ABOVE THE FLUTED PLAYIN' NATIONAL GROUP HAS ITS BASE IN CANYON COUNTRY.Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer CANYON COUNTRY - When people pull into the industrial suites on Ruether Avenue, the last thing they expect to see among the light industry is the elegant logo of the National Flute Association The National Flute Association, a not for profit institution, is the largest flute organization in the world. It was founded to encourage a higher standard of artistic excellence for the flute, its performers, and its literature. . These nondescript non·de·script adj. Lacking distinctive qualities; having no individual character or form: "This expression gave temporary meaning to a set of features otherwise nondescript" quarters house the heart of the flute world - where conventions are planned, teaching methods improved and scholarships bestowed. ``We're not a 9-to-5 business where people walk in and hear flute music playing,'' said Madeline Neumann, convention manager for the group. ``But we're the most well-known in the music world.'' Neumann is one of three people who work to keep the 5,800-member group of classical musicians on key. As one of the largest groups dedicated to a single type of instrument, it is looked to nationally as an example. ``It started in 1973 as a small bunch of flute players getting together at a hotel and having a party,'' Neumann said. ``Now anyone who plays the flute can join, as a student, amateur or professional. And we have nearly 6,000 members.'' The group seeks to encourage higher standards for the flute, its performers and its literature, and to establish guidelines for upgrading flute instruction. The small gatherings that were the genesis of the association have grown into annual conventions attended by more than 3,000 people. Noted musicians such as James Galway Sir James Galway (born December 8, 1939) is a Northern Ireland–born virtuoso flute player from Belfast, He is often called "The Man With the Golden Flute". Following in the footsteps of Jean-Pierre Rampal, he became one of the first flute players to establish an international and Hubert Laws Hubert Laws (b. November 11, 1939) is an American flutist with a 30-year career in jazz, classical, and other music genres. Laws is an extremely gifted musician, and is one of the few classical artists who has also mastered jazz, pop, and rhythm-and-blues genres; moving teach master classes and perform free for convention attendees, while more than 200 vendors of flutes and music-related products exhibit their wares and competitions are held for various levels of flute choirs A flute choir is an instrumental ensemble consisting entirely of instruments from the flute family. Typically it will include piccolo 1-2, flute 1-4, alto flute, and bass flute, but may include other harmony flutes such as the contra-alto flute, contrabass flute, and double . ``You'd be amazed a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. at how expensive flutes can be,'' Neumann said. ``Some of them sell for $50,000 to $100,000; some are penny whistle flutes, some are wooden. There are bass and alto flutes The alto flute is a type of Western concert flute, a musical instrument in the woodwind family. It is the first extension downward of the C flute. It is characterized by its distinct, mellow tone in the lower portion of its range. . There is such a variety.'' Neumann said most of the participants come from the Midwest and East Coast, where music programs flourish. ``Our music departments in the schools in California are lousy lous·y adj. lous·i·er, lous·i·est 1. Infested with lice. 2. Extremely contemptible; nasty: a lousy trick. 3. ,'' she said, referring to the cutbacks in arts funding. ``In the Midwest, it's a big part of the curriculum.'' The association also provides scholarships for musicians from developing countries to attend the convention, and endows the many-leveled competitions for high school, college and amateur flute choirs. For information on the National Flute Association, call (661) 250-8920 or visit its Web site at www.nfaonline.org. Carol Rock, (661) 257-5252 carol.rock(at)dailynews.com |
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