Former Principal Flute,
New York Philharmonic By Don Bailey
Note: For a
"Pre- Interview" Commentary on my first visit with Jeannie, click
here.
"I have always been in love with the
flute – from the first moment I decided I wanted to learn to play when I was
nine. There are many brilliant things that the flute can do, but the sheer
beauty and lyricism of the instrument has always drawn me more than anything
else. The flute is such a powerfully primal instrument; it’s been a part of
every culture on the planet since the beginning of time. We flutists are so
fortunate – the sound is immediate and comes right from the heart of the
player. I think many of us live in the world of music simply because this
magical instrument called to us and we had to play…I know this is true for
me." – JB
Did you always want to be an orchestral flutist?
Yes – the power of orchestral music pulled me like a
magnet! I was raised in a family of musicians and music lovers, and as a child I
attended many concerts of the Minnesota Orchestra. Also, my father constantly
played symphonic music on these huge stereo speakers in our living room. I felt
the most beautiful flute music came out of the orchestral repertoire of
Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, Debussy, Stravinsky, Ravel and on and on…..
I also knew that I would never have access to this music unless I was sitting in
an orchestra. Because of this, I knew very early on that I wanted to be an orchestral
player. I must add, the glory of the orchestral experience was
greater than I ever imagined! There is nothing to compare with sitting in the
middle of a great orchestra with a master conductor playing a great symphonic
work!!!
Isn’t your mother a concert pianist?
Oh yes, and my father was an amateur pianist. There was music
in the house all the time - all kinds of music.
Do you remember when you played in an orchestra for the first
time?
I must have been about 13, and I was terrified out of my
mind. I was second flute in a chamber orchestra playing some Haydn symphony, and
I was counting like a maniac and came in wrong and was thinking, "How do
people DO this?" I was so terrified. I remember thinking, "I don’t
want to do this. I want to be a soloist - like Rampal." Soon after that
experience, I played in a number of youth orchestras, became more experienced,
and got over my terror.
I read that you made your solo debut with the Minneapolis
Symphony when you were 14. Do you remember what you played?
I think it was the Mozart Concerto in D. I had won a
competition.
Who were some of your flute
teachers?
Well I had a wonderful first teacher to whom I owe a great
deal….Mary Roberts Wilson. I also did summer study with Albert Tipton, Moe
Sharp, and others. I am also a great listener, and I studied many recordings of
flutists, singers, and violinists. I believe that imitation is a great way to
learn. I remember hearing a recording of Rampal and how moved I was by his
wonderful brilliance. Another idol was Heifetz. I knew I would never sound like
Heifetz, but I sure tried. I believed that everything I did trying to sound like
him would make me sound better – at least. But Julius Baker, from the time I
first heard him at age 12 or 13, was my ideal. I loved his flute playing, I
loved his sound. Julie had such honesty in his playing - wonderful intonation,
beautiful phrasing, everything for the music’s sake. I followed a path that I
hoped would eventually lead me into his musical world, and indeed it did – in
more ways than I ever could have imagined!
I would like to talk about this "coming full
circle" from your being a student at Juilliard and studying with Baker to
your returning to the same place as his successor. Did you play in the
Philharmonic while a student at Juilliard?
No, I didn’t. I don’t know if there were any women in the
orchestra when I first came to Juilliard. I had no expectation or goal or even a
thought of ever getting into the New York Philharmonic. It never occurred to me.
My aim was just to get into an orchestra….I didn’t care where. I just wanted
to play that music. My first audition actually brought me into my first job. I
was in my senior year at Juilliard and the Montreal Symphony Principal Flute was
announced. My second audition was for the Toronto Symphony, where I played for
seven years. My husband, David Carroll, is a wonderful bassoonist. He was asked
to join the NY Philharmonic before I had even auditioned. We are extraordinarily
fortunate that our careers have always worked out so we could always be
together!
