The Different Voices series on Ireland’s Newstalk 106-108 FM continues with The Music Tree – a documentary featuring the Irish flute maker Martin Doyle.
Martin Doyle in Tanzania
As a young man, Martin Doyle travelled from Bray in County Wicklow to Africa. He was employed as a ships engineer – a job he took to raise funds for his burgeoning flute making business in the early 1980s.
Now an established and highly respected flute maker living in County Clare, Martin decides to return to Africa where Mpingo, the timber from which Martin makes many of his flutes, comes from. There he hopes to visit the forests where the Mpingo grows, to meet those whose livelihoods depend upon it, and make an Irish flute with the help of local craftsmen in a Tanzanian workshop – quite possibly a world first!
Martin Doyle at the workshop in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. From left: Martin, Focus Senga, Salim and James Laizer.
The Mpingo tree (the English name for this timber is African Blackwood) is the national tree of Tanzania. It is under threat from exploitation because its dark, lustrous heartwood is one of the most valuable timbers in the world. An exemplary and durable tonewood, Mpingo is used extensively for woodwind instruments such as clarinets, oboes, bagpipes and Irish flutes but is also misused in many ways. The Mpingo Conservation Project is working with community groups to conserve these endangered forests by promoting sustainable and socially equitable harvesting of Mpingo. Martin’s journey from County Clare to Tanzania, documented in The Music Tree, charts a musical, environmental and socio-economic challenge.
Martin Doyle and friends stand before a mature Mpingo tree near the village of Kikoli in Tanzania.
The Music Tree which was produced by Nina Perry and Falling Tree Productions for Radio Talkback 106-108 FM in Ireland and was first aired on Saturday December 19th, 2009. It can now be heard on Martin Doyle’s African Blackwood Conservation page.
Born in Dublin, Ireland, Martin Doyle grew up in the seaside town of Bray in County Wicklow. One of four children in a family with music in their blood, Martin was influenced and inspired by his mothers melodious singing from a very early age – learning songs that have stayed with him to this day.
Flute Maker Martin Doyle's Weblog is maintained on behalf of Martin Doyle by his friend 
Benny Templeton said
Great to hear this show, well done Martin Doyle. I do hope it raises awareness among those who use Mpingo and effects how we think about purchasing this precious timber. Must have been a unique experience for you Martin.
Cheers, Benny T.
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[...] Music Tree As recently mentioned on this Blog, Martin Doyle featured on a radio programme called The Music Tree. As the The Music Tree is about the Mpingo (African Blackwood) tree and its popular timber that is [...]
pearlz said
Found this extremely interesting – my daughter is playing a traditional flute, but I am sure she would love hearing this story.
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[...] radio which explore the use and conservation of African Blackwood. This included Sounding Post and The Music Tree which were both produced by Nina Perry of Falling Tree Productions. In 2009, in the process of [...]