Category Archives: Concert Flutes

Eimear McGeown Comments On MDF Headjoint

Martin Doyle is always grateful to receive feedback on his work as a flute maker and he was thrilled to read a post on the Facebook page of Irish flautist Eimear McGeown recently with regards to a wooden headjoint that he made for Eimear’s concert flute. It runs thus:

“Really enjoying my new Martin Doyle Flutes wooden headjoint for my classical flute!!! Have lots of really exciting new music to learn on it for the Budapest recital [Eimear is offering a recital and masterclass at the Budapest Flute Academy in Hungary, March 10—13, 2016], including two new pieces written for me by Alicia Hart and Philip Hammond!”

Eimear McGeown's Headjoint

Eimear McGeown’s Martin Doyle Flutes Wooden Headjoint (photo credit: Eirmear McGeown’s Facebook page)

We look forward to hearing more from Eimear in the near futue and wish her well in Budapest.

For more information, kindly visit: Wooden Headjoints for Concert Flutes »

Rob Portnoy Comments On MDF Headjoint

Rob Portnoy

Rob Portnoy

Rob Portnoy is a renowned multi-woodwind performer, clinician and teacher who has worked with a plethora of superstar singers, musicians and performers including Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr., Mel Torme, Aretha Franklin, Wayne Newton, Nancy Wilson, Don Sebasky, Mickey Rooney, Red Skelton, Debbie Reynolds, Liza Minnelli, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Natalie Cole and Sarah Vaughn.

Rob had the following to say about a wooden headjoint that he recently commissioned Martin Doyle to make for his concert flute:

Hi Martin,
I just wanted to thank you for the phenomenal work you did in creating my new headjoint. I recently played it on the show “Beauty and The Beast” and received many compliments on my “sweet” sound. The combination of my Altus Limited and your Blackwood Headjoint allow me a warmth that neither of my metal headjoints provide and enable me to play all octaves with a solid, centered sound which articulates quickly and doesn’t break up when pushed! I will surely endorse your craftsmanship so more flutists can experience the wonderful qualities of a Martin Doyle headjoint!
Best wishes,
Rob Portnoy.

Martin Doyle’s web page about the wooden headjoints he makes for concert flutes can be viewed here: Wooden Headjoints for Concert Flutes »

Martin’s October 2012 VidPic

Here is Martin Doyle‘s video pick for October 2012 – the Grammy Award winning flute player, Rhonda Larson performing the hymn Be Still My Soul. (Note Rhonda’s harmonic singing while playing the flute in the opening moments of the performance.)

About Rhonda Larson

Rhonda Larson says she was born wanting to play the flute – where that desire came from remains a mystery to her. It was finally at age 10 that Rhonda first picked up a flute, a journey that has taken her to the farthest reaches of the world. Her ‘practice room’ was a high mountain ridge outside her family home in Bozeman, Montana, where the sky is endless and the breath­taking mountains cut through your soul. It is not difficult, then, to understand that the depths of Rhonda’s music comes from a place in her heart that celebrates the beauty of the human spirit, found most alive in nature. “I began to see that music has a larger role for humanity: that it can truly speak to the shared expressions of our human souls.”
Read more: Larson’s Story-Form Biography »

A very fine quote from Rhonda’s homepage:

“The dignity of the artist lies in their duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world.”
G.K. Chesterton.

Eimear McGeown Playing A Martin Doyle Flute

Eimear McGeown – classical and Irish flute.

Eimear McGeown – classical and Irish flute

We are very proud and grateful to be able to feature two tracks on Martin Doyle Flutes by the accomplished flute player Eimear McGeown. A native of County Armagh in Northern Ireland, Eimear plays both classical and Irish flutes.

This from Eimear’s website:

The Irish culture and tradition has played a major influence in Eimear’s life, starting Irish dancing at the age of three and going on to become a Northern Ireland Champion dancer. Eimear began playing whistle at the age of nine and progressed to the traditional Irish flute a year later having lessons with Sligo born flautist, Séamus Tansey.

Eimear was the Ulster Champion on the whistle when she was eleven years old and later went on to win two All Ireland Champion titles on the Irish flute both as soloist and in a trio with her brother and sister. She performs on the traditional Irish flute regularly including recitals, in the West End Show Lord of the Rings, with folk/rock band Amsterdam, session studio work in London and is currently recording a solo Celtic Crossover album.

