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News
BFS Council news. Summary of AGM and details of changer to BFS constitution. The BFS Online. BFSevents revlews. Flute Choir News. BFS Convention 2012 Preview. Make Music NewYork. PowerofMoking Exhibition atV&A, London.

35

The Feldenkrais Method@

Patricia Morrisexplainswhy the Feldenkrais Method@ is important for flute players.

25

TheKingma I lnen Alto Flute: a collaborative model

41

An Interviewwith David Chu

Carla Rees explores the collaboration between Eva Kingma and Blckford and Laura Brannen.

Gyula Czeloth-Csetbnyi talks with wooden and bamboo headjoint maker David Chu.

51

Reviews

CDs, literature and music.

62

The small print

BFS Council and Officers. Local area reoresentatives. Associationof Flute ~rbders. Membership Information. Small advertisements. Index of advertisers.
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33

Flutes in Space

64

The Last Word ...

A light-hearted lookat an alternative concertvenue.

Tony Ovenell recalls a recent examining tour.

nterview with David

avid Chu is a maker of wooden and bamboo flute headjoints. When I first tried his headjoints, I found each of them had a specsc and unique colour, character and personality. Chu has wide experience in the fields of flute and headjointmaking, and also in flute restoration. His headjoints are played by a number of well-known performers including Keith Uilderwood, Gary Schocker, Andy Findon, Alan Weiss and Bart Feller.

Cyulo, Czeloth-Csethyi: Your businw, Side Blown Technologies, bas a unique logo. Could y u explain the syrnbalism of it? o David Chu: The logo is composed of two Chinese characters, one meaning "sideways" and the other meaning "blowing air". Together, they mean sideblown, which is an old Chinese way of saying "flute".

CCC: You were born in Hong-Kong. When did you start your murical ducation? DC: I started playing the flute when I was about 14. Before that, I studied the piano but did not apply myself and always waited until the day before my lesson to practise frantically. When I discovered the flute, I fell in love with it straight away and my passion for it has never faded. I practised day and night and progressed rapidly. My teacher at that time was an American, Timothy Wilson, and he was the principal flute with the Hong Kong Philharmonic. I learned from him all the important aspects of flute playing such as tone production, musicality, phrasing and repertoire.
GCC: Do you perform on the flute too? DC: I have not performed publicly since

David Chu

moving to Boston, Massachusetts from Phoenix, Arizona in 1998. In Arizona, I played frequently in orchestras, chamber music groups, and recitals, both jazz and classical. Living just a few hours by car from Los Angeles, I did a lot of work in the studio, composing and arranging commercial music for advertisements, films, songs, recording projects and for radio and television.

Gyula Czeloth-Csetenyi

GCC: Before you started to build headjoinu, you had experience with a variety of flute-makm. Please talk about h w you became involved with companies such as o Arista, Burkart and Haynes. What was your first job? Later, what was your role in these comoanies? DC: I was making bamboo headjoints when I met James Phelan at the Phoenix Flute Fair, where we were both exhibiting. I already had a fantastic Lillian Burkart headjoint on my Altus flute and was very curious about the physics of flute headjoints and flutemaking in general. Information on flutemaking was not widely available, so when Jim asked me if I wanted to work for Burkart Flutes, I jumped at the chance. I relocated from Phoenix to Boston in 1998 and became a member of the company. Boston is the centre of flute-making in the United States; Powell, Haynes and many other important flute-makers are located there. job was sanding and I did a lot of it! I remember the first time I used wet sandpaper on a silver lip-plate without using water as a lubricant; it was the strangest tactile sensation. Lillian taught me all aspects of flute-making by hand and Jim introduced me to the facets relating to engineering and machining. However, my main job became the production of flute and piccolo headjoints. I learned to make silver, gold and platinum headjoints and in the next few years produced more than three hundred for various flute companies. It was just three years ago that I decided to make myself a wooden headjoint, so I could experiment with a different sound palette. While still in Phoenix, my good friend Joel Tse (Toledo Symphony) had recommended that I should listen to William Bennett (WIBB). I was amazed at the big and beautiful sound that Joel produced on his retuned French flute with an Arista lip-plate. It was a logical continuation of my flute education to learn from another flute-making master who had collaborated with WIBB and treasured and understood the French flute tradition so, after about three years in Boston. I went to work for Arista Flutes. My official tenure at Arista Flutes was short-lived, but

he first

September 2011

A piece o gnnadilla, mounted f on a south bend lathe, being turned down to s z . le

