Sylwia Wrzesień

Hello dear flutists and everyone who feels like one,

Welcome to a special post. It is written in English because my guest today is a Polish flutist, my dear penpal Sylwia Wrzesień.

A little bit about her, before we start the interview.

She graduated from not one but two colleges, one in music (Krzysztof Penderecki’s Academy of Music in Krakow, Poland; Master of Arts degree, 2023.) and one for engineering (AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, Poland; Engineering degree, 2019, Master of Science degree, 2022.). Her works for both degrees were very interesting to hear. Her master thesis for Music Academy is a theme I hope I can read soon, „French flute music composed by women in the Belle Epoque, exampled by the Mel Bonis’s Sonata for flute and piano op. 64“. One of the works she did for her engineering degree included a 3D model of the head of the flute (explanation and pictures later in the text).

Besides that, she was a participant in many workshops and masterclasses (among others: C. Bruneel, P. Taballione, J. Hurel, N. Inacio, A. Garzuly-Wahlgren, A. Baerten, P. Bernold, I. Gabrisova, W. Hase, P.-L. Graf, G. McLearnon, M. Peradzynska, A. Wierzbinski, E. Zawislak, A. Igras, E. Murawska, L. HeFi Wiśniowski, E. Gajewska, L. Zimnik, H. Turonek, A. Krzyżanowski).

She is a Scholarship holder (AGH-UST Scholarship for scientific achievements, 2020-2022; Erasmus+ Scholarship for studies at Aix-Marseille University in France, 2020-2021; Zielinscy Foundation Scholarship for Educational Help, 2020).

And to round this beautiful introduction she is 1st flute at UKEN Symphonic Orchestra, flute teacher (own-entrepreneur), and the author of the @sylvie.flute (Instagram) account.

So let's begin the interview:

What inspired you to start playing the flute in the first place? I don't quite recall the exact moment when I heard flute for the first time. I suppose that in the childhood I found myself particularly drawn to the enchanting solos performed by flutists in symphonic orchestras. Later on, a friend from elementary school and my music teacher encouraged me to enroll in a music school, but I finally took up first flute lessons at the age of 14. I was too old to become a pianist, but the beauty of the flute's sound left a lasting impression. What did you like about your education, and what would you change? My first teacher installed a love for the instrument in me. I adored flute lessons! They not only helped me overcome barriers and limitations but also taught me valuable skills in time management, diligence, and perseverance. Undoubtedly, the lessons went beyond music, shaping my character. I am grateful for the guidance and inspiration that set the foundation for my musical journey. Moreover, I had a wonderful school experience with a fantastic atmosphere, where I felt at home, further enhancing my overall educational path. There are many things that I would change, but sometimes it’s better to accept the situation as it is and do what you can with what you have. Always look for opportunities to develop your skills, don’t be afraid to be yourself, and never give up ;). What attracted you to classical music and are you involved in any other genres? Do you encourage your students to only do classical music or leave their options open? I appreciate performing classical music for its positive impact on personal and cognitive development. However, I am open to any other genres. I have been practicing jazz flute and improvisation for 2 years, and I have recently discovered the beauty of Latin and Japanese flute music.

My students can choose their preferences - my goal is to give them value, inspire, and make them love the instrument, as did my first teacher. I would like to teach them how to make decisions and be independent (with mutual respect and a friendly atmosphere) because this is what they will have to face in the future. Do you use technology in your teaching practice and how do you use it? Do you think technology helps or hinders students and how? I try to find the benefits of using technology. Nowadays, we are surrounded by it, we use digital metronomes, online accompaniments, tuning applications, tablets for displaying sheet music… I also write flute exercises using computer software, and I create concert graphics by myself. However, online accompaniments for example may have a negative impact to some extent, because in real conditions we have to constantly react to changes in pace and dynamics and they don’t give us freedom in interpretation. I think we should use technology wisely. One of the best motivations that works well for my students is to record scales and send them to me for homework:)

And the final question I have for you is: How have you been bold with classical music?

I enjoy exploring new and creative approaches to classical music. While studying engineering, I created a 3D model of a flute head joint. With this model and fluid mechanics equations, I aimed to understand and illustrate how air moves inside the flute;) This work allowed me to take part in scientific conferences, where I had the privilege of performing solo flute concerts for professors and PhD students. I also gained knowledge of the fundamental principles of flute acoustics, which I hope to share with my future students.

Dear Sylwia, thank you for taking the time to write these answers. I can not wait to read some of your work, and hopefully someday hear you teach and/or play.

That was all for today,

Have a nice practice session,

Sincerely yours,

LB

Simulation of the air going through the flute.

Summary

Process of the research.

Instruments.

The 3D model of the flute headjoint.

Scan of the flute.