Hi,

I began teaching the Flute in September of last year. My students are of secondary school age and range from grade 1 to 6. I begin teaching at a primary school after the February half term. I have 8 students starting and to begin with i shall have them all in one big group and then i after i've assessed their capabilities and understaing, i shall make smaller groups. One of the students has already got a flute, but the other 7 students (mostly of year 5 age, so 9/10 years old) are complete beginners. I shall be starting them off on the fife. It has been a long time since i used a fife!! So i'll need to learn the fingering again before i start!! Does anyone have any tips that might come in useful? I have a book that i kept, probably smothered in dust, which was for beginners with i was thinking of digging out and making some notes from. It was what i was taught from. It was a Leicestershire arts written book. I have heard of this other fife book...Someone Goodwin i think?? Any tips or advice much appreciated.
K x

Liz Goodwin: The Fife Book is the one you are thinking of. It's written for the Yamaha fife, which is the one you should use as fingerings are identical to the flute.

I've started several beginners on fife. The biggest problem I've found is small fingers trying to cover some of the bigger holes without other fingers slipping off. The plus points come when they convert to flute, especially in the middle register. They have instinctively produced a good embouchure and good sound.