Yosemite FluteFest 2010

It was truly a weekend of renewing friendships and making new ones. Life and geography make it impossible to see and enjoy these wonderful people as much as I would like. My special friend, Kiriel Solene, brought her usual spirit of joy and love to the proceedings and graced us with her music as a soloist and accompanist to others. Her dear friend, Peter played from some place deep within and held us spellbound. Here are some photos:

 Flutemaker Tahoe Larry, trying out my flute. I got a sweet little A minor flute from him!

 Dear Kiriel, giving us "a hand".

 Sitting in with some friends. A very interesting solo on the double-chambered drone flute.

 Kiriel's friend, Peter. This picture says it all.

 Deborah Peterson, leader of Anchorage, Alaska's flute circle. One of the nicest people I know.

 Dennis Hatch, Master Craftsman, and bon vivant

Pat, from Burning Wood Flutes, the nicest booth neighbor one could ask for.

I also saw Vance Pennington's Anasazi wood flutes, which have some lovely designs and beautiful tone. Another maker you should check out is John Eley of Medine Wheel Flutes.

I have previously listed some of my other favorite makers in the link list at right, so please visit them, too.

In Oakhurst

The Yosemite Flute and Art Festival is held in Oakhurst, CA. Oakhurst is one of the many "Gateway to Yosemite" cities that surround Yosemite National Park, Oakhurst being about 14 miles from the south end of the park. I had a lapse of preparation that kept me from remembering to bring my flute stands, so I spread my wares out on the table.

Oakhurst is still pretty warm this time of year, and the park is in a bowl that stays hot throughout the day, but most of us are coping pretty well. The best part has been seeing flute friends, both makers and players, and my delight in seeing my dear friend, Kiriel, made my day today.

I also had my first official turn at an open mike session with my backing tracks to my compositions. I played Anasazi Walk, Anasazi Waltz, a Mojave Improvisation, Spring Bird, and Crystal Dream. The reception for the music was good and the sound system was first-rate.
My friend Tahoe Larry spent some time with me and we traded instruments. I got a sweet A minor flute from him and it was good to see him again.
A flute festival is a pretty happy and safe environment and there is no shortage of talent and craftsmanship here. All of the conversations today with customers and curious  visitors were friendly and informative.

My booth (on the left) at the corner of one of many "flute alleys".

A Trip to Yosemite

This will be my third trip to Oakhurst, CA for the Yosemite flute festival, for the weekend of September 24-26. It was my first festival, and the one I look forward to most. Rick & Linda Dunlap are the best hosts for this kind of event and I hope to see some old flute friends. Check out the festival lineup at this link: Yosemite Flute Festival.

New Flutes Posted

Woodtone Namasté

New Namasté Flutes are now posted at Etsy, see my mini store below. Also, a 4-hole Blue Mojave-style flute is now ready, with more Mojave-style flutes to come.

The Blue Mojave

Another Meditation flute in D

A Nightsky Meditation Flute, at the Etsy store.

 

The D Minor Meditation Flute

Closeup of Flute

The D minor Meditation Flute

The new D minor Meditation Flute is ready. This flute is a little more than 20" long, rim blown and plays the D minor scale from bottom to top and overblows into the next octave quite easily. Great for backpacking and traveling and nicely tuned. Available at my Etsy store.

A New Flute Model Debuts

My Mojave Meditation 6-hole flute was formerly only available in B minor. I will have a new version in D minor, a minor third higher, by the end of the week. Playing a D minor scale in sequential fingering, it is quite nice. I'll post a video/sound file soon to help you get an idea of its sound. The fingering is a little easier than some of the longer models, and was designed for a client who requested a flute with an easier reach.