You were only 21 years old when you landed the principal
flute position in Montreal. Surely you were nervous playing in front of your new
colleagues the first time.
I can honestly say that for me, in the three orchestras where
I served as the principal flutist, it always took about two full seasons for me
to feel that I completely belonged and that I was truly worthy of the
responsibility I had been given. I didn’t really feel settled until I played
all the major solos – Beethoven 3rd,
Leonore, Daphnis, Brahms 4 and 1, Capriccio Espagnol. It also takes that amount
of time to adjust to new players around you, the acoustics of a new hall, and to
a new conductor. I know that I put myself under a lot of personal pressure in
those years to always be the best I could possibly be. But at some point, I had
to realize that my pleasure and joy in doing the job could be enhanced if I
became more accepting of my fallibilities. We strive for perfection in the
practice room, but a human being sits in the chair in performance.
That humanity is what makes live performance so compelling. Also, even at the
highest level of performance, you must realize that you can’t possibly please
everyone. It is even a bit arrogant to think you should. I guess in the end, I
have come to a point in performing where I realize the most important thing is
my love for music, for the flute, and my dedication to always prepare the best I
can. Beyond that, the music belongs to the listener.
I’m curious how someone in your position interacts with the
rest of the flute section. Are you the boss?
The real boss in an orchestra is the conductor. The principal
players, however, are in charge of making sure the section works smoothly and
cohesively. You certainly don’t come into an orchestra like the Philharmonic
and tell people how to play….they already play beautifully. Most of my job was
to make sure my colleagues’ needs were met, professionally and personally,
while they were at work. I took this very seriously because I truly believe
people that care about each other can play better together. I also had a great
appreciation and respect for all the players in my section, and I tried to be
sure to express it to them by never taking their extraordinary playing for
granted. Our flute section was like a musical family, and our support of each
other was a big part of our musical success.
Is it
thrilling to play Daphnis and Chloe?
Oh, absolutely. And the thing that is so exciting is that
everybody in the section is equally involved. The second flute part is
incredibly challenging, the alto part is fabulous, and the piccolo part is so
brilliant and touching. So, everybody’s sort of "in the soup" in
that piece. Also, the music itself is so sublime, I feel as if I am in another
world for the entire performance!
Can you remember how you felt the first time you played it?
There have been a number of pieces that I loved so much, I
couldn’t wait to play them in an orchestra….and not all of them were big
"flute pieces." Rachmaninoff 2nd
Symphony for the first time was just as thrilling as Petrouchka. I think that
the greatest sense of pressure in playing these pieces for the first time is
that you want to do justice to the solo. I always listened to recordings of the
big solos and played along with them in preparation. But, when you play your
first Daphnis, it is overwhelming to realize it’s going to be YOU playing that
opening scale and no one else!! I always wanted it to be as beautiful for the
listener as it had been for me when I had heard it played. I had to learn not to
let my powerful emotions about the music get in the way of my performance. All
wind soloists experience the same thrill, I am sure.
What can say about tone projection in solo playing as opposed
to playing in the orchestra?
You must learn a great deal about projection to be a
successful soloist…in an orchestral setting, or with a piano. I think the most
important thing for me to learn was that the tone had to be focused, and never
forced. Julie used to talk about spinning the tone forward, which is a lovely
image. My greatest challenge was to produce the most beautiful sound I was
capable of making, at all times. Roger Mather wrote a wonderful article on this
subject of projection…. it should be reprinted.
You mentioned once that you’ll never know how you actually
sounded out there in the audience.
Yes….one of the ironies of being a musician is that you can
never hear yourself as the audience hears you in the hall. It will be an eternal
mystery to me, I guess. Sometimes I can’t even identify my own playing when I
hear it on the radio!
Did you need
to practice the repertoire daily, or had it
become second nature?
