Potomac Flute Festival, Winds of Change

Potomac Flute Festival is approaching and this year’s event is shaping up to be something very exciting.

Early Bird Registration ends March 8th for Potomac Flute Festival. This year’s line up and the new festival website can be viewed at potomacflutecircle.net. Register early so you do not miss your spot.

While you're at the Festival, volunteer for a couple of hours (or more!) and get a flute raffle ticket for every hour you work. We need ticket takers for our concerts, support for lunch food set-up, some folks to help with the concert ticket will-call pick up before each concert, and help in a few other locations to give some relief to our Committee staff. To volunteer, contact Stuart Hill. At SJHHILL (at) aol (dot) com

November & December 08 news

It has been a very busy autumn and the blog has been non-news worthy as a result. That does not mean that there isn’t great news.

Chronologically speaking I did get in a great visit with Neuse River Flute Circle in November. It was wonderful to see friends from Timber flute Festival and to meet in “reality” many who I have spoken with “virtually” via email. These folks are staying busy and seeking to plan an event for their region as well as building a great flute community in the triangle region. Thank you to all for such a warm welcome in Raleigh! The NRFC link is here on the right hand links bar and they always have something good going on so look them up.


Autumn is school visit season and so I have had two visits in the areas Montessori School for Flute and Didgeridoo. The kids are maybe the world’s most appreciative audience and that is great for the ego of the most-humble player like me. Foremost though is the idea often quoted as “a mind once stretched, never return to its original shape” and I do see music have great affect on children frequently. I have had great success with having an educator read Paul goble's book Love Flute, prior to my visit and thus the kids have a wonderful idea of the power of the instrument prior to ever having heard it. The suspense builds and they are excited with questions and comments about the music.


It is never to early to say get ready for 2009 Potomac Native American Flute Festival – Put it on you calendar because the sixth Potomac Native American Flute Festival will be held the weekend of March 27-29, 2009 at the Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, MD. Confirmed performers include Scott August and Autumn’s Child featuring Mark Holland on Friday night; and Mark “Thunderwalker” Camden and The Jeff Ball Band on Saturday night. There will also be a 90 minute Saturday afternoon concert featuring 3 artists: Jan Seiden, Jonny Lipford, and the duo of David Landis and Diana Sunday (from the DC-local group KIVA). Workshops will be held throughout the event, which is scheduled to run from 3:00PM Friday, March 27 to 3:00PM Sunday, March 29. This years Potomac Native American Flute Festival features the theme "Winds of Change." From all four directions, Winds of Change are blowing through communities around the world—environmental, spiritual, cultural, financial, and personal. Native American Flutes are especially suited to giving voice to the feelings that accompany such change. The PFC has a link to your right here as well.

Many fine flute makers are offering holiday sales Dana Ross (Falcon Flutes and Drums), John Kulias (Meadowlark Flutes), Colyn Petersen (Woodland Voices) all have sent word of flute sales for the holidays. Remember that these folks build flutes for good causes, donate them to raffles and support the flute community in many good ways so as the say in WV “you outta dance with the one who brung ya”.

Speaking of good intentions Brad Young (4 Winds Flutes) has built and auctioned off a flute to benefit Randy Stenzell, who is fighting cancer as I write. Colyn Petersen and other have helped the Stenzell’s this season and I hope many folks will support that effort.

For those who are holiday shopping Clint Goss has a new piece in production that anyone can use. Clint states “The Jam Tracks CD for G Minor is here! It *just* arrived minutes ago and looks gorgeous.”
The web site now plays a sampler of all the tracks:

http://www.NAFTracks.com/ntgm_detail.htm

INAFA also has a new CD of music this year that is a fundraiser for the organization but includes some wonderful performers. INAFA has a link to your right on this page and the banner for the new CD is at the top of the page.

Autumn Flute News

First, the disappointing news: Leonard McGann's annual Flute Fall In will not be scheduled for this year and Leonard tells me that they may try it again next year, stay tuned.

