I first learned of Paul Edmund-Davies through my wife, flutist Jeanne Wilson. She had his 28 Day Warm Up Book on the practice stand for several years in addition to his 1994 recording, Iconic Elements. However, it wasn’t until I attended an online class offered by the New York Flute Center with Paul during the pandemic that I could fully appreciate the work that he has created and the inspiration that he brings to his teaching. I was immediately drawn to his unique approach to the concept of practicing and began working regularly from his Warm-Up Book. I found it to be very helpful and a welcome addition to the more standard Moyse, Taffanel/Gaubert and Anderson exercises that all flutists practice. I then began to purchase additional materials from his website and was increasingly drawn to Paul’s musicality and insightfulness. I hope this will encourage many to become subscribers to SimplyFlute.com. I believe that you will become fans of Paul Edmund-Davies, as I have!
I think you’ll find this interview enlightening with regard to Paul’s history with the flute, his commitment to elevating everyone’s passion for flute playing, and the joy he takes in sharing his thoughts and ideas. In our conversation, you’ll find Paul is not your typical orchestral musician and has eclectic musical tastes while espousing an affinity for such diverse artists such as David Bowie, Ben Webster, Snarky Puppy, Jean-Pierre Rampal and Pat Metheny. I believe this has allowed him to develop studies outside of the norm that touch upon every aspect of developing a fine technique and expression.
About the Artist: Paul Edmund-Davies has been a major figure in the flute world for over four decades. As a performer, he has been principal flute of three premier British orchestras–The London Symphony (20 years), The Philharmonia Orchestra (5 years), and the English National Opera Orchestra (2.5 years). Recently, he was appointed to the faculty of the Royal Academy of Music where he holds the Charles Nicholson Professor of Flute chair. Paul has also been active as a first-call studio musician for many years playing on numerous movie soundtracks including Star Wars, Harry Potter, Maleficent, Into the Woods, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Queen of Scots, Aliens, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Wonder Woman 1984, Space Jam: A New Legacy, No Time to Die, Mission Impossible-Rogue Nation, etc. He is equally renowned as an educator having published three critically acclaimed method books for flute: The 28 Day Warm Up Book (2007), A Consequence of Sequences (2018), and Coffee Noodles (2021). In addition, Paul has edited and or revised over 25 other publications of music for flute. As if that weren’t enough, he has created perhaps the most unique and useful website on the internet for online education for flutists: SimplyFlute.com. This site deals with all aspects of flute playing and features over 2000 pages of downloadable material with over 400 original exercises. There are also numerous demonstrations of these materials; audio tracks to practice and play along with Paul in duet fashion; several of his recordings that have not been commercially released; and weekly updates with new materials for subscribers. All of this for the price of a little over $60/year!