Dear Mk music,
This past week I was invited to Thailand to be a part of multi-cultural band that would provide music at the international meetings of a Christian charity organization. Although the band was mostly modern instruments, I was invited to provide a more ethnic “color” using various whistles, flutes and other instruments I have learned as a result of working with folk musicians in places ranging from Wales to Kyrgyzstan.
Well, I had been playing a Central Asian Low A Chogoino flute (from Kyrgyzstan) and afterward a guy came up to me with a low D whistle he had made from a shower rod. He said, “I bet you could play this one too!” Although I have played high whistles I had never played a low whistle, but the rest of the week I did use his shower-rod low D flute. On one particular day I was playing it and a lady came up to me and said, “Wow, when you were playing, I started to cry it was so beautiful.” Honestly, I had been moved myself at the sound of the instrument even though I wasn’t able to use the second octave due to intonation problems.
I gave back the flute at the end of the week but now I am hoping to get a Low D instrument of my own (but perhaps not a shower-curtain model). As I have been researching on the internet I have found that you all have the reputation of being one of the best in the world, so now I am haunted by the question, “If a shower curtain rod could make people cry, what would an MK flute?” I would love a chance to write another story for you!
cheers,
Von Newcomb
ps- An example of the Chogoino flute can be heard on the song “The King Comes on the White Stallion” on www.myspace.com/vonnewcomb