After the borlng process, the wood cylinder is f a c 4 and cut to length. It Is supported on a steady rest,

A gauge p h is inserted in the bore to check the Wing of the s l b tenon.

it cemented my long friendship with Miguel and Juan Arista. I continue to subcontract with Arista Flutes today, working mostly on padding. I worked on my own for several years, repairin2 and overhauling a variety of vintage flutes. I also padded new flutes for Arista and made bamboo headjoints for C and alto flutes. Around 2003, Haynes subcontracted some overhauls to me. They liked my work and hired me as a consultant with the padding department. Eventually, I was brought into the shop as a tester to ensure that every flute played its best. When Chris McKenna, then general manager, left in 2006. I became his successor and implemented numerous changes. I experimented with the William Bennett scale on existing tooling, made available the traditional forged keys for special gold and silver flutes, and introduced a 19.5-carat gold flute and other new silver alloys. I also used Suaubiuger pads and tried new headjoint styles.
GCC: What wr the expectatiom of these companies regarding the sound of the flute? ee DC: The sound of the flute is a very subjective and subtle matter. The initial vibration is generated in the headjoint, and resonates through the body of the flute as

The outside o the f headjoint is turned to final size. Extra wood is left wherethe'ip-plate is be carved out b hand later. y

well as the cavity of the mouth of the player. Using different headjoints on the same flute body will produce different sounds and responses. Playing the same headjoint on different flute bodies will also give distinct musical expressions. At Burkart Flutes, I was expected to make headjoints which sounded as close as possible to the ones that Lillian made. The requirement was very strict: they had to play and respond in a certain way in all three octaves, be very open and free-blowing, especially in the high register, and without any blemishes in the finishing. I made three different styles of headjoint cuts ranging from a very bright sound with fast articulations to a more traditional softer, rounder tone. It took me a long time to accomplish these tasks. Slowly, I began to understand the nature of the embouchure hole and its relationship to sound, colour, dynamic range, response, and other subtleties. I was not involved in headjoint making at Arista Flutes. Their flutes emulated the quality of excellent old French flutes. The scale, of course, was modern at A=442, the sound was much larger, and it was easier to play. I learned that the quality of the sound was directly linked to the scale, headjoint taper and embouchure hole. When this combination was in balance, it would produce the correct harmonics for each and every note on the flute. The flute became verv resonant and easv to play in tune. I test my own wooden headjoints on an Arista flute and they possess similar qualities to those found on a silver Arista headjoint.

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flute M

September 2011

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The shoulder is cut to fit Haynes flutes of the 1950s and 60s have a unique sound, one that can be the silver ring, ~~~h ring heard on Rampal's many record in^, such as the JS Bach and CPE Bach sonatas. is individuallyfitted. The main dir;ctive of the compGy when I arrived was building instruments for today's need instead of replicating historic Haynes flutes. There was a lot of freedom to experiment and bring in new technology whilst not completely discarding old knowledge. My role was to direct rather than to produce and my decisions influenced the headjoint makers to experiment and see what worked best in the market place. We made many different styles of headjoints.
CCC: whik working for thm companies, was then any opportunity for you to rmlisc your own idea of the flute sound? DC: There were limited opportunities to implement my own sound and I did

miss being involved in the production process. The tester does not have direct control over the sound of the headjoint unless they are actually making it. When I started making my own wooden headjoints I became both the tester and maker. I realise that music is an art of self-expression, and so is the art of flute-making. When making my wooden headjoints, I stay true to what I like and make headjoints that suit my own playing. 1 look for a sound that has a wide core and rich colouls that will follow every minute movement of my embouchure with good dynamic range, and a quick response. While working for Lillian Burkart, I was given an opportunity to make copies

