Had a flute lesson just now: The plan is to learn a recital early, then drop it & learn other stuff before coming back to it, possibly 2 in cycles to be ready for an exam in Summer of 2012. This is a first draft of an proposed program:

JS Bach: Flute sonata in E minor, BWV 1034
F Chopin: Variations on a Theme by Rossini, Op. posth.
C Debussy: Syrinx
D Heath: Out of the Cool

Any thoughts, comments or criticisms would be much welcomed: TYAVM

As a flautist about to take my diploma, I should really have better comments.

I only know the Bach ( ) and the Debussy but from looking at it, you've covered a good range of periods/styles. Always nice to have an unaccompanied piece in there too.

Good luck with it though, sounds like a sensible plan.

I only know the Bach and Syrinx. From my point of view both are realy challenging, but sooooo lovely.

To me it sounds like a very good idea to work through them, do other once and come back. My flute teacher said from Grade 7 Standard on it is the best way to prepare, because you normally need one practice term to get the technical things under your feet and another one to work out the interpretation.

Good luck with this. And I am interested in reading about your progress.

It is a well-balanced programme in many ways, and has the benefit of a contemporary piece in the Dave Heath Out of the Cool, which is always a plus point.

The one criticism/comment you might wish to be prepared for in the Viva is the lack of one of the big Paris Conservatoire test pieces (Faure, Enescu, Chaminade, Taffanel etc) which in my opinion are a staple of the first level diploma programme. You do include the Chopin which has some of the flashy fingerwork, and the Debussy which is of the period and has many elements of the slower sections of the conservatoire pieces, so in many ways your bases are covered.

Good luck.

I like the programme! I'm doing the Bach E minor too.

Ah, andante_in_c, you beat me to it! Personally I'd ditch the Chopin in favour of something else but the OP doesn't need to change a thing. Tis a nice, balanced prog. and so long as YOU are comfy with it then that's dandy

Love Out of the Cool - I first came across that as a recorder player. In fact the E minor Bach I first encountered in G minor on treble recorder back in the Dark Ages. It is one of my all time favourite pieces to play.

Keep us posted.

Bach-Bag x

Are you bonkers?
THIS soon after a piano dip???


Seriously though - good luck!