This issue: October 2007 (Issue 12)

Doc Tate Nevaquaya: Master Comanche Flute Player


Paula Conlon

The original use of the Native American Plains flute was as a private courtship ritual whereby a young man serenaded the woman of his choice. Government suppression of Native traditions threatened the very existence of the Native flute, and by the mid-twentieth century it was a shadow of its former self.

In 1968, Comanche flutist ‘Doc Tate’ Nevaquaya (1932-1996) met the non-Native flute maker and collector Richard Payne at the American Indian Exposition in Anadarko, Oklahoma, and the Native flute revival was born. Subscribe to read the full article

Native American Flute Goes Classical - New Identities in Contemporary Music


James J. Pellerite

Amidst the splendour and inspirational beauties of the American West, the sound of the Native American flute is overwhelmingly prominent. Its exquisite tones are readily identifiable, and with an unmistakable timbre, free of artificiality. The American Indians refer to it as the sound from ‘the wood that speaks’. It speaks to us of Indian legends and traditions, and we are reminded also that the Indian believes ‘the woods have power’. Subscribe to read the full article



Communicating for Success


Christopher Wainwright

Time and again, one witnesses great concerts in one’s home-town with fine musicians who have obviously put huge amounts of effort into preparing, planning and producing a programme. But the audience seems almost to be just two men and three dogs, or the artist’s aunts, uncles and cousins.

Alas, I am exaggerating slightly, but what I’m describing isn’t unique. One reason for those pitiful audiences can be the lack of a promotional campaign for the concert. A promotional campaign by no means needs to be of the scale used by the local opera or orchestra company, but one can and should most definitely consider embracing the techniques and media they use. Subscribe to read the full article


Suzuki Flute
Get Off the Page: Secrets for playing from memory


Pandora Bryce

Do you memorize your repertoire but perform with the music on the stand as ‘insurance’? Do you absolutely hate performing from memory? Do you believe that some people can memorize, and some can’t? Whatever your point of view, it’s worth looking at the issue of memorization.Subscribe to read the full article

Irish Flute: Recording The Wooden Flute


Bob Bickerton

What factors affect the sound of the instrument in the recording process? I like to envisage a recording chain, a series of events or processes that end up with a final item, a recorded CD. As with a live performance, it starts with the performer’s technique and ends with the listener’s ears. It’s interesting to note that the factors which influence the live performance are the ones which have most influence in the recording process. Subscribe to read the full article


Other features & columns


Interest articles:
Old Flutes Speak – Michael Graham Allen
From the Inside Out – Elizabeth Baptista Gaston
Flute Players No. 4 - Trevor Wye 

Multi Timbre Effect of Many Flutes – Michelle Scullion
Piping on the Plains – Sasha Garver

The Love Flute – Odell Borg
Exploring New Zealand Music in an Online World – Stephen Gibbs
And more…

Columns:
How to Play… Alexa Still
Teaching notes - Helen M Colthart
Jim on Jazz - Jim Langabeer

Indigenous Flutes- Brian Flintoff

Dear Ingrid - Ingrid Culliford

Piccolo notes - Rosamund Plummer

Powerhouse Museum Flute Collection – Danielle Eden, Michael Lea

FFF Fluzzle – David Smith

Scherzo - Alisa Willis
Puzzle Page – Owen Auger
Happenings in … USA, Australia, NZ, Europe
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Flute Focus Ltd, 112 Postman Rd, RD 4, Albany 0794, New Zealand
email: mary.obrien@xtra.co.nz