Archive for Concert Flutes

Eimear McGeown playing a Martin Doyle Flute

Eimear McGeown

Eimear McGeown with Martin Doyle flute (photo by Sharon Latham)

We are very proud and grateful to be able to feature two tracks on Martin Doyle Flutes by the accomplished flute player Eimear McGeown. A native of County Armagh in Northern Ireland, Eimear plays both classical and Irish flutes.

This from Eimear’s website:

The Irish culture and tradition has played a major influence in Eimear’s life, starting Irish dancing at the age of three and going on to become a Northern Ireland Champion dancer. Eimear began playing whistle at the age of nine and progressed to the traditional Irish flute a year later having lessons with Sligo born flautist, Séamus Tansey.

Eimear was the Ulster Champion on the whistle when she was eleven years old and later went on to win two All Ireland Champion titles on the Irish flute both as soloist and in a trio with her brother and sister. She performs on the traditional Irish flute regularly including recitals, in the West End Show – ‘Lord of the Rings‘, with folk/rock band ‘Amsterdam‘, session studio work in London and is currently recording a solo Celtic Crossover album.

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Beethoven and Me: an interview worth hearing

By way of introduction, Martin Doyle has been good friends with Elizabeth Petcu for many years now. Both hail from the seaside town of Bray in County Wicklow. Although Martin now resides in County Clare, they still see each other frequently and perform together as Rune – a talented trio completed by Debbie Armstrong. Elizabeth plays a Muramatsu concert flute with a wooden head joint and also a simple system Irish flute (see them here) – both of which are made of cocus wood and crafted by Martin Doyle. Elizabeth was, for over twenty five years, principal flute with Ireland’s RTE concert orchestra.

Ludwig von Beethoven & Elizabeth Petcu

Ludwig von Beethoven & Elizabeth Petcu - hearing loss a challenge, but not an impairment.

And what of the Elizabeth Petcu–Ludwig von Beethoven connection? Well, there appear to be common threads running through both lives. Sure they don’t share the same age, address, flute maker or historical gravitas, but they do share a passion for music – the universal language. Ludwig composed his own music of course, and Elizabeth has performed many of these creations over the span of her professional career.

They also share a similar adversity. Elizabeth Petcu suffers from a condition known as otosclerosis, which is the most common cause of progressive deafness in young adults. Some consider otosclerosis to be the most likely cause of Beethoven’s deafness. Whatever the case, it is well documented that Beethoven went on composing despite near complete deafness. In Elizabeth’s case too, when her hearing impediment forced her into retirement from the RTE, she has kept up with her practice and performs wherever she can with an enduring energy, cheerfulness and enthusiasm that is fueled by a great love for sharing her gift of music with others. Composers must compose, performers must perform. Audiences, large or small, receive the fruit of this wonderful synthesis.

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Elizabeth Petcu to perform at the National Gallery of Ireland

Elizabeth Petcu

Elizabeth Petcu

On Sunday, August 23, Martin Doyle’s good friend Elizabeth Petcu is scheduled to perform highlights from her debut solo flute music album, Just Me, at the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin.

Elizabeth is a former Principal Flute (25 years) with the Radio Telefís Éireann Concert Orchestra. This from Elizabeth’s web site:

Irish flute player Elizabeth Petcu seeks new ways of exploring and presenting music and her debut solo album, Just Me, captures in essence Elizabeth’s true authentic sound through a brilliant interpretation of her favourite repertoire.

Particularly innovative is the use of the keyless wooden flute for the Telemann pieces (tracks 3 and 4). The Liam Bates composition, Moth Manoeuvres (track 12), was commissioned by Helen Gaynor for her art exhibition in May 2007 — a project that was part-funded by the Wexford County Council Arts Department and the Arts Council. Elizabeth premiered Moth Manoeuvres at Newtownbarry House in Bunclody, Co. Wexford. Just Me also includes the music of Karg-Elert, Bach, Debussy and others.

Elizabeth will be performing at the National Gallery of Ireland on a Muramatsu concert flute fitted with a cocus wood head joint made by Martin Doyle and a cocus wood simple system ‘Irish flute’ also crafted by Martin Doyle.

The concert will begin at 3 pm in the Shaw Room, National Gallery of Ireland, Merrion Square West, Dublin. Tickets are €10; concessions €7; Gallery details here: Gallery Information.

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New Music Samples Added

UpdateJust added to Martin Doyle Flutes: three music samples from Elizabeth Petcu’s debut solo flute album, Just Me.

Elizabeth Petcu is a good friend of Martin Doyle’s who lives in Bray, County Wicklow. They also constitute two thirds of the music trio Rune.Elizabeth Petcu | Just Me - solo flute music

Former Principal Flute (25+ years) with the Radio Telefís Éireann Concert Orchestra, Elizabeth Petcu studied with Professor Doris Keogh at The Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin. She has an honours music degree from Trinity College Dublin and an M.A. in Music Therapy from the University of Limerick. Just Me is a distillation of all these experiences.

The fourteen tracks that comprise Just Me were recorded at the acoustically exceptional Calary Church near Roundwood in County Wicklow and the album is a lovely interpretation of Elizabeth’s favourite repertoire.

Elizabeth recorded Just Me on a Muramatsu concert flute with a wooden headjoint and a keyless simple system wooden ‘Irish’ flute. Both the wooden headjoint and the Irish flute were made by Martin Doyle. The three tracks just added to Martin Doyle Flutes are those that Elizabeth recorded using the Martin Doyle simple system flute. They can be heard at the Elizabeth Petcu section of the Martin’s Flute Music page.

Elizabeth Petcu playing a Martin Doyle simple system wooden fluteThe two Telemann tracks are particularly worth noting as they are technically challenging yet Elizabeth performs them on a keyless simple system flute. Just six open holes with lots of ‘half-holing’ and cross fingering – quite an accomplishment! Throughout this album, Elizabeth Petcu exhibits her capacity as a mature flute player of great technical capacity that is coupled to a heart-felt passion and sensitivity for her selection.

Just Me is a delight and includes music by Debussy, Telemann, Bozza, Bach, Ibert, Honegger, Bates and Karg-Elert with a traditional Irish air as a fitting finale.

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Recently Added: Wooden Head Joints

Update30/04/2008: A new page has been added to Martin Doyle Flutes which offers information and prices on the thin-wall wooden head joints hand-crafted by Martin Doyle for concert flutes.

View: Wooden Head Joints.

The Site Map has also been updated.

Martin Doyle Cocus Head Joint
A Martin Doyle wooden (cocus) head joint on a Muramatsu concert flute.

More images can be found on Martin Doyle’s Flickr album:
Wooden Head Joints for Concert Flutes

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