2009 Potomac Native American Flute Festival – Put it on you Calendar! The sixth Potomac Native American Flute Festival will be held the weekend of March 27-29, 2009 at the Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, MD. Confirmed performers include Scott August and Autumn’s Child featuring Mark Holland on Friday night; and Mark “Thunderwalker” Camden and The Jeff Ball Band on Saturday night. There will also be a 90 minute Saturday afternoon concert featuring 3 artists: Jan Seiden, Jonny Lipford, and the duo of David Landis and Diana Sunday (from the DC-local group KIVA). Workshops will be held throughout the event, which is scheduled to run from 3:00PM Friday, March 27 to 3:00PM Sunday, March 29. This years Potomac Native American Flute Festival features the theme "Winds of Change."
The Potomac and Northern Virginia Flute Circles web site is being completely renovated, so please check back in a few weeks for further details and how to register. Some additional festival information is posted at their web site (see links at the right)

From Clint Goss; “I've just updated the version of Edward Kort's NAFlutomat program that is available on FluteKey.com to the latest version. It is now version 1.37.1. (Ed'snumbering omits the leading "1." and is just 37.1).Version 37.1 is a minor update from the long-standing version 37 that has beenposted in the Files section of this group since December '07.”Here's the link: www.flutekey.com and scroll down to the third section "Flute Construction" and click on"NAFlutomat - NAF Design Tool"

Jan Seiden has another great concert event coming up. Jan states “I have honor and great pleasure of appearing in concert with Arvel Bird (southern Paiute and violinist extraordinaire) and Art Shegonee (Menominee dancer) in a concert to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.”

In Concert: Arvel Bird, Jan Seiden and Art Shegonee
Friday, November 21, 2008 7:00pm
Calvary United Methodist Church, Annapolis, MD
Tickets: adults $15.00 advance, $20 at the door, children 5 - 12 yrs; $5.00
for tickets, call Randy Sisulak at: 410-721-3963

Events for Winter Fluting

Leaves are falling fast now and a long, cold rain is working hard to fill the creeks...

My time spent at the annual Flute Fall In event last week was fantastic. Many plans were discussed for the winter and several performances of note are coming to the area and are not to be missed. Get out your calendars…

The Museum of the American Indian is the newest and possibly most fantastic building on the National Mall. They are hosting several musicians next week that are well known to the flute world. R. Carlos Nakai will perform Friday, November 9, 2007, 6 p.m. on Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center. The website states the following “R. Carlos Nakai, flute. Classical and traditional music performed by the leading Native American flute player, R. Carlos Nakai (Navajo/Ute), and friends.” Visit kennedy-center.org for further information.

On Saturday November 10, 2007 there are two performances (1pm and 3pm) in Rasmuson Theater at the Museum of the American Indian.

1pm Music of David Yeagley (Comanche), including Salve Regina for Native flute and women's voices.

3pm Dawn Avery (Mohawk) presents North American Indian Cello Project, including premieres of works by works by Ron Warren (Echota Cherokee), Timothy Archambault, Raven Chacon (Navajo), R. Carlos Nakai, and Dawn Avery, with R. Carlos Nakai, flute, Timothy Long (Muskogee-Creek/Choctaw), piano, Lisa Long, flute, Steven Alvarez, percussion, and the MC World Ensemble.

On Sunday, November 11, 2007 1pm in Rasmuson Theater at the Museum of the American Indian. A Concert for Veterans. In honor of Native veterans, this concert will include performances by R. Carlos Nakai, Dawn Avery and the MC World Ensemble, Tara-Louise Montour (Mohawk), Tim Archambault, Barbara McAlister, Timothy Long, Lisa Long, and Gabriel Ayala.

A big weekend line up with members of Potomac Flute Circle performing too.

A great cultural group has asked for help promoting a performance from Kevin Locke. This is a man who “needs no introduction” but I’ll provide you with a quote anyway. Kevin Locke is one of the featured artists in the documentary Song Keepers and has been an inspiration to many.

“An event of the Susquehanna Folk Music Society-- Program of Native American Music, Dance and Stories with Kevin Locke 2/8/08 Kevin Locke is a visionary hoop dancer, the preeminent player of the indigenous Northern Plains flute and a traditional storyteller. Of the Lakota tribe, he is known throughout the world as an ambassador of Native American culture.”

So the event is Friday Feb 8 at 7:30pm Kevin Locke in concert @ Harrisburg Academy in Wormleysburg, PA advance tickets $18 general admission seating. Call 717.214.2787 for tickets. Call me to arrange a carpool as I really want to attend this event too.

It is never too early to get the word out that the 5^th annual Potomac Native American Flute Festival will be held the weekend of February 22-24, 2008 at the Montgomery College in Rockville, MD Featured performers already confirmed include

Carlos Nakai - - - Friday Night - Mark Holland and Autumn's Child - - Saturday Afternoon Jan Seiden - - - - Jim Morehouse.

Workshops will be held throughout the event, which is scheduled to run from 3:00PM Friday, February 22 to 3:00PM Sunday, February 24. The festival will also include a Saturday afternoon concert featuring Jan Seiden and Jim Moorehouse, as well as over a dozen Native American flute makers and non-NAF vendors. Details and registration:

http://potomacflutecircle.net/