In this inaugural event, brief presentations of recent research papers were made by their authors.
“West meets East: Ravi Shankar’s Morning Love for Western Flute, Sitar, Tabla and Tanpura, a Collaboration with Flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal,” Bethany Padgett, Navarro College.
Padgett explored the Shankar-Rampal collaboration and the connection with violinist Yehudi Menuhin. As part of her analysis, Padgett researched Indian music theory, including raga (drone-based melodic sequence) and tala (cyclic system of fixed time). She considered both pieces to analyze Morning Love and cited both of Shankar’s autobiographies. In addition, Padgett created the first transcription of the piece; before her dissertation, only recordings existed, and Shankar taught the piece to Rampal by ear.
“Flute Inside Out,” Osvaldo Santos, University of Sydney.
Santos examined the engagement and position of the larynx during flute playing, which has previously not been addressed in the literature; researchers have focused on singers and wind players as a whole. For the method of the study, he and a voice clinician observed (via endoscopy) six flutists performing 13 tasks with laryngeal parameters of vocal function: true vocal folds, laryngeal height, pharyngeal space, epiglottis movement, and arytenoids adduction. He concluded that the larynx is a “major factor” in flute tone and that larynx movement is not limited to extended techniques.
“An Examination of the Class I Flute Quartet Literature on the Texas University Interscholastic League Prescribed Music List,” Paula Hartsough, Caitlin Rose, David Wright, Jacob Wright, Texas Woman’s University.
Rose et al. created a pedagogical guide for band directors, private teachers, and students to select Class I flute quartets, using criteria from the Pedagogy Committee’s Selected Flute Quartets: a Graded Guide. They divided their rubric into Novice (Grade C), Intermediate (Grade B), and Advanced (Grade A). The team hopes to publish its full pedagogical guide, which offers insights into dozens of flute quartets.