Life has been really awful for most people since March 2020. Flute playing has been avoided near anyone else due to the high risk of aerosol dispersal. To have lost our music making and social opportunities has seemed dreadful at times and, in the early days, I didn’t think Flutewise would survive. But guess what?! It has!
I’m amazed and very grateful, not only to all of my wonderful friends and colleagues who have been involved in our events, but also all the young and young at heart flute players and their parents and families who have joined in on online activities and had so much fun.
Since March 2020 we have had a staggering 34 events! This is the highest number ever in that time period. Those events have been enjoyed by over 400 people!
The first events were Flutewise Challenges, there were 16 in all. After that we had a couple of longish online events with Abbie Burrows and then we had 18 Flutewise Club online events that only last 30 minutes. The Challenges and the online events have all been very varied and all well worth doing.
As well as the wonderful Abbie Burrows involvement, I’ve had enormous support from the amazing Jerry Randalls and Loran Brown. Joss Campbell, Gareth McLearnon, Stephen Clark, Cathy Hare and Vicki Hodges all gave brilliant presentations, but my favourite had to be our session with Atarah Ben Tovim. I can’t wait for her to do another one.
I did try to hold a live event in the summer, Flutewise at the seaside with an ice cream breakfast. The idea was extremely popular, but sadly as the time drew closer, we all realised it wasn’t such a good idea as cover numbers were rapidly riding in the area. Better safe than sorry.
I really can’t wait to get back to live events. A residential courses would be amazing. But … no idea when that can safely and successfully happen. I’m looking to put things in place for 2022 and crossing my fingers life gets better.
For the second year running I’ve had to cancel our magical Croatia course, but I’ve already booked my airline tickets for August 2022 and I hope I will be able to use them and run the course.
We need to go back to a few online events to keep us busy and connected. So I’m announcing a few more Flutewise Club online events. They only last 30 minutes and we always start and end with an ensemble piece which we play on mute. There will be some guest artists to offer their wisdom and we will have solos from our young flute players during some sessions. Everyone is welcome (providing they are a Flutewise member).
Here’s to an exciting future!
