March 09 news & meeting

March 09 meeting

We will meet this Saturday (March 14) from 1-3pm and this month we will view a flute documentary as one of our activities.
We will also have some guests from Tri-state Native American Flute Circle to jam and play flute with so we should have a great meeting again this month.

This will be our meeting leading up to Potomac Native American Flute Festival in Rockville, MD. So we may coordinate ride share and other arrangements. There are still some spots available to attend the festival and the line up will be terrific so you really need to come to the event this year if you can swing it. Another feature of this year’s event will be private lessons available by appointment with all of the performers which has become popular at similar events. The Potomac Flute Circle link is on the right and you can view the entire schedule for the weekend. I will be writing about highlights after the event, but you’ll want to see it for yourself!

Plans continue with our own Elkins event: Timber Flute Festival June 21-26th. A quote from the press release follows:
“The festival will focus on several arts associated with wooden flutes: the one-keyed flute (Baroque/Classical Eras) to the eight-keyed flute (Late Classical/Romantic), Irish traditional music, the Native American flute and fifes. Each day will include a morning session dedicated to a broad experience with each of the traditions followed by an afternoon session for in depth studies in a chosen tradition.

Festival participants can move from one tradition to the other or solely focus on one tradition. Players of modern metal flutes are welcome to attend. Teachers will help you adapt your modern instrument to the playing of Irish traditional music or Baroque music and provide opportunities for you to experiment with wooden instruments. “This is a non-competitive atmosphere,” Dobbs explained, “and we provide hands-on instruction that is not superficial.”

Teachers for the Timber Flutes Festival are stars in their chosen areas. They include Wendell Dobbs, Colin St. Martin, Ron Warren and Grey Larsen. Guitarist Cindy Kallet will assist with Irish traditional music as well as lead workshops on flute accompaniment. Renowned flutemaker John Gallagher will be on hand to explain the construction of fine wooden flutes.”

The link on the right will take you to the TFF site and they have a Face Book group now as well.

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

A Friend in Need

Difficult news for the flute world:
While I have yet to meet a flute maker who is not a good soul, many folks know Randy and Shelly Stenzel as super folks who make wonderful flutes and drums in a good way. They are well known for their talents and generosity.
It has come to my attention and so I am sharing the news that Randy is sick and seeking to overcome cancer in a number of places in his body. The community has rightfully rallied to his aid with songs, prayers and now contributions as the news reveals they do not have health insurance to handle the costs of this struggle. I have included text from an email here sent by Colyn Petersen who has an update on efforts to help Randy.

"Randy was diagnosed with lung cancer a short time ago. Initially, they thought it to be 2 tumors--one on the lung and another on the lung near the heart. It appears now that there is another on one of his vertebrae. Randy is currently home after spending several days in the hospital due to a coughing spasm which involved coughing up blood. This happened on his and Shelly's 26 wedding anniversary. He was taken by ambulance to U of I Hospital where they informed him of the danger he was in. Saying that there was chance of bleeding out in a matter of minutes if he did not control the coughing. For this reason, Randy is not taking calls because talking tends to make him cough. He is currently undergoing double doses of radiation and chemotherapy to try and kill the cancer cells. Over the last year or so, Randy has gotten in real good shape walking and riding his bike, but he will need our thoughts and prayers though to get through this. His family is asking all in the flute community to send their best. "

"We would like to help in a small way by auctioning off a flute - we hope that the community will be generous and that the flute can go for even more than it's asking price. We will be offering an Old Growth Western Red Cedar right-handed bass F# with Osage orange side-blown mouthpiece and Thunderbird block with a woodlands wrap, valued at $415.00. It's a beautiful flute with a sweet voice. 100% of the proceeds will be given to Randy and Shelly Stenzel. The auction will begin at noon Monday, October 6th and continue until noon Monday, October 20th. Bidding will start at $400.00. A photo and description of the flute will be posted on our website: http://www.woodlandvoices.com Bids should be sent by e-mail with Benefit Flute Auction in the subject line."

Colyn goes on to say "We invite anyone else to find creative ways to support Randy and his family during this difficult time." The title link of this bolg entry gives you randy's website if you would like to send a message or support in some way.