Debussy's Afternoon of a Faun

The following excerpt, written by Phoenix Symphony Principal Flute Viviana Cumplido, was taken from the Winter 2007 edition of Phoenix Woman Magazine:

One of the concerts that I am looking forward to the most is when The Phoenix Symphony performs Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (this weekend). This lyrical and evocative piece features the flute extensively throughout, making it an instant favorite for all flutists. However, performing Faun usually comes with a side order of sweaty palms and a racing heartbeat when it comes time to perform the piece. For a Principal Flutist, it‘s quite thrilling. Imagine, the orchestra has just finished tuning, the music director takes the stage and has the orchestra rise for a bow, we sit, the lights dim, and then once the applause dies down and the hall grows silent and still, I get to start the music, solo flute, emerging from nothing.

For me, Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun represents a life long work in progress. Each time I study it, I learn a lot about myself and how I’ve progressed as a flutist and musician. It also consistently helps me set new goals for what I want to improve in my playing and artistry as a flutist. The flute lends itself to being a virtuosic and agile instrument and composers will often write very acrobatic parts showcasing its technical facility. In Faun, however, Debussy chose to use the instrument in a lyrical manner. Part of what makes this music challenging is that it requires a great amount of sound control, flexibility, and air support. Once that is in order, using those skills to create beautiful phrases, colors, and expression to convey the poetry of the music is where the real artistry comes in. The possibilities are endless and sometimes overwhelming.

I love this music and I hope that many of you will be there to join me when I get to perform this great work once again.

~Viviana Cumplido