It became somewhat second nature. I mean, so much of it I had
played many times. I’ve been playing principal flute parts for thirty years,
and six years before that at Interlochen and Juilliard. You get to know the
repertoire. Still, with the big solos, I always reworked them for every new
season. My feelings for the music changed with time, and my abilities on the
instrument became stronger. This led me into new interpretations and a desire to
say more with the music each time I played a standard solo. But there are always
new things that come along that you have to learn. We did a world premier of a
big Messiaen piece with Zubin, and it had a monstrous flute part which took a
lot of work. But I think most of it comes down to staying in absolutely
phenomenal shape so that you can play any note at any time at any dynamic. I
always warmed up with daily exercises that I knew worked for me.
Any
special tips on warming up?
An important part of my teaching is helping students find a
system of warming up that suits them personally. We’re all different in this
respect. I have my own daily regimen. I play crescendo/diminuendo on every note
of the flute, tapering down to a thread of sound so there is just a little
sliver of a tone left - all the while watching my tuner. Same with the
crescendo. I hold each note about ten counts. I continue all the way up to high
E and F - way way above high high D. Mind you, those notes were pretty crass and
horrible, but I still do them. I always try – thinking maybe someday I’ll
get a good sound on the high F. This was the kind of warm-up I did everyday when
I was in the Philharmonic. You have to remain in shape flute-wise as well as
physically.
Do you
exercise regularly?
I have always felt that the better shape I am in physically,
the better I am able to play. This is not always an easy task, with the
extremely busy schedules we all have. I guess the only way to do it is to make
it a priority…one of those things that’s easy to say and real hard to do!
How did you structure your
day during the concert season?
The first thing I did every morning was ask, "What am I
playing tonight?" We generally operated on a 6-day schedule so I would plan
my day according to that. Mornings were spent teaching and rehearsing. I usually
ate a big meal after rehearsal because flute playing is hard work and you’ve
got to have energy. I took a nap every afternoon around 4, had dinner around
5:30, then usually did another practice session around 5:45 or so, going through
everything for the last time and doing my final warm-up. I’ve asked many
conductors what they do to relax, and most of them sleep for an hour or so to
shut down the mind.
I enjoy
learning about the various personal habits of performers. Do you
drink milk before you play?
I do have some very specific ways of doing things that have
evolved into a kind of ritual…I think this is common for people who perform a
lot. Someone once told me milk coated the throat, and after that, I never had
milk products before playing….if it’s actually true, I don’t know. I also
noticed that singers often had bananas taken to their dressing room, so I often
have one before I play. I always try to have everything ready – dress, shoes,
hair taken care of, etc. – but I confess, many times I am trying to scrape
myself together at the last moment….makes for some exciting moments!
Do you
usually keep water
onstage?
No, not onstage. If I am sick with a cold, however, than I
have some under my chair in case I start to cough. In auditions, by the way, I
have noticed that people often come into the room with a cup of water. If this
helps you in any way, I think it’s fine.
I’ve heard some
interesting opinions about the use of auxiliary (aka fake) fingerings for difficult technical passages. What’s your
take on this issue?
First off, let me say that auxiliary, or alternate
fingerings, are not fake fingerings – there’s nothing fake about them, they’re
real. I’ve always said in my lectures and classes, "This is not an issue
of morality where you’re a good person if you use a real fingering in a real
fast passage, you’re a bad person if you don’t." You learn when you’re
in an orchestra playing at tempos that are so fast, especially in the third
octave, that the most important thing is to get the notes out clean and clear,
and any fingering that will enable you to do that is what you do. I’ll
sometimes demonstrate difficult passages for students and they’ll sound fast
and facile. They’ll never be aware that I’m using alternate fingerings. I
regard alternate fingerings as very creative study. It’s exciting to try
different ways of doing things. I must add, however, that these fingerings must
have acceptable intonation and tone quality and not sound as if you are suddenly
playing a bamboo flute!
I remember once playing the Prokofieff Scherzo in a master
class using alternate fingerings for the four "rips" up to high D.
