The Flute Day

A MUSIC SCHOOL PROJECT WITH WIL OFFERMANS

Henri Eftevand - Dance with Me, Førde, Norway

Henri Eftevand - Dance with Me, Førde, Norway

Flute Day for Music School

  • Workshop
    Workshop
  • One Line Story - For the Younger Flutist
    One Line Story - For the Younger Flutist
  • Working Song Two
    Working Song Two
  • Circular Breathing
    Circular Breathing
  • Thumpy - the thumb flute
    Thumpy - the thumb flute
  • Jungle Dance
    Jungle Dance
  • Labyrinth - For the Younger Flutist
    Labyrinth - For the Younger Flutist
  • Dance with Me
    Dance with Me - try-out
  • Coaching
    Coaching
  • With the Flute around the World
    With the Flute around the World
  • 'Kojo-no-Tsuki' - 'Made in Japan'
    'Kojo-no-Tsuki' - 'Made in Japan'
  • The Conductor - For the Younger Flutist
    The Conductor - For the Younger Flutist
  • Dance with Me
    Dance with Me
  • Contrabass Flute
    Jungle Dance for Bottles and Flutes
  • Contrabass Flute
    Contrabass Flute
  • Workshop
    One Line Story - For the Younger Flutist
  • One Line Story - For the Younger Flutist
    Circular Breathing
  • Working Song Two
    Thumpy - the thumb flute
  • Circular Breathing
    Jungle Dance - for bottles and flutes
  • Thumpy - the thumb flute
    Labyrinth - For the Younger Flutist
  • Contrabass Flute
    With the Flute around the World
  • Labyrinth - For the Younger Flutist
    'Kojo-no-Tsuki' - 'Made in Japan'
  • Dance with Me
    The Conductor - For the Younger Flutist
  • Coaching
    Dance with Me
  • With the Flute around the World
    Contrabass Flute

Dutch flutist-composer Wil Offermans has presented his Flute Day project at music institutions for smaller or larger groups of flute students of any level. Such a Flute Day sometimes was organized to celebrate the end of the year, however also could take place during the season. Each Flute Day had its own 'personalized' schedule and contents. Wil Offermans developed his personal approach concerning the Flute Day based on enjoyment, creativity and group action. With the involvement of e.g. ensemble playing, graphic notation and improvisation, his Thumpy flute, contemporary techniques, he invites and attracts the "young" flutist for a more flexible attitude towards the flute playing and music in general. Go here to download a Flute Day PDF-brochure.

So far, Offermans has presented his Flute Day at more than hundred music schools e.g. in Holland; Germany; Austria; Belgium; Spain; UK; France; Norway; Switzerland and Japan, as is visualized in the map below. In this map each pin represents a Flute Day event or workshop with Wil Offermans. Zoom in and click a pin to access information like related photos and videos.

Featured Video

Overview Video of the Flute Days with Wil Offermans at Conservatoire Popular MDT, Geneva, Swiss. See more videos at the Video Page.

Locations

Zoom in and click a pin to watch photos and videos.

Pin Colour
= upcoming or recent Flute Day
= Flute Day with photos or videos
= Flute Day
= masterclass
= other flute workshop
Icon
= event location
= date of the event
= see Photo Album
= see video on YouTube

Material

Reference material for the Flute Day is Offermans’ book For the Younger Flutist published by Musikverlag Zimmermann, Frankfurt, in a German-English edition and by Zen-on Tokyo in a Japanese translation. The book collects 10 improvisational pieces and games for flute groups as well as flute solo and is the main starting point for a Flute Day by Wil Offermans. Aiming towards flutists of any age and level, the Flute Day focuses on creativity, spontaneity and enjoyment in music and the schedule basically includes the following elements:
  1. Workshop game pieces: with smaller groups working on some game-pieces from the book For the Younger Flutist.
  2. Thumpy the thumb flute: a most simple and enjoyable flute developed by Wil Offermans.
  3. Ensemble piece: like Offermans' composition Jungle Dance (ZM31430) for bottles and flutes, or Bamburia.
  4. The flute story "With the Flute around the World": inspired by his world traveling, Wil Offermans talks about and presents a collection of flutes from various parts of the world. Also the participators can enjoy playing these flutes.
  5. Presentation concert: with all participators for especially friends and others.

Contents

1. Workshop Game Pieces

In the workshops of a Flute Day Offermans works with his game pieces from the book For the Younger Flutist. Here below, you find a short description on the ten pieces of this book.

icon 1 1. The First Step basic musical parameters in a graphical notation
icon 2 2. Have Fun! personal interpretation of a graphical score
icon 3 3. The Joy Meter a graphic score of the player's happiness/sadness
icon 4 4. The Conductor a musical interaction-game on gestures of conductor
icon 5 5. Holes and Choices initiating improvisation in a traditional score
icon 6 6. Wind Trio introduces harmonics and wind tones in a trio
icon 7 7. One-Line Story improvisation along a series of 16 one-line images
icon 8 8. Labyrinth walking and playing over a carpet/score as musical playground
icon 9 9. Stop & Go a simple movement game in 4 directions
icon 10 10. In Gamelan Style interactive composition, repetitive pentatonic patterns

2. Thumpy the thumb flute

Thumpy the thumb flute is a relatively simple instrument with a surprisingly beautiful and natural sound. This new flute has been designed and developed by Wil Offermans. In his Flute Day - whenever possible - Offermans provides sufficient Thumpy flutes for all to play instantly with larger groups and to create some most enjoyable performance.

