Flute Focus is an international flute magazine produced quarterly in New Zealand.
The New Year edition of Flute Focus again highlights Native American flute music. with a feature interview with Native American flute player R Carlos Nakai by Mary O’Brien; an article on the Native American Flute in New Zealand by Leo Cappèl and an article entitled American Indian Classical Music featuring Dr. David A. Yeagley and Timothy Archambault.
Under the banner of ‘Irish Flute’, Brendyn Montgomery offers an article on ornamentation – one of the great features that distinguishes Irish traditional music from other types of Celtic music.
Along with all that, Flute Focus offers all the regular features that make it such a great publication including an introduction and article from Alexa Still and editorial from Mary O’Brien.
If you would like to subscribe to or obtain back issues of Flute Focus, visit the website: Flute Focus. Be informed and support a home-grown international publication that is going from strength to strength.
Flute Focus is an international flute magazine produced quarterly in New Zealand.
Octobers bumper edition of Flute Focus highlights the Native American flute with a two page feature on the late master Comanche flute player and artist Doc Tate Nevaquaya (1932-1996) who is credited with the rejuvenation of traditional Native American flute playing. Also featured is an introduction to artefact examples of two-chambered flutes of North America including plains-style flutes; an article titled North American Flute Goes Classical – new identities in contemporary music; Piping On The Plains looks at the history and various flutes of the indigenous peoples of North American and internationally renowned master flute maker Odell Borg provides a short article about the origins of what is called ‘the love flute’.
Under the banner of ‘Irish Flute’, Bob Bickerton offers an article which looks at some of the methods and concepts involved in recording the wooden flute. Bob is the founder and current chairman of the Celtic Flute School of New Zealand which is based in Nelson – a multi instrumentalist performer, composer, recording artist and educator who’s first love is Irish traditional music and the wooden flute. Continue Reading »
Tullamore, County Offaly - August 19th to the 26th
This years All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil is being haled as the largest festival of Irish music, song and dance ever – with over 250,000 people gathering from all over the world! With over 10,000 performers taking part in this, the 56th Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the event promises to be a veritable ‘Feast of Irish Music’.
The first national festival of Irish traditional music was held in Mullingar, early in 1951. At the Comhaltas Ceoltóirà Éireann inaugural meeting in September 1951 it was decided to create a national festival named Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (Festival of Music in Ireland).
County, Provincial and worldwide Fleadhanna have found their places in the traditional Irish music calendar and annual Comhaltas events include Fleadh Nua, Fleadh na Breataine (an All-Britain Fleadh Cheoil), regional Fleadhanna in Britain, Japan and the USA.
The continued growth in the number and standard of Fleadhanna held each year have facilitated competitors to qualify from county, provincial and regional levels, producing a manageable number of participants at the high standard expected from the All-Ireland finals at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.
The Fleadhanna at each level provide a platform and a meeting place for over 10,000 musicians, who carry on the great tradition of playing and cherishing our music, songs, and dances.
And when the competitions are over, all can join in impromptu sessions which sometimes last until the early hours.
We wish everyone a happy time at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2007 and congratulate the efforts of the organisation to preserve the standards of Irish traditional music.
(BTW: Martin Doyle’s flutes have often been in the hands of finalists in the All Ireland flute competitions in recent years. Details can be found here: Fleadh Cheoil Results.)
Seamus Egan is a talented multi instrumentalist who plays flute, tenor banjo, mandolin, tin whistle, low whistle, guitar and bodhran. He has won All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann titles on four of those instruments – flute, banjo, bodhran and mandolin. Born in Hatboro, Pennsylvania, and raised for a time in Foxford, County Mayo, Seamus has released three solo albums and is a founding member of the widely acclaimed Irish-American group Solas. He is widely respected as an outstanding player, who combines a deep understanding of the tradition with a progressive approach in his playing.
Seamus’ first album, Traditional Music of Ireland: Seamus Egan, was recorded when he was just sixteen. He also performed on a soundtrack tied to the 1995 Oscar winning movie Dead Man Walking and more recently wrote what Billboard’s Editor-in-Chief Timothy White described as a ‘crisply pulsative score’ for the Irish stage show Dancing on Dangerous Ground.
Seamus has also created an Irish Flute Tutorial that caters for all levels from the absolute beginner to advanced players. The tutorial includes a performance piece and an interview with the tutor. Here’s a video clip of Seamus Egan playing an unknown reel – at least it’s unknown to me. Perhaps if someone does know the name of the tune, they could kindly leave a comment below. Enjoy the music…
If there is a fast way to get to know the quintessential qualities of any country, it must surely be through the music of that land. The traditional music of any country sits proudly on it’s head like a crown for all to see – proclaiming it’s soul and attributes. There are many bright jewels in the crown that adorns Ireland, the crown known as Irish traditional music, and they all have their own character, colour and lustre. Colm O’Donnell is one of those many jewels who’s love for Ireland and her music tradition shines bright. He is a man of his land, indeed a man of the land, and as talented, versatile and authentic traditional musician as you will find in Ireland.
