Category Music
The Changed Nashville
In May 2017 I was in Nashville, Tennessee, city of country music, to attend the Four Voices Concert. I stayed downtown to be able to walk to the Ryman Auditorium for the concert at night. During the day I looked forward to sauntering into some nearby musical instrument stores. But I was in for a […]
My new mandolin
I’m now learning to play the mandolin. I hadn’t expected to be adding the mandolin to my musical instruments, but a nice series of events has led to me having a Kentucky KM-620-S. A few weeks ago, my aunt gave me her old mandolin (pictured right). She had started taking mandolin lessons, inspired by the […]
Four Voices Concert
Joan Baez. Mary Chapin Carpenter. Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers They were on stage in The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville for the opening night of their Four Voices Tour. The concert was two hours of harmony, addressing issues of life situations and politics, and enthusiasm about performing together and enjoying the response of the […]
Chestnut Branch Flutes
Creating a flute from a branch is exciting and rewarding, as I see how the wood guides me and listen to what the flute’s voice will be. Here’s a video with the four Chestnut branch flutes that I just finished making. In the video, I play two of the flutes to let you hear their […]
Vibrations: Sound Journey
Making and playing both Native-American style flutes and Finnish kanteles has led me into thinking more and more about creating a calm and positive spirit. I’ve found that many who purchase my musical instruments are interested in playing to have more peace in their lives. Some are music therapists who use my instruments in their […]
A Second Chance to Play Flute or Kantele
When I’m selling my flutes and kanteles at music festivals or art and craft shows, one of the groups of people who like to talk with me about my instruments are retirees. I often start the conversation with “Do you play any musical instruments?” In the responses from retirees, I hear two themes. About half will […]
Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain provides interactive performance
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain brought holiday spirit and good cheer in general to Gainesville in their concert at the University Auditorium on Dec. 2. In their two-hour performance, they demonstrated the range of the ukulele, playing a wide of musical styles — from Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” to the theme from the James […]