Thumpy

3. Ensemble Piece

An ensemble piece will be studied during the day, at first in small groups (during the morning workshops) and later in a general rehearsal. It will be performed as the finale of the presentation concert. It is recommended that the students have received, and if possible glimpsed over, the scores in advance.

The most frequently performed ensemble piece on the Flute Day is Jungle Dance. This enjoyable ensemble piece has 10 part scores of various levels and is very suitable for any large amount of flutists. The melody and chords are performed by flutes, including - if available - alto and bass flutes. The 'rhythm section' consists of various non-tuned bottles and a bird whistle. One or more advanced students can perform the flute solo. Jungle Dance has been published by Musikverlag Zimmermann, Frankfurt and can be heard on the CD The Magic Flute.

A new piece is Bamburia, which is structured around the fascinating spanish flamenco rhythm of the buleria. The piece has 7 part scores. Most remarkable is the middle part where the flutists put their flute aside and perform the buleria-rhythm by clapping the hands ('Palmas' in spanish) accompanying an exciting flute solo. Bamburia can be heard on the CD Luna y Sierra.
Dance with Me

Additionally, there is the possibility to play Dance with Me. This piece is a dance music for any size of flute ensemble, where the players not only play the flute, but also perform some synchronized dance movements along to the CD-accompaniment. This is a really exciting piece as can be seen on many YouTube videos. Since the music and the movements are performed by heart, it should be studied beforehand. Here the instruction video on YouTube (also included on the DVD with the score) will be of great help for the students.

4. The Flute Story "With the Flute around the World"

With the Flute around the World is a flute story and demonstration by Wil Offermans, in which various flutes from around the globe – mostly bamboo flutes including the suling, nay, klui, shakuhachi, di-zi, kena – are being introduced. With a large world map in the background and referring to his travels, he speaks about the different cultures he could visit. Also, the audience can try some of these exotic instruments for themselves. The story is usually appreciated by the students with great enthusiasm.

nose flute

5. Presentation Concert

A Flute Day usually ends with a presentation concert for friends, parents and others. Here the various groups present the game-piece, which they studied in the workshop. Also Wil Offermans performs a flute solo, possibly on his contrabass-flute. The presentation ends with the tutti piece e.g. Jungle Dance.

Flute Day Schedule

Below you can find five schedule proposal plans. Plan 1 is the standard schedule for a Flute Day. Other alternative plans below include two parallel workshops, an additional workshop for advanced flutists or a Flute Ensemble Day (click the buttons to see more detail). Obviously, any of these schedules can be adapted to any special request, extended to more days, specific time, etc. in cooperation with the organizing institution. You can print each plan by clicking the printer icon below it.

Plan 1: Flute Day, standard, 3 groups
10:00-10:15 Welcome participants: dividing into groups; short demonstration by Wil Offermans
1/ Workshops by Wil Offermans: ‘game-pieces’, Thumpy… 2/ Workshops by flute teacher A: part rehearsal Jungle Dance 3/ Workshops by flute teacjer B: Dance with Me, others…
10:15-10:55 Group A Group B Group C
11:05-11:45 Group B Group C Group A
11:55-12:35 Group C Group A Group B
12:40-13:30 Lunchtime
13:30-14:15 'With the Flute around the World', a flute story
14:30-15:30 general rehearsal: Jungle Dance, Dance with Me, Luna y Sierra, Thumpy…
16:00-17:00 Final Presentation Concert
1. workshop presentation with Wil / Group A
2. workshop presentation with Wil / Group B
3. workshop presentation with Wil / Group C
4. solo by Wil Offermans (e.g. Kurokami Love / Made in Japan)
5. Dance with Me by various participants
6. Jungle Dance by all participants

Group A = beginners
Group B = medium
Group C = advanced

Flute Teacher A: one (or more) flute teacher(s) of the organizing institute, who will conduct the part rehearsal workshop.

Flute Teacher B: one (or more) flute teacher(s) of the organizing institute, who will conduct the workshop on Dance with Me or some other material (to be discussed with Wil Offermans).

* instead of Jungle Dance also Offermans' new composition Bamburia can be played.

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Download Leaflet

Click an image below to download the leaflet of the Flute Day PDF Adobe Acrobat format in the language you prefer.

Contact

contactConcerning more practical details, possible questions or more information please have a look at the Frequently Asked Question page. Also, feel free to ask your questions using the Contact Form.