Non-competitive

Wissam's teaching is intense, yet non-competitive. He helps students create the attitudes that empower them to explore and develop their individual potential, leading to increased creativity and confidence.

Communication

He gives his students the space and opportunity to define their role as 'performers', for themselves, leading to a deeper understanding of how to successfully communicate with audiences and build on their abilities and careers.

Memory

Wissam is a keen advocate of performing the solo, recital and concerto repertoire from memory as a means to internalising the music on a deep level, overcoming personal barriers and communicating with power and commitment. Memory also serves as a solid foundation for resolving a diverse range of technical issues. Wissam has empowered many young flutists to adopt memorisation as their ‘minimum personal standard’, liberating them from their fears.

Improvisation

Improvisation is a pivotal discipline to embrace. Wissam uses it as a method of practice, facilitating many aspects of playing and leading to an individual voice, natural technique and a deeper understanding of breathing, rhythm, phrasing, colour, freedom of expression and flexibility in music-making. It also helps performers step into the mindset of composers and better understand the limitations of music notation.

Breathing

The ability to breathe with power and in harmony with our lives, bodies and the music we play, is of fundamental importance to our phrasing and coordination; the breath always precedes and informs the phrase. Wissam encourages a sense of awareness of these moments, creating vivid concepts that help students with their self-esteem and sense of empowerment.

Technique through inventiveness

Wherever possible, Wissam encourages students to invent their own exercises for achieving their aims, relying on improvisations rather than studies written by past masters. Creative and lateral thinking, whether in a musical, technical or life context, is about learning to ask the right questions and listening/trusting the inner voice in order to create a deeply personal relationship with the instrument, that is in tune with the individual’s unique worldview and body.

Career advice

Discussing short/mid/long-term aims is important, but can often be overlooked or postponed, in the constant scramble towards the next deadline. Wissam is always happy to brainstorm with flutists wanting feedback, which often leads to a clearer sense of long-term motivation, direction and structure for the student.

Budgets/Proposals

Wissam is also happy to give advice regarding the process of putting together projects (one-off events, touring, recordings, humanitarian work etc).