Baroque Mastery with Lars Johannesson – A Flute Masterclass to Remember

This past weekend, we had the absolute privilege of hosting flutist Lars Johannesson for a masterclass on Baroque performance practice, and what an incredible experience it was!

Every word Lars spoke was crystal clear, full of meaning, and completely engaging. The audience was filled with flutists of all levels and ages—from a remarkably patient 6-year-old who sat through the entire class, to dedicated Baroque flute enthusiasts who came eager to soak up every bit of knowledge.

Lars took us deep into the essence of Baroque phrasing, connecting it to the natural intonations of speech. He contrasted this with Romantic phrasing, where the line unfolds with long, sweeping dynamics. In Baroque music, the phrases are more compact and rhythmically defined, shaped much like spoken language. It was such a refreshing and experimental way of looking at it, and we’re already hoping for more of these insights in future masterclasses.

One of the most memorable moments was Lars demonstrating musical intonation using the name Arcangelo Corelli—he showed how the natural rises and falls of spoken language mirror musical phrasing. The entire audience, from young students to seasoned musicians, immediately grasped the concept and followed along effortlessly. It was one of those magical moments where theory turned into something completely tangible.

We also had the privilege of hearing Teresa Orozco’s talented students, as Lars took their playing as a starting point to explore Baroque ornamentation and other stylistic details. Seeing these ideas come to life through performance made everything click in a way that simply can’t happen in a textbook.

And, of course, what’s a great event without a little refreshment break? During the intermission, everyone enjoyed tangerines and cookies, which added to the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the afternoon.

It was beyond inspiring to have so many flute legends and community members in the audience, reinforcing what a special and connected flute world we’re part of. We truly can’t wait to have Lars back for more masterclasses and continue learning from his deep knowledge and unique way of teaching.

If you missed this one, make sure to catch the next—we promise, you won’t want to miss it!