Continue reading

Elizabeth Petcu At National Gallery

Elizabeth Petcu

Elizabeth Petcu in concert.

On Sunday, August 23, Martin Doyle‘s good friend Elizabeth Petcu is scheduled to perform highlights from her debut solo flute music album Just Me at the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin.

For over 25 years Elizabeth served as the principal flautist with Ireland’s RTÉ Concert Orchestra until a hearing problem (otosclerosis) sidelined her career. This from Elizabeth’s web site:

Irish flute player Elizabeth Petcu seeks new ways of exploring and presenting music and her debut solo album Just Me captures in essence Elizabeth’s true authentic sound through a brilliant interpretation of her favourite repertoire.

Particularly innovative is the use of the keyless wooden Irish flute for the Telemann pieces (tracks 3 and 4). The Liam Bates composition, Moth Manoeuvres (track 12), was commissioned by Helen Gaynor for her art exhibition in May 2007 — a project that was part-funded by the Wexford County Council Arts Department and the Arts Council. Elizabeth premiered Moth Manoeuvres at Newtownbarry House in Bunclody, County Wexford. Just Me also includes the music of Karg-Elert, Bach, Debussy and others.

Elizabeth will be performing at the National Gallery of Ireland on a Muramatsu concert flute fitted with a wooded head joint made by Martin Doyle and a traditional Irish flute that was also made by Martin Doyle.

The concert will begin at 3 pm in the Shaw Room, National Gallery of Ireland, Merrion Square West, Dublin. Tickets are €10, concessions €7.

New Music Samples Added

Just added to Martin Doyle Flutes: three music samples from Elizabeth Petcu’s debut solo flute album, Just Me. Elizabeth Petcu is a good friend of Martin Doyle’s who lives in Bray, County Wicklow. They also constitute two thirds of the music trio Rune.

Elizabeth Petcu's debut album, Just Me.

Elizabeth Petcu’s debut album, Just Me.

Former Principal Flute (25+ years) with the RTE Concert Orchestra, Elizabeth Petcu studied with Professor Doris Keogh at The Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin. She has an honours music degree from Trinity College Dublin and holds a Masters in Music Therapy from the University of Limerick. Just Me is a distillation of all these experiences.

The fourteen tracks that comprise Just Me were recorded at the acoustically exceptional Calary Church near Roundwood in County Wicklow and the album is a lovely interpretation of Elizabeth’s favourite repertoire.

Elizabeth recorded Just Me on a Muramatsu concert flute fitted with a wooden headjoint and a keyless simple system Irish flute. Both the wooden headjoint and the Irish flute were made by Martin Doyle. The three tracks that have been added to Martin Doyle’s website are those that Elizabeth recorded using her Martin Doyle keyless Irish flute.

Elizabeth Petcu playing a Martin Doyle flute.

Elizabeth Petcu playing a Martin Doyle flute.

The two Telemann tracks are particularly worth noting as they were technically challenging in that Elizabeth decided to perform them on her Martin Doyle keyless simple system flute – just six open holes with lots of half-holing and cross fingering – quite an accomplishment! Throughout this album, Elizabeth Petcu exhibits her capacity as a mature flute player of great technical capacity that is coupled to a heart-felt passion and sensitivity for her selection. Just MeDebussy, Telemann, Bozza, Bach, Ibert, Honegger, Bates and Karg-Elert – with a traditional Irish air as a fitting finale.

The three tracks can be heard here: Flute Music – Elizabeth Petcu »

Our gratitude to Elizabeth Petcu for her kind permission to display these tracks. For those interested, Just Me can be purchased from the homepage of Elizabeth’s website »

Recently Added: Wooden Head Joints

Website Updates

A new page has been added to Martin Doyle Flutes which offers information and prices on the thin-wall wooden head joints hand-crafted by Martin Doyle for concert flutes.

That page can be viewed here: Wooden Headjoints for Concert Flutes »

A Martin Doyle wooden head joint for a concert flute made from cocus wood.

A Martin Doyle wooden head joint for a concert flute made from cocus wood – click on image to see a larger version.

Wooden Headjoint Images On Flickr

More images can be viewed here: Wooden Head Joints for Concert Flutes »

Sitemap

A sitemap has also been added to Martin Doyle’s website: Sitemap »