Weekly Digest: The Chromatic Tambin (a new flute), The Power of Habits, Music and Emotion–Enough!

COOL FLUTE NEWS

The Chromatic Tambin, a new flute, has been invented by Quebecois instrumentalist Sylvain Leroux, who will unveil and demonstrate it at the New York Flute Fair on Saturday, March 24. Leroux will introduce the Chromatic Tambin, his innovative re-design of the traditional Guinean three-holed, side-blown tambin during a group concert entitled “The Dynamic Flute.” The new instrument has extraordinary possibilities.

By adding three new, carefully placed finger holes to the traditional tambin (aka Fula flute), Leroux has rendered a unique and age-old instrument capable of virtuosic playing. Its voice can now be applied to every musical style from jazz to classical composition. Until now the tambin has been limited to basic modal scales, although its exquisitely simple construction has promoted the development of highly complex performance fundamentals. Leroux’s Chromatic Tambin retains all the powerful vocal/flute effects of its parent instrument, but with new chromatic possibilities. That and low cost suggests potential applications in music education, particularly in the Third World were access to equipment is often problematic.

The Chromatic Tambin has a one-and-half octave range, and can produce the 12 notes of the standard Western chromatic scale. Leroux’s invention presents flutists across the world with a universe of creative possibilities in an organic instrument. Because of its structure, it also throws a new light on tonal organization and solves the problems it creates simply and elegantly.

The New York Flute Fair is an event sponsored by the New York Flute Club and will take place at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, 450 West 37th Street (between 9th and 10th Avenues), New York, NY on Saturday March 24. This year’s guest artist is Amy Porter. To attend please visit the NY Flute Club Website at: http://www.nyfluteclub.org/html/flute_fair.html

For further information please contact: fulaflute@gmail.com, or visit www.fulaflute.net

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Flute Summer Course 2012 by Dutch flutist/composer Wil Offermans is now open for registration. This 21st edition of this renown course will take place from August 18th until 25th, 2012, in Sayalonga (Malaga), Spain. The course is open for flute students, flutists and flute teachers from all over the world. www.flutesummercourse.com

VIDEO OF THE WEEK, from Orchkids in Baltimore (this is an inspired music concert, check it out!):

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: