Flute Festivals

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 6:44 am

Hello, I was just wondering if anyone is involved in any Flute Societies (besides the National one), and if so, what sort of activities do you do?

I am part of the Flute society of Kentucky, and we have an annual festival. It is a lot of fun, there are instruments to try out, and workshops (for repair, and playing), masterclasses, and a lot of other stuff. This year it is being held at the college I go to.

Anyone else have anything like this at home?

Phineas · Post by **Phineas** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 7:30 am

I tried to join the Flute Society in Saint Louis, but there were several reasons I did not renew.

1. I was the only Jazz player in the whole bunch, and everyone thought I was a doubler. (Major Snob Factor!)

2. Most of the members a teenage white girls. I am a 40 year old black man.(I dont even have to explain that one.)

3. People did not like the brands of flutes I play on.(Major Snobb Factor)

4. Classical flute players/teachers in Saint Louis are just plain Snobby!

5. My flute teacher died of cancer.

I remember going to a flute festival, and one of the local flute players said something like "That flute is not like that cheap sh** you play on. Are you sure you can play it?" The funny this was, this person did not know who I was, or ever heard me play. Then had the nerve to call me a sax player.( I have a million of these stories!) Things definitely changed after she heard me play.(Classical of course!) Do you think that SNOB admitted she was wrong...nope.

Due to conditions beyond my control, I never renewed, and was never asked to. It must feel great to fit in

I have accepted the fact that some contacts work better over internet forums

Phineas

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 8:26 am

I understand. I am usually singled out as well (a 6foot 250lb male playing the piccolo) because most of the players around me are a LOT smaller (female, and usually about 5'4" and about 130lbs). Kentucky is what I like to call a "cultural vaccume". So whenever people see a guy playing a flute, he is instantly labeled "queer", or "gay" or "homo".

So you can imagine what they do when they see me playing my harp.

sherbert789 · Post by **sherbert789** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 10:10 am

It's actually kind of funny that you say that. I'm female, 5'4", 130lbs . . . but I love seeing male flute players. Geez, it's like a breath of fresh air!! All female sections can get a little bit crazy sometimes . . . we need you guys to keep the peace!

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:38 pm

Good! at least someone likes guy flutists. I agree with the crazy comment. When I was in high school, I was made section leader when I was a freshman (joined marching band in 7th grade). Needless to say, we had the most dramatic section in the whole band so I almost want to think that I was being used as someone to tear apart the fights, and decide who was right and who is wrong.

shortandsilly · Post by **shortandsilly** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 10:32 am

fluteguy18 wrote:I understand. I am usually singled out as well (a 6foot 250lb male playing the piccolo) because most of the players around me are a LOT smaller (female, and usually about 5'4" and about 130lbs). Kentucky is what I like to call a "cultural vaccume". So whenever people see a guy playing a flute, he is instantly labeled "queer", or "gay" or "homo".

So you can imagine what they do when they see me playing my harp.

they're just jealous. haven't you heard, the best flute players are male! lol (I am female and believe that with all my heart lol)

MeLizzard · Post by **MeLizzard** » Tue Nov 21, 2006 11:28 am

Don't send us back to 1957, Silly! Professional competence and gender are totally unrelated. Some people feel men have a physical advantage (bigger body cavities, more resonance), in terms of power and tone production, but that's not always true at all. I have to fight the stereotypes a bit, living in a kinda rednecky area, in which instruments, to many locals, seem to have strong gender attachments. A family member seeking a rental instrument for her granddaughter this fall was taken aback that her granddaughter wanted to play teh trumpet. She said to my manager, "That's more of a boy's instruments, isn't it?" Good Grief, Charlie Brown! Likewise, I have a young male beginning student who, of course, hears the standard "flutes are for girls" mantra regularly at school. That's ok, because, with a few months, he'll play better than most students in any local elementary school in the region!

shortandsilly · Post by **shortandsilly** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 7:53 am

I really wanna go to one of these actually...does anyone know of any in TX?

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 9:52 am

I dont know of any, however I am sure that you can do an internet search and find one in your general region. So, chances are that TX definately has a flute society of some sort [with the state being as big as it is and all...].

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 1:15 pm

Try checking with the NFA. They generally know the major flute related events that are occurring or scheduled to occur throughout the country.

Meredith · Post by **Meredith** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 9:27 pm

I know this is off-topic to the original post, but...

For the life of me, I've never been able to understand the brunt that male flutists are often forced to bear. It makes no sense to me that the instrument should be so commonly identified as "female" at the higher levels of performance, when you consider that the three greatest flutists of the past (Baker, Galway and Rampal... listed in alphabetical order, to avoid a war on who is/was the best) are men.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 9:37 pm

Meredith wrote:I know this is off-topic to the original post, but...

For the life of me, I've never been able to understand the brunt that male flutists are often forced to bear. It makes no sense to me that the instrument should be so commonly identified as "female" at the higher levels of performance, when you consider that the three greatest flutists of the past (Baker, Galway and Rampal... listed in alphabetical order, to avoid a war on who is/was the best) are men.

I'd also through Moyse and Taffanel in there, but I can't find any justification for it either. Historically, most flute players were men, so it's a relatively modern development. It's unfortunate that all the ridicule turns so many potential players off to such a wonderful instrument.

Meredith · Post by **Meredith** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 9:54 pm

Where are Moyse and Taffanel chronologically? My knowledge of anything pre-1950 is pretty much non-existent.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 10:03 pm

Meredith wrote:Where are Moyse and Taffanel chronologically? My knowledge of anything pre-1950 is pretty much non-existent.

Marcel Moyse lived from 1889 to 1984, if memory serves, and Taffanel was alive from 1844 to 1908.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 11:04 pm

Referring to the original "off topic" post, I absolutely agree. Coming from the back woods of a state that is typically stereotyped as full of rednecks and hill billies, I understand entirely. (Even though Frankfort is the state capital, it is still not that big of a city[smallest state capital in the US], and the school I went to was in a different county ** better quality school even though it was in the middle of nowhere**).

this stereotype [along with several other things in high school] made my high school and middle school years terrible. So, the only thing I could do, was practice hard, and be so amazing that i knocked their socks off. After that...... they left me alone [although I really dont think I am that good, but rather that not many people in the school are musically talented in such a cultural vacuume].