The flute warmup for April, 2026 is excerpted from Daily Exercises For The Flute by André Maquarre, principal flute of The Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1893-1918. This book of scale-derived studies is more harmonically challenging than the typical scale study text. It was a required purchase for students of William Kincaid, the former principal flute of the Philadelphia Orchestra (1921-1960) and professor of flute at the Curtis Institute of Music during much of that tenure. Kincaid helped train several generations of great American flutists while at Curtis and demanded that all of his students learn the entire set of 7 studies plus a preliminary study by memory! I was introduced to these exercises by one of my flute mentors, Paul Dunkel, and have continued to use it to this day. This book is a necessary pedagogical text for all serious flutists along with the Taffanel/Gaubert and Moyse scale studies.
The examples shown below are from the initial preliminary daily exercise and should be played in all keys, and an octave higher whenever possible. Repeat each example several times by using the top notes in the last bar just before the repeat sign; use the bottom notes when moving to the next key that begins on the next line. For doublers, this study is equally adaptable and beneficial when practicing the saxophone and clarinet. As Maquarre recommends, try and use the cross Bb fingering as opposed to the thumb Bb whenever possible. This will facilitate greater ease in using this fingering when you find yourself with no other alternative. Finally, strive for a liquid-like legato in executing these passages by keeping the fingers as close as possible to the flute fingerboard with a light touch. And do memorize this warmup.