Flute and whistle player, singer, composer and researcher, Colm O’Donnell was born in the parish of Kilmactigue, County Sligo in 1962. He works now as a farmer, forester, shepherd and sheep dog trainer on the family farm which straddles the Ox Mountains (The Sliabh Gaimh) and much of his music reflects his strong connection with the land. His album, Farewell to Evening Dances, hit my mailbox a few days ago and listening to it, I was struck immediately by Colm’s love for the land and for Ireland. It’s an outstanding contribution in my opinion. Here’s an excerpt from a review of the album in Bogfire:
“With the release of Farewell to Evening Dances, a trip to Sligo will not be required to experience the music of All-Ireland winner Colm O’Donnell. It contains a broad, interesting cross-section of material. Newer tunes in the traditional idiom include two lovely reels, The Road to Monalea and Up Spinc’n, composed by Colm. The heartfelt slow air, An Tonn Amplach (The Hungry Sea), another Colm composition, is dedicated to the memory of three young Sligo lads who lost their lives off the coast of County Sligo in May, 1998. The title Farewell to Evening Dances, is taken from the song The Hill of Knocknashee, a sentimental and lyrical ballad of exile that has become to some extent a type of Sligo anthem. Colm’s songs are suffused with a ring of authenticity. His flute and whistle playing is lively, bouncy, and varied, ornamented in the great North Connacht tradition with the odd delightful individual fleck or turn. Colm’s singing style is sweet, tuneful, and full of soul.”
This is the opening track of Farewell to Evening Dances, The Road to Monalea/Up Spici’n (reels):
Some good news: Martin Doyle, who, for those that don’t already know, is a maker of fine wooden flutes who hails from County Clare in Ireland, has just launched his own website: Martin Doyle Flutes. This from Martin’s Homepage:
Since 1983, Martin Doyle has been producing high quality simple system wooden flutes that are used predominantly in Irish traditional music. His flutes, both with and without tuning slides and keys, have become renowned for their ease of playing and quality of tone.
Martin’s website has all the features you would expect – an About page that offers an overview of Martin’s life and development as a flute maker, a Flute & Prices page listing all aspects, details and the prices of his flutes, an FAQ page, Testimonials from people who play his flutes, Contact details, and more.
Like most people, I get a lot of spam and rubbish among my email – like, probably 95%! One becomes used to it even though it’s not nice to receive such stuff. And, like most people, I also get email that is ho-hum – stuff you just have to deal with but is a bit of a drag. As they say in New York, “Whadayagunnado?” Deal with it right? Right! Well, today I received a different type of email that gave me a lot of joy!
Last week a friend of mine from Italy sent me a sampling of Colm O’Donnell’s album Farewell To Evening Dances - an album that has been described on Bogfire as “A wonderful collection of traditional song, flute and tin whistle music from a naturally gifted musician.”
From the little I have heard of it, it’s a lovely Irish traditional album with plenty of variety. Our friends at Celtic Grooves have posted a review of Farewell To Evening Dances – part of which reads:
“[...] Colm’s flute and whistle music is one of the sweetest you’ll ever hear, whether he plays an old tune or one of his excellent compositions. His performance of his own air “An Tonn Amplach” (The Hungry Sea) is achingly beautiful. If that weren’t enough, Colm’s traditional-style singing in Gaelic and English as well as his lilting are no less than remarkable. [...]“
... a web site dedicated to the simple system wooden flutes (aka 'Irish' flutes) that are so much a part of Irish traditional and Celtic music, and to the excellent wooden flutes produced by the Irish flute maker Martin Doyle. Read more: About
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Flute For Sale!
We are very happy to present a brand new Martin Doyle 3 keyed flute for sale, a 'D' flute made of African Blackwood with a brass tuning slide. The keys are post mounted and were added here in New Zealand by Maurice Reviol. Details, images and price here: Wooden Flutes For Sale.
Visit: Martin Doyle Flutes Since 1983, Martin Doyle has been producing high quality simple system wooden flutes that are used predominantly in Irish traditional music. His flutes, both with and without tuning slides and keys, have become renowned for their ease of playing and quality of tone.
Flute Focus is an international flute magazine produced quarterly in New Zealand.
The first national festival of Irish traditional music was held in Mullingar, early in 1951. At the 
Seamus Egan is a talented multi instrumentalist who plays flute, tenor banjo, mandolin, tin whistle, low whistle, guitar and bodhran. He has won All-Ireland 
If there is a fast way to get to know the quintessential qualities of any country, it must surely be through the music of that land. The traditional music of any country sits proudly on it’s head like a crown for all to see – proclaiming it’s soul and attributes. There are many bright jewels in the crown that adorns Ireland, the crown known as Irish traditional music, and they all have their own character, colour and lustre. Colm O’Donnell is one of those many jewels who’s love for Ireland and her music tradition shines bright. He is a man of his land, indeed a man of the land, and as talented, versatile and authentic traditional musician as you will find in Ireland.
Last week a friend of mine from Italy sent me a sampling of Colm O’Donnell’s album Farewell To Evening Dances - an album that has been described on 
... a web site dedicated to the simple system wooden flutes (aka 'Irish' flutes) that are so much a part of Irish traditional and Celtic music, and to the excellent wooden flutes produced by the Irish flute maker 