It was so clean that the teacher singled me out as an example of proper
technique. He had me demonstrate to the class by playing the section slower and
slower until at one very slow speed he noticed I was playing harmonics for the
top few notes. He was surprised and suddenly turned the lesson on me saying I
must use the correct fingerings. My success with the alternate fingerings
supports your philosophy.
Precisely. Alternate fingerings are also helpful in altering
pitch so that you can play better in tune with other instruments. My colleagues
on oboe, clarinet and bassoon often try different fingerings to bring a better
blend into the tone in a unison with another instrument – we should do the
same. We shouldn’t think that there’s just the one way to play we learned in
the third grade. Any fingering you can use to make the sound, the intonation, or
the technical ability easier, why not?
A former teacher of mine said there were three main
ingredients to playing the flute – Tone, Fingers, and Tongue. Do you agree?
Yes, but I would also add Musical Style (playing in the
proper style of the period), and a very complete understanding of phrasing –
knowing where you’re going with your phrase and what you’re hoping to
achieve. All the music we play in Western music has direction. It’s either
going TO something or coming AWAY from something. We have to be aware of this at
all times when we’re playing, and we must find the way to ensure that the
phrase has life. Good flute playing with good rhythm and good tone is not enough
– phrasing is key. In the end, it’s intelligent analysis that can free the
heart and soul to sing!
Once you decided to leave the
Philharmonic,
was it more difficult to maintain your enthusiasm, drive, etc?
No, not for an instant. The entire operation of that
magnificent institution, the great music, my colleagues, AND the conductor –
those are pretty powerful forces. I told my husband, David, (bassoonist) that
the feeling of achievement after a performance is one thing I definitely miss.
Every night when you finish a concert, you sort of pat yourself on the back and
say, "Job well done." Or, (laughing) maybe "Woah!! I hope nobody
was out there I knew tonight." I’ve often thought the timing for my
leaving the orchestra was perfect. I didn’t leave a moment too soon or a
moment too late. I felt it coming.
When exactly
did you leave?
I actually spoke to Masur year before last, and everyone
suggested I take a sabbatical, a leave of absence. They said, "You may feel
differently at the end of the year." Last year was my sabbatical leave.
They were very generous and said, "If you ever think, even after your
resignation, that you might want to return, you just come back." I can’t
tell you what that meant to me, because no matter how thoroughly I had thought it
through, it was still a frightening decision. But the orchestra was so
wonderful; they gave me the luxury of possibly making a mistake with no penalty.
It was like having a safety net underneath. At this point, however, my life has
evolved into a totally new episode. The orchestral years, as much as I adored
them, are a part of my past. I am so grateful for my life in music, I relish the
opportunity to dedicate myself to a future of more study, teaching, playing, and
sharing, with the remarkable students that will become the music world of
tomorrow.
How has your
life changed since you left the
Philharmonic?
My life is very full and extremely busy. Of course I am
teaching at three great and very different schools: Juilliard, Manhattan, and
Carnegie Mellon University. I love the variety in this teaching, as each class
is outstanding, but slightly different in focus. I am also doing classes all
over the world – this is such an education for me! I am also doing much more
solo playing – in classes and the recitals that are a part of my appearances.
Can you talk about
the differences between solo and orchestral playing?
When I was playing in the orchestra, I was constantly
thinking of following the conductor, matching my performance to his
interpretation. Since the flute part is often right on top, we are like the lead
alto player in a great dance band. We have tremendous responsibility in terms of
leadership. We must always ask ourselves, "How am I fitting in
intonation-wise with the clarinet, or oboe?" We’re thinking of balance -
"Am I too loud? Is it too little?" "Is the second flute line more
important and I should back off?" Everything you do goes through about
eight or nine filters in terms of making your performance its best. You’re
playing with about 106 people, so you develop wonderful flexibility.
You sound as
if you have a sense of freedom since
leaving the orchestra.
