HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — It all came down to getting in touch with the soul. That’s what area flute students learned when world master flutist Bernard Goldberg came to Marshall University.

The essence of mastering the flute, Goldberg told the students, revolves around using the breath properly.

“I am always reading books on singing. We all know the voice is the first instrument,” he said. “The breath is your soul.”

The Saturday of master classes and recitals with Goldberg, retired principal flutist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, was all a part of this year’s Fluteworks, put on by Dr. Wendell Dobbs of the Marshall faculty.

Goldberg, who came to Huntington for the day from his home in Pittsburgh, joined the PSO in 1947, a position he held until his retirement in 1993. He made his solo debut with the St. Louis Symphony when he was 16 and studied at the Juilliard School of Music as a scholarship student of Georges Barrere, joining the Cleveland Orchestra at the age of 19. Two years later he became principal flute there.

Participating this year were two Chesapeake residents, both students of Dobbs: Callie Huff and Laura Simpson.

The daylong event, open to high school and college musicians, was designed to allow students the opportunity to improve technique and interpretation by working with professionals and advanced students.

Warming up the students before Goldberg stepped in, Huff got the students to go through their paces, running scales, practicing tonguing and making sure they weren’t sitting in their chairs like human pretzels.

Huff, studying for her master’s at Marshall with the goal of becoming a teacher, has been a part of Fluteworks since high school.

“It is meeting other flute players who have the same passion as you do,” she said. “It is nice to get that one-on-one where you are focusing on your instrument.”

Huff has studied the instrument since fifth grade and hopes to become a middle school band director.

“I like giving kids their start,” she said. “(Playing the flute) is a great way to express yourself and be involved with something you have a passion about.”

Laura Simpson, is an undergraduate music education student at Marshall, with the goal of going on to get her master’s degree so she can teach as well.

“It doesn’t matter what age level, if they are willing to learn I will be there to teach,” she said.

Like Huff, Simpson has also participated in FluteWorks since high school.

“It improves your technique, your tone quality, how to better use your practice time,” Simpson said.

The morning session featured three students of Dobbs who worked with Goldberg on selections. Never did a student get through a few measures before Goldberg stopped the music to offer a change of stance, better phrasing or positioning of the flute.

Wanting one student Goldberg to get a lighter touch with the hands.

“You’re slicing it like a stale bagel,” he joked.

Later he told the class “one of the best teachers you will ever find is the mirror on the wall. … Relax. Have fun.”