Tag Archives: 5 string kantele
WrenSong Kanteles
The kantele complements the Native American flute wonderfully. These are delightful instruments and easy to learn to play. They may take some time like the ukulele and Native American style flute to learn to play well. The kanteles I primarily make are 5-string versions. In 2018, I released a 6-string version but find that […]
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 […]
Kantele, Flute, Hymn
As a member of the online group FOTMD (Friends of the Mountain Dulcimer) I find such interesting conversations going on. Recently a group of people in FOTMD started playing the Native American style flute and have been sharing their experiences. Such positive and energizing experiences are fun to read. One of the members suggested I […]
Upcycling: Kantele, Ukulele or Guitar picks
My upcycled plastic picks that can be used for kantele, ukulele, or guitar playing received a very positive response at my two recent shows — Art Festival at Thornebrook and the October Gainesville Arts Market at the SoMA Art Media Hub. Most people thought it an clever upcycling idea. I thought you’d enjoy the video of […]
Join me for Art Festival at Thornebrook, Oct. 10-11, 2015
Hope you’ll come by to see the display of my handmade musical instruments at the 31st Art Festival at Thornebrook, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10-11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can hear the instruments and try them yourself. I’m very pleased to be joining 130 artists for this festival of juried work. My exhibit area […]
Amazing Grace on the 5-string kantele
I was working on preparing materials for my workshop at Flute Haven 2015 on playing the Native American style flute with the kantele. There are several ways to play flutes with the kantele — all of them beautiful. When I took my lunch break, I decided to see what was on YouTube and discovered a […]
Sandhill Cranes Flying Overhead on a January Day
Whenever the Sandhill Cranes fly overhead, you can hear them. But you can’t always see them. This is what they sounded like on the day that I took these pictures. Since November I have been hearing the cranes with their distinctive call flying high over the yard. They circle for about 15 minutes, then head in the […]
Glam Craft Festival offers holiday shopping fun
The Glam Craft Festival will be brightening the holiday season on Sunday, Dec. 7, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the historic Mustang Hangar near the Gainesville Airport. I’m one of more than 60 artists and crafters who will have their work for sale. If you’re in the Gainesville area, I hope you’ll attend […]
Ukulele, Flute, Kantele: Sharing Adolphe Sax’s enthusiasm for making a variety of musical instruments
What fun to be introduced recently to Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone and the creator of many other musical instruments. I learned of Mr. Sax from a tribute on NPR Morning Edition celebrating him on his 200th birthday. Adolphe Sax didn’t create just one kind of saxophone but a family of saxophones and […]
Raven Inspiration for Photography, Kanteles and woodturning
If you ever have had the opportunity to watch ravens in the wild, you know you’re in for a treat. They have a real sense of play when they’re in the air — sometimes turning air somersaults, sometimes careening swiftly, sometimes rolling over sideways while still flying. The raven often cast as a mischievous trickster is most often […]
You need a Kantele
The kantele is the Finnish national stringed instrument. Originating from the Baltic Sea area several Mediterranean countries have a variation of the zither-type instrument in form and name. In Russia a gusli; Lithuania a kankle; Estonia a kannel; Latvia a kokle. Traveling farther away from the Baltic Sea, you have similar instruments from Mongolia (the yatga) and China […]
Three piccolo kanteles: Friends of the mountain dulcimer
After finishing the three sopranino kanteles, it was time to take their picture. I always forget this step and before you know it the things I just made are gone and I don’t have a picture to show my work. I dusted off my Appalachian dulcimer and tuned it to DAD; the sopranion kantele tuned […]