In a sense, yes. The responsibilities of being principal
flute in the Philharmonic weighed on me very heavily. I had such respect for the
institution – it’s one of the great orchestras of the world and my
colleagues were so wonderful. I never thought there was even a rehearsal that I
shouldn’t be prepared for. I would have been very ashamed to play anything
less than my best.
What’s different about your playing now?
Something really important has happened to me as a player.
Now, when I stand there playing alone with the piano, all those
orchestral/ensemble filters I mentioned earlier are suddenly gone. Not that I’ve
not played solo before, but now it’s all I’m doing, and my playing is
taking on a certain kind of freedom. It feels great.
AND, you’re not being
conducted!
Right! When you’re playing with piano you don’t have the
same issues of balance, intonation, and conductor. You’re very free. Just
recently, my husband David heard me play in Oxford (England) and said, "You’ve
never sounded like this before. There’s something very different in your
playing." It’s wonderful.
Many flutists feel that being an orchestral player eventually
takes its toll on the solo playing. Care to comment?
I feel that the ideal combination is to do both. Many great
flutists feel the same. Whether it’s Galway or Baker or Adjoran, Nicolet,
Marion, Debost, they are all great orchestral players, brilliant soloists, and
valued teachers. It is true, that there are differences between orchestral and
solo performance, but doesn’t that just make you stronger – if you can ride
both of those horses? Everything you do in the orchestra serves you very well on
the stage as a soloist….and as a great solo performer you are able to bring
great strength and personality to your orchestra solos. It’s definitely a
win-win situation!
Let’s change the subject a bit and talk about
your renewed enthusiasm for teaching. You’ve taught all throughout your
thirty-year career. Wouldn't you rather do something else?
Oh no, not at all! I am tremendously excited about my
teaching. It feels very different now. I have the time to read and research, and
I’m developing new ideas. The whole teaching world has begun to open up. I’m
traveling all over the world now working with remarkable students at a very high
level. When I was performing four nights a week, there was no question that the
most important thing in my life was what I did on the stage in the evening. Even
though I taught with everything I had, I still had to save so much for the
evening concerts. Now, I can devote all my energy to my students.
Students come to you from all over. They’ve already had
great teachers who’ve brought them to a very high level of flute playing. What
do you offer these players to take them to the next step?
You’re right. When students come to me at Juilliard or
Manhattan or Carnegie Mellon, they are very serious and have already decided to
dedicate their lives to music. With this in mind, it becomes my responsibility
to prepare them not only as flute players, but also in every other way as well,
because a career in music is a total existence in terms of commitment and
lifestyle. Students must learn to be good business people as well as good
colleagues. Not only is being a good colleague enjoyable, but it’s also
helpful in a business sense. Being a generous person to your peers can go a long
way in establishing yourself in the music field. I must also prepare my students
for the possibility that they may not necessarily go in the direction that they
originally intended - for one reason or another. For example, if someone says,
"I just want to be principal of a major orchestra," I might say,
"Great. Hang on to that dream. It’s a great dream; however, there are
many other wonderful ways of making your life in music. If this dream doesn’t
happen when you want it, what are you going to do in the years leading up to
that point? You can’t just wither and die."
Do students really want to hear that?
Well, I hope they can realize that everything they learn
while preparing for their careers will only enhance their overall success as
professional flutists. Whether their preparation involves working with children
in outreach programs or doing more teaching, it will make them better people and
better professionals. This kind of approach relieves the student of tremendous
pressure. When all of their energy is focused on achieving only one goal, the
pressure becomes extraordinary when the time comes to prove themselves in an
orchestral audition, for example. It’s very hard for the music to come through
with that kind of pressure. If I can present other possibilities so that they
become larger in their own minds, then they’re able to approach auditions and
competitions with more of a philosophical and honest approach. I once told a
student who was auditioning for Juilliard, "Don’t play for gain."