of one of my own silver Louis Lot headjoints. The result was reasonably good I was able to capture some of the qualities of the original headjoint, but because I was only copying thc embouchure hole and lip-plate angles, and not the taper, composition and hardness of the metal, I did not achieve a perfect match. It was a similar experience at Haynes when I tried to make headjoints that would reflect the quality of Haynes in the 1950s and 60s. They came close but were not the real thing.
GCC: Why ond how did you b q i i m k n wooden aig hmdjoints? DC: It's funny how things gomund in circles. The first headjoint I produced in 1994 was made of bamboo. I studied the book The Flute and Flute Playing by Theobald Boehm. His headjoint design was dearly illustrated in the book. After making six bamboo headjoints, the seventh finally played to my satisfaction. I went on to make many more for friends and eventually sold some. I could not find any measurements in Boehm's book, so I copied a Flutemaker's Guild alto flute. Later. I realised that those measurements were very similar to Albert Cooper's figures. When I started to make wooden headjoints. I wanted something that was darker and deeper, relatively easy to play, and with a decent volume and dynamic range. Many wooden headjoints on the market were both too dull and difficult to play or too bright like a silver headjoint. I was looking for something in between. Again, it was curiosity that lead me to this work. I made two wooden headjoints, one in grenadilla. another in cocobolo. William Bennett tried them on his visit to Boston and gave me encouragement. At that time, I knew I had found my purpose in flute-making - it was to make wooden headjoints.

A silver ring is being bevelled

by hand using a carbide scraper before installation. Left to right: Grenadilla square blank; a piece of Mountain-mahogany that is turned and bored; tapered headjoint blank wkh ring; crown assembly, silver tenon and ring.

GCC: The headjoins on your web site look wonderful, in a wide range of coloun. What kind of wood do y u o
UK?

DC: I pr~marilyuse grenadilla (or African blackwood) and boxwood - one heavy and one light. I also like cocuswood, but it is almost impossible to obtain nowadays. There are many other kinds of wood that I use for their beauty and unique properties,
46

flute M

September 2011

such as mopane and pink ivory from Africa, and cocobolo, Brazilian rosewood and kingwood from South America. I have occasionally used snakewood, bocote and Osage orange. My newest discovery is a wood from Australia called Western myall. It is as heavy as grenadilla and very easy to work with. The sound is very deep but with brilliance when required.
GCC: More than 150 ymn ago Theobald Boehm cmted the fint metal flute. Since then, metal has become the staple material for flutes, but there seems to be a trend for using a wooden headjoint with a on metal flute. What son of s u d does this prcduce? DC: The wooden headjoint is definitely darker in comparison to modem silver headjoints. Nowadays, most metal headjoints are very bright and even thin in the high register. My wooden headjoints have a rounder sound and blend very well with the other woodwinds and strings. The tone is focused without being harsh. The sound is complex and allows for many colour changes by the player. At the same time, the volume and dynamics are large enough for modern use.

GCC: In your "[perience, do flute players use wooden headjoints? why DC: The main idea is to have a different sound and feel. Some players use wood for playing Bach and jazz. I love the music of Bach. particularly the sonatas and the flute and oboe solos from the cantatas. Using my wooden headjoint, I can do so much more with phrasing and colour changes. The tone is warm and complements the voice and the harpsichord. I don't limit myself to baroque music; I play a wooden headjoint for works such as the Prokofiev and Poulenc sonatas and the Andersen Etudes as it gives another performance option. Some of my orchestral colleagues used my headjoints for works such as the Beethoven and Haydn symphonies and Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. The wooden headjoint is also great for chamber music, from Mozart flute quartets to modem music. The entire section of the New York City Ballet uses my wooden headjoints for certain operas. GCC: You mentioned that you have also encountered od flutes during your work. Tl m about your l el e urpcriences with flute-restoring. H w old and what kind of flutes hove you worked on? o DC: A museum is a great place to see old flutes; some even allow visitors to play certain instruments in their collection. However, these instruments may not be in good playing condition and this might lead to a false perception in the player's mind that old flutes don't play well. One must understand that the flute collection in a museum serves a totally different function from that of a music store. That is why it is such a privilege to play music on a well-regulated Louis Lot or a Boehm and Mendler flute. Most private collectors and performers seek out these flutes and restore them, or even modify them to suit their own purposes, as has been done with Stradivarius violins. A flute is much like a clock; it is a mechanical device that exists as an object of beauty as well as performing a hnction. It is the ability to keep accurate time that makes a clock a chronometer. A flute becomes a musical instrument when music is made on it. The majority of flutes today are made of metal and making wooden headjoints seems to be a craft of the past. I do have a fondness for vintage flutes like Louis Lot, Bonneville, Rive and Godfroy, not because they are old, but because they

