Stamitz Caprices June 2026 Solo of the Month

The Facebook community Solo of the Month meets once a month for a group flute practice led by Dr. Matthew Allison. In June 2026, we focused on the Stamitz 8 Caprices nos. 3 & 8 in G major. Thanks to Flute World for their support - use code ALLISON2026 for 10% off sheet music and accessories. https://www.practiceflute.com https://www.fluteworld.com Solo of the Month – June 20, 2026 Summary This month's session focused on the third of the eight Caprices (traditionally attributed to Anton Stamitz), with one participant also performing the eighth caprice. Discussion centered on historical style, ornamentation, phrasing, articulation, posture, and musical expression. Warm-Up The group began with G major and G harmonic minor scales to reinforce tonal awareness and prepare for the harmonic language of the caprice. Special attention was given to the importance of tonic and dominant harmony in shaping musical direction. Historical Style & Ornamentation We explored Classical-era performance practice, discussing appoggiaturas, crushed appoggiaturas, and trills. Players were encouraged to place appoggiaturas on the beat and begin trills from the upper note, adding a Nachschlag where musically appropriate to strengthen cadences. Phrasing & Musical Direction A major theme of the session was creating forward motion. Participants experimented with phrasing toward important beats, avoiding breaths that interrupt the musical line, and using articulation to support expression rather than simply executing technical passages. Articulation & Technique Fast passages were approached through continuous airflow rather than tongue effort alone. Different articulation syllables ("da," "too," etc.) were explored to produce a lighter, more connected sound. We also discussed modifying slurs and articulations when necessary to communicate a stronger musical idea, even if they differ from historical editions. Individual Performances Dr. Deborah performed the third caprice, demonstrating tasteful ornamentation and a steady tempo. Discussion focused on phrasing, breath placement, and maintaining momentum. Chris worked on articulation in the sixteenth-note passages, emphasizing connected double tonguing and lighter articulation supported by airflow. Mary-Ellen performed a technical section, leading to discussion of dynamic shaping, balancing intonation, and how posture affects tone quality. Lisa performed the eighth caprice, using a variety of ornaments to create contrast and a lively, folk-inspired character. Posture & Tone The group discussed how tension and head position influence intonation and resonance. Maintaining balanced posture and allowing the sound to resonate naturally were emphasized as essential components of beautiful tone production. Looking Ahead Next month's repertoire will be Pan by Donjon. Members were encouraged to report which collections include the work to help build a shared reference list. Participants were also reminded that Pan is in the public domain and that the code allison2026 provides a 10% discount at Flute World.