She said, "Can you TELL?" I thought it was so adorable. I said,
"Don’t play to get into Juilliard, you’ve got to play the MUSIC. It
must be an honest expression of your feelings and your love of the flute and of
music. Don’t play in that audition TO GET IN." Yes, there is a subtle
difference and you can hear it.
(Grinning)
Did YOU play for gain when you were
younger?
Well, I think there has be a certain ambition; that’s
healthy. I wouldn’t discourage healthy competition and a burning ambition, but
I’ve learned to deal with this during the past thirty years, and I think I’m
a better player for it. This is wisdom that I can share with my students and
perhaps save them some disappointments.
It’s a shame how self-defeating our approach to success can
be sometimes.
Yes, I think it’s too much the norm for people in this
country. We tend to think that you start off towards a goal, and you stay on
that path until you’ve reached that goal – never veering off the path for
fear of being deemed a failure. I read a wonderful book about Eastern philosophy
that suggests if we start off on a path, and are taken off that path for some
reason or other, we should regard this juncture as a new opportunity and think
to ourselves, "Ah, what brings me here? Where can this lead me?" It
doesn’t have to mean we’re losing sight of the goal.
Do you ever discourage students because of the large number
of flute players and the diminishing number of jobs?
No, I don’t discourage them, because the pursuit of music
and music making is too lofty a pursuit. Instead, I try to guide them into the
other possibilities as well. I never say "Don’t do this…" because
you never know what might happen. I’ve had students who I thought would never
make it, and I’ve seen them land wonderful jobs to everyone’s surprise. You
just never know, and you can’t take on this responsibility for turning
somebody away from something they love. But, I think it is incumbent upon us to
make sure students are aware of other possibilities so they have a very broad
base beneath them. This frees them as musicians and helps them not feel so
defeated when they don’t win an audition.
Don’t you find that eager young students are reluctant to
branch out because it might make them appear as failures in some way?
I agree with you, that this is a very normal response. It is
imperative that the student has tremendous focus on their dream, their goal. I
think that we teachers have to encourage them to realize that they still have
space in their lives to learn other skills, as well. It’s irrational to think
the more you do the less you are – the more you do, the MORE you are, the
better you are!
You’re still playing your Haynes with the Cooper head?
Yes, since I joined the Philharmonic in 1984, I’ve been
playing a relatively old Haynes, #29995 with a 9k Albert Cooper head, formerly
belonging to Baker. I also have a LaFin headjoint, which is on it now. Both are
beautiful.
You’ve been a positive role model for many flutists because
of the special alterations you made to your flute. I can easily remember not so
long ago when the BoPep was controversial, the offset G key was frowned upon,
and the new scale was considered a crutch. Can you offer a few comments about
"ergonomic flute playing?"
I think it’s anti-intellectual to think that way about a
new scale or a new flute design. Albert Cooper once told me that the right hand
closed offset G is the best flute for the vibration of the tube and intonation.
We seem to have these pre-conceived ideas of what things should be. This type of
rigid mindset prevents things from growing, changing, and getting better.
Fortunately, over the last 20 years people have changed their opinions greatly
about flute alteration. It used to be "you either played it as it was, or
you don’t play it." And that’s utterly ridiculous. Everybody’s hands
are different. If your flute isn’t comfortable, it should evolve to fit you.
Do you think any of your flute changes will become standard
features on flutes of the future?
No, not at all. My flute was changed to accommodate my hand
at a certain point in my career with the rigors of playing seven hours a day. If
someone has great discomfort playing their instrument, they could get some ideas
from flutes that have been altered. but they should make a design to fit their
own hand….and I must stress, if you don’t have a problem, don’t even think
about it!!!!!
What flute/music curriculum do you recommend for your
students? What’s in a typical lesson, and what do you expect from the student?
I expect a great deal from my students as the relationship is
a true partnership. We are entirely dependent upon each other for the success of
the venture. I never have a problem with my students as they are all motivated
to becoming the best they can be…as flutists, as good colleagues, and as
professional musicians. I am demanding, but I am always amazed at what they are
able to accomplish. We work on tone and technique exercises, etudes, orchestral
repertoire, and solo literature. The balance in these areas is always changing.
