When I first became serious about playing, I was in high school and had started taking lessons with a great teacher, Donald Zook.

We were working on festival audition pieces, and one of them was Mozart's G Major Concerto! He gave me a list of flutists, orchestras, and orchestral repertoire to listen to, and stressed that listening and playing A LOT was essential for growth.

I got myself a James Galway's CD of Mozart Concerti, and let me tell you, listening to James Galway helped me develop a bigger sound.

I listened to that recording in the car with my mom everywhere we went. It was winter in New England at the time I was preparing for the audition, so every time I hear that concerto, I picture us in the car driving by snow-covered trees.

Of course, I started adopting some of the little nuances of that recording, leaning on the same notes, attempting to open my sound and use vibrato the way he did. There were things my teacher had me change from the habits I adopted, but all-in-all, listening allowed me to create new possibilities.

I tried on a sound and a style, and it helped me learn how to achieve new possibilities.

To this day, I still listen to recordings for inspiration, and my tastes have continued to develop and change over time. At this stage, I have a better understanding of how I want to sound as an individual, and I've been able to refine this by hearing what kind of sounds are possible as heard in others.

My high school flute teacher was absolutely right to have me listen and play as much as possible, and ultimately, I developed a genuine love for the repertoire and was overjoyed to play as often as possible.

Listening Inspiration

In no particular order, here are a few of my favorite albums and flutists that inspire me. (Many listed have inspired me since high school!)

I'd like to share this list for younger students beginning to explore recordings and repertoire, and introduce them to some of the wonderful flutists and masterworks for our instrument, as well as advanced players! (I know I'm always curious about what others' favorites are and why!)

(This list is by no means complete, and narrows in primarily solo flute repertoire. There are countless other flutists, pieces, orchestral recordings, chamber works, and non-flute recordings that inspire me, too!)

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1. Elizabeth Rowe with the Boston Symphony Chamber Players: Profanes et Sacrées: 20th-Century French Chamber Music

Ravel, Introduction and Allegro for harp, accompanied by string quartet, flute, and clarinet
Debussy, Sonata for flute, viola, and harp

2. Marianne Gedigian: Voice of the Flute

Hüe, Fantaisie
Copland, Duo for Flute and Piano
Taktakishvili, Sonata for Flute and Piano
Foote, Trois Pieces, Op. 31
Boehm, Grand Polonaise, Op. 16

3. Amy Porter: Passacaglia

Rózsa, Sonata for Solo Flute
Karg-Elert, Sonata Appassionata in f-sharp minor for Flute Solo, Op. 140
Hindemith, Acht Stücke für flöte allein
Dohnányi, Passacaglia for Flute Solo, Op. 48, No. 2
Karg-Elert, 30 Caprices for Solo Flute, Op. 107

4. Jasmine Choi: Claude Bolling Suite for Flute & Jazz Trio

Bolling, Suite for Flute and Jazz Trio
Schocker, Winter Jasmine for Flute and Piano
Schoenfield, Four Souvenirs
Yiruma, Wait There for Flute and Piano

5. Karl-Heinz Schütz: Prokofiev Sonata, Op. 94

Prokofiev, Sonata for Flute and Piano in D Major, Op. 94
Hindemith, Sonata for Flute and Piano
Lauber, Grand Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 52
Martin, Ballade

6. Emmanuel Pahud: Paris - French Flute Music

Poulenc, Sonata
Dutilleux, Sonatine
Sancan, Sonatine
Ibert, Jeux
Milhaud, Sonatine
Ibert, Vocalise
Messiaen, Le Merle Noir
Jolivet, Chant de Linos

7. Mark Sparks: French Album

Saint-Saëns, Romance, Op. 37
Gaubert, Berceuse
Lefebvre, Piece Romantique
Gaubert, Sur l'eau
Roussel, Joueurs de Flute
Caplet, Reverie & Petite Valse
Faure, Morceau de concours
Gaubert, Romance
Roussel, Aria
Gaubert, Divertissement grec
Gaubert, Sicilienne
Gaubert, Soir sur la plaine
Taffanel, Andantino
Taffanel, Andante
D'un matin de printemps

8. Alexa Still: Alexa Still Flute

Barber, Canzone
Copland, Vocalise
Burton, Sonatina
Porter, Blues Lointains
Copland, Duo for Flute and Piano
Rochberg, Between Two Worlds
Muczynski, Sonata
Bloch, Last Two Poems

9. Alexa Still: Matthew Hindson Flute Concerto "House Music"

10. Barthold Kuijken: The Artistry of Barthold Kuijken

Telemann, Fantasia VII in D Major
Couperin, Concerts Royauxm Premier Concert
J.S. Bach, Sonata in E minor, BWV 1034
C.P.E. Bach, Sonata for Flute and basso continuo in D Major, Wq. 131/H 561
Mozart, Flute Quartet in D Major K 285
Schubert, Introduction and Variations on "Trockne Blumen"

11. Ian Clarke: Within...

Clarke: Orange Dawn
Clarke: TRKS
Clarke: The Great Train Race
Clarke: Spiral Lament
Clarke: Tuberama
Clarke: Within...
Clarke: The Mad Hatter
Clarke: Maya
Clarke: Sunstreams
Clarke: Sunday Morning
Clarke: Zoom Tube

12. Susan Milan: Virtuoso French Flute Repertoire

Grovlez, Romance et Scherzo
Gaubert, Fantaisie
Enescu, Cantabile et Presto
Sancan, Sonatine
Taffanel, Andante Pastoral et Scherzettino
Gaubert, Nocturne et Allegro Scherzando
Faure, Morceau de Concours
Busser, Prelude et Scherzo
Faure, Fantaisie, Op. 79
Ganne, Andante et Scherzo

13. Paula Robison: Borne: Carmen Fantasy

Borne, Carmen Fantasy
Faure, Sicilienne
Delibes, Morceau de Concours
Massenet, Morceaux de Concours
Taffanel, Andante Pastorale et Scherzettino
Faure, Morceau de Concours
Dutilleux, Sonatina
Gaubert, Sonata No. 1

14. Julius Baker in Recital

Poulenc, Sonata
Muczynski, Sonata
Debussy, Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Franck, Sonata
Faure, Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1

Last but certainly not least, I'm grateful to have CDs from my teachers. There is nothing more heart-warming and inspiring than hearing your own teachers - I keep these CDs in my car at all times!

15. Eva Amsler & Karl-Heinz Schütz: W.F. Bach, 6 Flute Duets