My favorite book:   Nadia Boulanger:  Master Teacher by Don G. Campbell.

Published by The Pastoral Press.  1984

It is out of print, so you will have to keep an eye out for it.  It is worth every penny no matter what you pay. 

To make your trills sound better, play a "nano" second of the written note before you begin the trill.   Patricia George

When removing the left hand thumb, do not let the flute roll back.  If it does, you will be flat.  Patricia George

Melody should be played louder than the accompaniment.  Patricia George

Play today thinking about the inner lip.   Patricia George

Vibrato cycles are influenced by the style period, genre of the composition, individual composer, timber and texture.  A good piece of advice:  when playing in an orchestra, watch the concert master and imitate his vibrato speed. 

Also:  there are two kinds of vibrato:  tutti and solo.  If you are playing with a section and you are playing the same music, tone the vibrato down.  It you are a soloist, then you can let it out more. 
Patricia George

Vibrato cycles are influenced by the style period, genre of the composition, individual composer, timber and texture.  A good piece of advice:  when playing in an orchestra, watch the concert master and imitate his vibrato speed. 

Also:  there are two kinds of vibrato:  tutti and solo.  If you are playing with a section and you are playing the same music, tone the vibrato down.  It you are a soloist, then you can let it out more. 

The middle of the note offers the chance for four shapes:

even

diminuendo

cresc

loop (start strong, get softer and then cresc.)

All these choices must be mastered.
Patricia George

Some note beginnings are best done with the breath attack....hah. 
Patricia George

There are three parts to every note:  the beginning, the middle and the end.

The beginning is concerned with the attack.  Do not chip the beginning of the note.  Remember the tongue releases the air. 

The success of the middle of the note will have to do with even air.  Use a tuner and keep the needle still.  

The end of the note either stops with the air or is tapered.  Mariano used to talk a lot about the end of one note may be the beginning of the next note.
Patricia George

Practice difficult passages on a broom handle with the hands reversed and the broom on the left.  It will take a few tries to do it, but the results are amazing. 

(The right hand thumb and 1 will produce a B)   Patricia George

On most new flutes (1985+), the third octave F# will be better in tune with this fingering:   Th 1030/0204
Patricia George

Chris Louba (French horn master player and teacher):  If it can be subdivided, it must be subdivided.  Practice with the metronome set on sixteenths when playing your scales in sixteenths today.  
Patricia George

One of my favorite books is Michel Debost's The Simple Flute, published by Oxford University Press.  It is organized alphabetically by topics from A to Z with cross references for more information.  It is a must read for every student of the flute.  Holiday want list?  Patricia George

When practicing with the metronome:

For slow passages, start with a high number and work down

For fast passages, start with a low number and work up

Turn the metronome around so that you do not know which number you are on. Just keep moving it one way or the other.  
Patricia George

The legendary Eastman School of Music flute professor, Joseph Mariano, told me:  "You can play low on a high embouchure setting, but not high on a low embouchure setting."  Patricia George

When practicing today, be sure that your toes are not curled but are relaxed.  I had a university student who always wore sandals.  I could see her toes curl up when she came to a challenging passage.  It is surprising how the tension in the toes will affect the tone.   Patricia George

Many beginning flutists sometimes forget to use their tongue to start their notes.  As teachers, we need to be vigilant to make sure that beginning students are using their tongue when playing so they develop good habits.  Remind your students that "the tongue releases the air", and show them that their tone will be much better.  Phyllis Louke