Tomás MacUileagóid, a flute player, fiddler and harp player/maker from Dublin, Ireland, has kindly added a testimonial to Martin Doyle Flutes. Tomás recently purchased a keyed flute from Martin Doyle.
“Hi Martin, I have thought a lot about writing to you since I got my keyed flute from you. I wanted to really feel my way into it and explore what it has to offer. I am astounded by the range of colour available, just waiting for me to exploit it. The tones available far exceed what I could get on the flute I got off you 10 years ago. I wanted the keys because I have a particular interest in the music of east Galway, Paddy Kelly and Paddy Fahey in particular, and you can’t really manage that without the F natural. Obviously since I have a keyed flute I notice other flutes much more, and I am continuously impressed by your standard of craftsmanship, and I understand how difficult it is to maintain such a high standard. Well done!! I don’t know what motivates you as an instrument maker, but I enjoy being able to create something that is unique with its own voice, that will hopefully live long after me and in some small way contribute to making the world a better place. I think you have already achieved this. Thank you. Regards, Tomás.”
Very thoughtful and insightful words from a fellow instrument maker — thank you for your kind and encouraging comments Tomás.
This and other testimonials from owners of Martin Doyle flutes can be viewed here: Testimonials
Here is a video clip of one Ciarán McPhilemy playing a tune on a Martin Doyle flute. Unfortunately we do not get to see Ciarán playing; rather it is an audio clip played under a still photo of a flute. The flute in the picture is not a Doyle, that is for sure. Perhaps someone will be able to let us know what tune Ciarán McPhilemy is playing and perhaps a little about himself and the style of his playing. Enjoy…
Muireann plays a Martin Doyle flute and has been kind enough to offer a testimonial for Martin Doyle Flutes and a sample of her flute playing from the album Dual — a collaboration with Julie Fowlis, Éamon Doorley and Ross Martin that was released in November of 2008.
Muireann’s testimonial reads:
“I have been playing a Martin Doyle African Blackwood ‘D’ flute since 2001. As a touring musician I am delighted with its reliability and consistensy of tone, no matter where I am in the world. The flute is perfectly in tune which is very important when playing in a band context. I also love the fact that it can produce a variety of sounds from a powerful bark to a sweeter, clearer tone, making it a very expressive instrument and suitable for all kinds of music from wild Kerry Polkas to more subtle slow airs. I always recommend Martin’s flutes to my flute students.”
More testimonials from owners of Martin Doyle flutes may be viewed here: Testimonials — and Muireann’s music sample can be heard here: Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh
Our thanks to Muireann for her kindness. We have posted a video clip of Muireann playing her Martin Doyle flute after the fold — a lovely example of Irish traditional music…
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.
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.
Irish Times writer Arminta Wallace has recently published an article about Martin Doyle’s good friend Elizabeth Petcu who resides in the coastal town of Bray in County Wicklow. Elizabeth was principal flautist with Ireland’s national television and radio broadcaster Radio Telefís Éireann for over 25 years until a hearing problem sidelined her career. Despite this impediment, Elizabeth has gone on to record a solo flute music album, Just Me, and has formed the inspirational music ensemble Rune with Martin Doyle (flutes) and Deborah Armstrong (piano). Here are two excerpts from Arminta Wallace’s article:
The ability to hear plays such a crucial role in making music that it’s almost impossible to imagine how a professional musician feels when they’ve been diagnosed with a condition called otosclerosis, or progressive deafness. “I’m in good company, apparently,” says the flautist Elizabeth Petcu with a wry smile. “Beethoven is thought to have had it as well.” [...] Petcu formed a trio with the pianist Deborah Armstrong and the traditional flutemaker and player Martin Doyle. They call themselves RUNE, and they take an innovative approach to live performance; their concerts blend visual imagery, poetry and prose with various different kinds of music, from baroque to improvisation via the slow air. “I wanted to keep playing. But I didn’t want to do the very conventional, formal kind of classical recital,” she says. “So what we do is, we pick a theme and tie the music together with words and the beautiful visual imagery of Martin’s photographs.
Martin Doyle has just received a very kind testimonial from Paul MaCarthy – a self professed ‘flute player for the fun of it’ who hails from Clonmel in County Tipperary, Ireland. Paul’s kind testimonial is as follows:
Paul McCarthy playing his Martin Doyle cocus wood flute
“Having played other flutes (mainly African blackwood with headliner) and been dissatisfied with their somewhat capricious nature, I started searching for an instrument which did not have these flaws. After scratching around the country on and off for months and visiting several well respected flute makers, I failed to find what I was looking for. Maybe it was me and not the flutes but I found them very unacceptably fickle. Eventually in the autumn of 2005 I found myself in a snug workshop in Bray talking with a very relaxed and affable flute maker who invited me to sit into the corner and try any flute I could find. There were several on a rack on the table next to me so I started with the one closest to me and worked my way along about 7 or 8 of them. Being of a methodical nature, I played the same tune (a slip jig called A Fig For A Kiss) on each of them to better judge their performance. All were sweet toned, balanced and uncapricious. Then my eye lit on it. A nice looking Cocuswood, unkeyed, unlined flute at the end of the rack. The feeling I got on playing those first few notes I can still recall. Absolutely gorgeous tone, weight and balance, not a hint of fickleness and with that lovely soft, mellow reverberation which comes with good tone. Low D? No problem. Another fifteen minutes playing passed interspersed with question and answers with Martin. The decision to buy this particular flute was not made by me nor by Martin but by the flute. This thing of beauty is of the rare sort and gives massive enjoyment. Thanks are not enough Martin Doyle!”
In 2002, as the final semester essay undertaken to gain her Masters Degree in Music, Martin Doyle’s good friend Elizabeth Petcu wrote ‘A Phenomenological Study into the Experiences of a Flute Maker/Player Dyad’. With her kind permission, this essay has been published on Martin Doyle Flutes in six parts.
This phenomenological study is an interesting and illumining insight into the relationship between a flute maker, Martin Doyle, and a flute player – in this case the renowned Irish traditional musician and music scholar, Desi Wilkinson.
The following are snippets from A Flute Maker/Player Dyad…
Martin Doyle is a flute maker from County Clare, Ireland. His simple system wooden flutes are renowned for their ease of playing and quality of tone. Visit his website: Martin Doyle Flutes
About Martin Doyle
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. Read more: About Martin Doyle.
Webmaster
Martin Doyle's Weblog is maintained by Shardul – Martin Doyle's friend and webmaster. Shardul plays two Martin Doyle flutes and specialises in playing the music of spiritual teacher and musician, Sri Chinmoy.
Tomás MacUileagóid, a flute player, fiddler and harp player/maker from Dublin, Ireland, has kindly added a testimonial to Martin Doyle Flutes. Tomás recently purchased a keyed flute from Martin Doyle.
In 2002, as the final semester essay undertaken to gain her Masters Degree in Music, Martin Doyle’s good friend 