Marking the d i n e are g o d L was also intrigued by the American interpretation of French flutes by for the ilpplateon a Powell and Haynes in their early years, headjoint blank. Living i Phoenix, Arizona i the 1980s, I did not knaw anyone who was n n Background: various willing or able to repair, not to mention retore. m old Louis Lot flute for me. reference measurements. I tried learning repair skills myself and did not get very h r until I met the late Robert Gilip California. He taught me the skills I needed t rebuild a flute o and showed me how to prepare and ser up a flute to play to its highest potential. Over the years, I have restared and overhauled many Louis Lot flutes, both silver and wood Some wem very early examples, of Taffanel's era, and some were much later. There was definitely a clear distinction between each of the many periods of production under di&rent .hop owners. 1 am quite fond of the Villette period production. H e was the only proprietor who worked directly under Lwis Lot for a long time. As fbr American flutes, I have worked on instruments made by Powell and Hayaes that b e l a g 4 to William Kincaid, principal flutist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. and student o George l3arrire. Verne Q. Powell was working at Haynes f i the early 1920s when Khcaid ordered flum from Haynes. I grew up listenn

ing t Wlinc Shaffch wonderful recording of the Bach Sonatas and overhauled o a Powell flute h a t had belonged to her. I also overhauled Rampal's gold H a p s ; it was a w o n d d flute with a very warm sound: a truly unique insuumeut. In tbe work process, I had the opportunity to play the flutes and learned all about

I.

&em and how different headjoints worked with different flute bodies More importantly. I learned how to play these different flutes as they might originally lave been played.

G C What patterns do you see in the sound of a flute in the post and present? C: DC: Today's flutes are louder. Thereis also a trend towards rising pitch. These two properties affect the quality of the sound and the way people play. When Boehm saw how loud Nicholson sounded on his flute, he invented his Boehm system flute with large finger holes. It wasn't loud enough so he made it cylindrical with a tapered headjoint and a drastic change in flute timbre occurred. My general impression is that vintage French flutes have a distinctive tone. In the early 1920s. Haynes started making their interpretation of French flutes for BarrL.re and Laurent. These flutes were the predecessors of Rampal's famous gold flute. Handmade Haynes flutes of the 1950s and 60s possessed a unique sound that many flutists have described as "sweet" and I find brilliance in this sweetness that is very musical. During this time, another sound could be heard in almost all American orchestras - a silvery, shimmering and open tone floating over the strings. The main purveyor of these instruments was Verne Q. Powell. The next trend in America was the introduction of the Cooper scale and Cooper style headjoints in the 1970s. Albert Cooper made less than one hundred flutes himself. but he brought about an awareness of flute design that encouraged a sudden surge of independent flute makers. G C You've mentioned that pitch is becoming higher. How does thir affect the sound of the flute? C: DC: Concert pitch was standardised in America at A=440 in 1926. Now, most hand-made flutes produced in Boston are ordered at A=442. In general. 440 and 442 flutes don't sound very different, other than a certain dullness and flatness in the lower pitched flute when played one after the another. But when comparing a 440 to a 444 flute. the differences become slightly more obvious. The higher flute is especially brilliant in the high register. The lower flute has a warmer, deeper sound in the low range. The timbre change is subtle until one plays an old Louis by Lot flute pitched at A=448 foll~wed another one that is pitched at A=435. GCC: In recent decades, there has been an incrmw in the use of precision tools and machines to measure the acoustic properties of flutes and to help with their manufacture. Do you think the future of i t e and heodjoint making will become more scientific or will intuitive practices remain? DC: It is difficult to predict the future but despite all the machines we have now. high-end flutes are still made by hand, one key at a time. Sophisticated machines do help to produce a precise mechanism, but the final steps are always done by hand. Measuring acoustic properties and the interpretation of data collected are not exact sciences; many concert halls were built and later modified to improve acoustics because the initial calculations did not produce a satisfactory outcome. The complex geometry of an embouchure hole is not easily replicated by machines. I think many good headjoints were made without the makers knowing the physics behind their craft. In the same way, without knowing the chemistry involved, medieval blacksmiths recognised that iron ore from certain regions produced good weapons and tools.

When I make a headjoint. 1 have the finished dimensions in mind for the embouchure hole. It is the balance of these dimensions that determines the characteristics of the sound and response of a headjoint. When I get close to these measurements. I start testing the headjoint as I continue to make small cuts, until 1 am satisfied with every acoustic aspect of the headjoint. I cannot tell you the definitive science but through experience I know what works and what does not.
GCC: Thank you for taking the time to talk to us; I wish you me'y success with your work!

September 2071