seen my latest article up on FluteFocus.com? There is a plethora of valueable information and articles up on this site, be you a flutist or not. Here is a sneak peak at my latest article, which you can view in its entirety here: http://www.flutefocus.com/Health/keep-it-simple.html In it, I discuss the basic principles in designing a workout program. K.I.S.S. Keep …
Upcoming Middle Tennessee Flute Days
There are two excellent opportunities for growth, learning and fun for Middle Tennessee Flutists coming up VERY soon! January 26, 2013 Middle Tennessee State University Flute Festival Website: http://mtsuflute.weebly.com/2013-mtsu-flute-festival2.html Guest Artist: Kate Lukas Guest Artist Biography: KateLukas is Professor of Flute at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She is a former faculty member of the Guildhall School of …
Tonal Imagination – Overcoming Focal Dystonia with Dr. Roger Martin
This article comes from my former flute professor, Dr. Roger Martin, the Professor of Flute at Tennessee Techonological Unviersity in Cookeville, Tennessee, where I got my Bachelor’s in Flute Performance. During my last few years there, we knew he had started to develop a strange problem – his fingers wouldn’t do what he “told” them to do. We knew he …