Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio
F E A T U R E
Explore an Instrument: Piccolo
F E A T U R E
Explore an Instrument: Piccolo
What is a piccolo anyway?
The piccolo is a member of the woodwind family and is the smaller sibling of the flute! It’s about half of the size of a regular flute and sounds an octave higher. It is played exactly the same as the flute since we hold it sideways and blow across a hole at the top of the headjoint called an embouchure hole. We change notes by pressing different keys on the body.
What’s the history of the piccolo?
The piccolo can be traced back to as early as the Middle Ages when a high pitched flute was used as a military instrument since they can be heard above battles (similar to a fife). The first “traditional piccolos” were used in some of 18th-Century French composer Jean Philippe Rameau’s works. It is said that one of the first pieces to use the piccolo in an orchestra was
German composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in c minor in the last movement.
Where can we hear the piccolo?
With how high the piccolo is, more like where CAN’T you hear the piccolo am I right? In all seriousness, the piccolo is used in a wide range of performances and settings from solo pieces to wind and military bands to orchestras. Some solo pieces would be Antonio Vivaldi’s 3 Piccolo Concertos (originally for flautino, a small recorder), Martin Amlin’s Piccolo Sonata, and Amanda Herberg’s Sonata for Piccolo and Piano. In wind/military bands, the piccolo has a famous relationship with John Philip Sousa for the solo in Stars and Stripes Forever, a favorite of July 4th performances. From the beautiful long lines of the solo from Shostakovich’s 6th Symphony to the almost militaristic style solo of Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, and from the fast, joyous solo in the “Troika” from Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kije to the cold, lonely solo from the 5th movement of Mahler’s Second Symphony, the piccolo adds a wide range of colors, expressions, and characters to any piece. One of the most famous solos for piccolo is from Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no. 4 in f minor where the piccolo sits on stage doing nothing for 2 movements and then comes in on a fast, high solo entrance.
Who are some famous piccolo players?
There’s quite a few flutists who specialize in piccolo! Cynthia Meyers of the Boston Symphony, Zart Dombourian-Eby of the Seattle Symphony, Egor Egorkin of the Berlin Philharmonic, Jennifer Gunn of the Chicago Symphony, and Erica Peel of the Philadelphia Orchestra to name a few.
Do all flutists play the piccolo?
Not all flutists play the piccolo since it can be a little intimidating with the size and the shrillness of the piccolo. I recommend all flutists have at least a basic understanding of the piccolo and how to get a good sound since there are many pieces that call for both flute and piccolo. There are many more opportunities for performances if you play piccolo in addition to flute! If it sparks joy in your life like it did mine, go for it!
How much does a piccolo cost?
The piccolo can come in a wide price range depending on the level, maker, model, and material. Some student piccolos can cost as low as a few hundred dollars and go up to at least $8000. One of the most important parts about buying a piccolo (as with any instrument) is if you feel good playing it!
Some examples of piccolo solos mentioned above:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9-vUaC_D6dE (Shostakovich 6 piccolo solo played by Chicago
Symphony piccoloist Jennifer Gunn)
https://youtu.be/e90IXc4gaII (Tchaikovsky 4 piccolo solo played by San Francisco Symphony
piccolo at Catherine Payne)
https://youtu.be/QAnky-QJwII (Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever played by the Boston Pops
Orchestra)
To learn more about Sho, visit his Teacher Page.
The piccolo is a member of the woodwind family and is the smaller sibling of the flute! It’s about half of the size of a regular flute and sounds an octave higher. It is played exactly the same as the flute since we hold it sideways and blow across a hole at the top of the headjoint called an embouchure hole. We change notes by pressing different keys on the body.
What’s the history of the piccolo?
The piccolo can be traced back to as early as the Middle Ages when a high pitched flute was used as a military instrument since they can be heard above battles (similar to a fife). The first “traditional piccolos” were used in some of 18th-Century French composer Jean Philippe Rameau’s works. It is said that one of the first pieces to use the piccolo in an orchestra was
German composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in c minor in the last movement.
Where can we hear the piccolo?
With how high the piccolo is, more like where CAN’T you hear the piccolo am I right? In all seriousness, the piccolo is used in a wide range of performances and settings from solo pieces to wind and military bands to orchestras. Some solo pieces would be Antonio Vivaldi’s 3 Piccolo Concertos (originally for flautino, a small recorder), Martin Amlin’s Piccolo Sonata, and Amanda Herberg’s Sonata for Piccolo and Piano. In wind/military bands, the piccolo has a famous relationship with John Philip Sousa for the solo in Stars and Stripes Forever, a favorite of July 4th performances. From the beautiful long lines of the solo from Shostakovich’s 6th Symphony to the almost militaristic style solo of Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, and from the fast, joyous solo in the “Troika” from Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kije to the cold, lonely solo from the 5th movement of Mahler’s Second Symphony, the piccolo adds a wide range of colors, expressions, and characters to any piece. One of the most famous solos for piccolo is from Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no. 4 in f minor where the piccolo sits on stage doing nothing for 2 movements and then comes in on a fast, high solo entrance.
Who are some famous piccolo players?
There’s quite a few flutists who specialize in piccolo! Cynthia Meyers of the Boston Symphony, Zart Dombourian-Eby of the Seattle Symphony, Egor Egorkin of the Berlin Philharmonic, Jennifer Gunn of the Chicago Symphony, and Erica Peel of the Philadelphia Orchestra to name a few.
Do all flutists play the piccolo?
Not all flutists play the piccolo since it can be a little intimidating with the size and the shrillness of the piccolo. I recommend all flutists have at least a basic understanding of the piccolo and how to get a good sound since there are many pieces that call for both flute and piccolo. There are many more opportunities for performances if you play piccolo in addition to flute! If it sparks joy in your life like it did mine, go for it!
How much does a piccolo cost?
The piccolo can come in a wide price range depending on the level, maker, model, and material. Some student piccolos can cost as low as a few hundred dollars and go up to at least $8000. One of the most important parts about buying a piccolo (as with any instrument) is if you feel good playing it!
Some examples of piccolo solos mentioned above:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9-vUaC_D6dE (Shostakovich 6 piccolo solo played by Chicago
Symphony piccoloist Jennifer Gunn)
https://youtu.be/e90IXc4gaII (Tchaikovsky 4 piccolo solo played by San Francisco Symphony
piccolo at Catherine Payne)
https://youtu.be/QAnky-QJwII (Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever played by the Boston Pops
Orchestra)
To learn more about Sho, visit his Teacher Page.