Jeannie,
following an illustrious career such as yours, most people might prefer to
retire completely, yet you chose to accept a new position at Carnegie Mellon University?
What were you thinking?
Carnegie Mellon has been a remarkable addition to my teaching
life, and my commitment is total….I am a full-time Professor, so I am there
every week. The environment of a great university is very stimulating to me and
to the students. With the help of my associates on the flute faculty, Jennifer
Conner and Alberto Almarza, we have put together a curriculum that is unique and
challenging. The flute studio is absolutely outstanding!
What are your views about the future of flute
playing and for
classical music in general? Do you have any suggestions for anyone aspiring for
a professional career?
I have no doubt that classical music will always be an
important part of the lives of those people who feel it enhances their lives in
real and meaningful ways. However, in this extraordinary time of massive changes
in technology, occurring faster than we can even adjust, there is a great
challenge to those of us in the arts. We have to be very creative in making sure
that art and music don’t become marginalized, and available only to a few
privileged members of our society. Anyone thinking about a career in music has
to have a very generous spirit and be very pro-active in areas such as keeping
music in the schools, planning programs with outreach potential, and being
involved in the community to keep all the arts a part of the lives of as many
people as is humanly possible. This kind of thinking has to begin with the
student in school….so that being a musician means always reaching out to
others in a very real way, not just on a stage.
To what degree has your career shaped your life outside of
your profession?
My career has shaped my life to an enormous degree….and it
has been more than I ever could have imagined. The greatest gift that came to me
from my life in music was my husband, David. We met in the Montreal Symphony,
and it has been the best thing that ever happened to me. Also, I have met and
become friends with so many remarkable people. …I simply love musicians!!
Every year, I meet the most extraordinary young people through my teaching….they
become friends for life just as I did with my teachers. Last of all, it has been
a great bond with my family…I owe my parents so much and music has enabled me
to thank them.
Your career has been filled with the stresses of performing,
traveling, and touring. Do you have any special coping mechanisms?
I think that in addition to the many things I have learned
over the years about dealing with performance stress, one of the most
sophisticated methods is with humor. Nothing shatters a stress-filled moment
better than a laugh….and judging from the behavior of many of my colleagues, I
have a lot of company in that approach.
Any horror stories to tell about travels or performances?
There are a few. Someone once said the greatest gift in life
was good health and a short memory. In the area of horror stories, I am working
on my short memory real hard!
Have you pursued any other arts, such as writing, painting,
crafts?
I am not talented in art or crafts….but I have an absolute
passion for looking at the work of others. Collecting art and simply looking at
art of all kinds is my true hobby. Writing has always interested me, and one of
my greatest goals is to do more publishing in the years to come.
Can you imagine your life as a non-flutist?
I cannot….music and the flute has always been such a part
of the fabric of my life, I would be lost without it.
And finally,
Jeannie, have you ever received a bad review for a performance, and if so, what effect did
it have on your life?
Like every musician on the planet, YES. We musicians are all
so vulnerable to criticism of our playing that of course, it hurts when someone
has a negative comment about your performance. I think that a healthy attitude
is to try to see if there is some possible justification in a criticism of your
playing, and then to try to see if you can allow that criticism to make you
better. Sometimes, it can be very helpful, and sometimes it is just plain
hurtful. In the end, you play because you have to play, and you will do anything
to be the best you can. Be true to yourself, take joy with each moment in the
music, and be grateful for the privilege of being a musician. All the rest is
unimportant.
Credit: This interview
originally appeared in the New York Flute Club Newsletter in January 1999, and
subsequently in the April, 2003 issue of Flute Talk magazine .
"Till Rosorna" from Frösöblomster by W. Peterson-Berger
VOYAGE (Summit Records)
