My Flute's Story

I play a 14 K Muramatsu flute, which was made in 1980.

It was left to me in my teacher's will.  My teacher was Murray Panitz, the legendary principal flutist of the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1961 to 1989.  His sudden and unexpected death shocked and saddened all of us who were privileged to know him and hear him play.  His sound still shimmers in my memory.

It was many weeks before I could take the flute out if its case.  I had it because Murray wasn't here anymore.  Playing it early on was too emotionally challenging.  Who was I to have this flute??

At first, I sounded horrible on it.  No center to the tone, actually not much tone, slow response, weak top register.  I was afraid I'd never be able to do it justice.  Each practice session with it felt bewildering. Things I had taken for granted just didn't work anymore. Was it because I was a silver player and the gold was a different technique?  Or was the headjoint cut wrong for me?  The flute was physically demanding as well; I had to build the strength to make it work.

One day, I decided to place the notes where the flute indicated it wanted them to be placed.  And at that moment, Murray's flute began to reveal its secrets to me.  It was almost like I had to earn its trust.  I became strong enough to really send some serious air through it.  My technique adapted to its demands.  I knew I had bonded with it when I could feel it vibrate in my hands.

Then it was time to play it in public. This took a great deal of courage, let me tell you.  I rarely told people of the flute's background: the responsibility of ownership felt heavy.  All the same emotions of simply taking it out of the case months earlier came rushing back.   "Can you ever live up to the legend of this flute?" was at the heart of my struggle.  It was time to perform with it when I realized
that I had risen to the challenge; that the flute was now mine.

I don't remember the first performance on Murray's flute.  I wish I had a journal entry to refer to, or some specific remembrance.  There was a time that I put a Williams 14 K headjoint on the flute, but a few years ago I reunited the original headjoint with it.  Even though it is more demanding, the result is well worth it.

This has flute changed and molded my playing for the better. I still find new colors.   It has been as fine a teacher as Murray was, and just as demanding.  And trust me, just like Murray, it won't let me get away with anything.

Debut at NFA

In the past, I have watched flute-related businesses prepare for the National Flute Association Convention, and observed that often July and August were spent in a frenzy of activity for this one event..

And now all of us at Flute Pro Shop are doing the same thing!  The excitement is growing as we assemble all the various elements that go into such an undertaking: we are doing everything we can to make the most of our debut at NFA.

So I asked an architect I know (my husband) to design a fabulous display for FPS, and voila!  We will have an eye-catching display that is as practical as it is gorgeous.  So the surprise isn't ruined, we will post photos of it on the web site and on Facebook and Twitter once we have it all set up on the exhibit floor.

New table runners, table banners, and floor banners are all here and ready to go.  Plants and furniture rented from the convention service.  Internet accessibility assured. 

Clothes are at the cleaners, the all-important hair appointment and dog-sitting all arranged.  The search for comfortable shoes is progressing.  (Do let me know if you have any tips in this department, please.  When the puppies are aching, everything else does too!)

Not only is FPS exhibiting at NFA, but our own Dave Kee will be continuing his fine repair work at the Muramatsu booth.  He'll be hanging out with Erv, Susan, Val and Anthony.  BTW: Anthony and I will be exchanging swimming workouts.  Hope I can keep up!

Can't attend this year??  No worries! We will interview some of our favorite people at NFA: Alan Weiss from Haynes, Jessica Watts from BG France, Di Zhao from New England Flutes, and Erv Monroe from Muramatsu America.  They will be posted on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

We have kept things small and simple this year, exhibiting at   have only one table, and what we will be exhibiting will be the very finest offerings we have.  14 K Powell flute with silver mechanism, Susan Milan's 14 K Pearl Headjoint, a Burkart 995 flute with 1/2 off-set G.  The gorgeous platinum-clad, engraved Muramatsu flute that is waiting for just the right person.  A Powell grenadilla wood piccolo that was played by a top Philadelphia freelancer.  Have you tried the Haynes 5% gold flutes yet?  Amazing!! David Chu headjoints and other silver and gold headjoints. We'll have a full supply of BG France instrument care products in their stunning new display bag.

What else? Happy Hour specials!  You don't need alcohol for these:  significant discounts will be available from 4 to 6 daily, a different instrument special each day.  The Happy Hour specials will be announced each morning so people can be prepared.

And then there is the fun of seeing colleagues, meeting new friends, and sharing meals with people who are flute geeks just like me.  Fun!