Robert Dick is a revolutionary flutist, composer, teacher and author. His musical style is a mix of classical, contemporary, electronic and jazz, and he is the inventor of the "glissando headjoint" a custom flute head joint that brings the instrument closer to the sound of a human voice. He has received the National Flute Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award and authored several books. Robert Dick intends to keep learning, growing and improving for all of his life and does not feel that there will be a moment to say “I’ve arrived, its time to rest”.

ROBERT DICK

I decided that I wanted to explore the flute. I mean really explore the flute. People had known a few multi-phonics where you could play two notes. But they had been basically “special effects”, sort of sprinkled into a traditional line to spice it up. And I thought, why not just go the whole way? So my concept that first of all music is made by people. All art is made by people. Music is not made by instruments. The sound of the flute is silence. The sound of the piano is silence. The mark of a brush is a white canvas until the person makes the mark. So music comes from people. We use instruments.

This interview was conducted by Mia Funk with the participation of collaborating universities and students. Associate Interviews Producer on this podcast was Alyssa Pfitzer Price. Digital Media Coordinator is Hannah Story Brown.

Mia Funk is an artist, interviewer and founder of The Creative Process.