Archive for Martin Doyle
September 3, 2009 at 10:46 am
· Filed under Conservation, Flute Making, Martin Doyle, Music, Timber, Wooden Flutes
Martin Doyle is visiting Tanzania with Nina Perry of Falling Tree Productions at the moment. Nina is making a radio documentary called The Music Tree for the Irish radio station Newstalk and it features Martin Doyle as an instrument maker visiting the area of East Africa where the famous Mpingo (African Blackwood) trees grows. Since the 19th century African Blackwood has been a timber favoured for woodwind instruments as its density, tonal properties, stability and durability are incomparable.
This trip is in its own way an historical occasion as many of the local people of Tanzania, some of whom are involved in burgeoning Mpingo conservation projects, have never before met a European craftsman who uses their timber to make musical instruments. Martin accomplished the task of making a flute with some of the local Mpingo carvers on the third day of his visit and by all accounts they were enthralled when it was played to them.
Nina Perry is kindly authoring a blog (where internet connection allows no doubt) dedicated to the trip — Music Tree — so that we distant onlookers can keep abreast of events.
No story, small or large, is complete without a picture. Here is one from Nina’s Music Tree blog:
Tanzanian street scene
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July 28, 2009 at 8:22 pm
· Filed under Conservation, Environment, Flute Making, Martin Doyle, Music, Radio Feature, Timber, Wooden Flutes ·Tagged Africa, African Blackwood, Conservation, flutes, Martin Doyle, mpingo, Music, Nina Perry, Tanzania, The Music Tree
In a recently posted article, Martin Doyle, Tanzania and The Music Tree, Martin Doyle’s upcoming trip to Tanzania in August with British composer and sound designer Nina Perry was highlighted. Two excerpts from that post:
Martin Doyle is to feature in a radio programme to be called The Music Tree that is being produced for the Irish radio station Newstalk. The project is being headed by Nina Perry (who also produced Sounding Post which looked at the use of wood for instruments and featured several instrument makers including Martin Doyle) for Falling Tree Productions. [...] The Music Tree is to accompany Irish flute-maker Martin Doyle from County Clare to eastern Tanzania where he plans to demonstrate Irish flute making so that accomplished local craftsmen might learn his skills to boost the economy surrounding this rare wood and, for the first time, hear the sound of instruments made from the local blackwood trees.
Nina Perry has very kindly offered this update on the trip:
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June 8, 2009 at 8:11 am
· Filed under Aikido, Aikido Classes, County Clare, Ireland, Liscannor, Martin Doyle, Website ·Tagged Aikido, Clare Aikikai, classes, County Clare, dojo, Ireland, Liscannor, Martin Doyle, new web site, sensei
Martin Doyle has just published a new web site that introduces his Aikido classes to the world via the internet: Clare Aikikai.
Martin Doyle first became interested in Aikido in 1987 at the recommendation of a friend and is now a shodan Aikido instructor – or sensei in Japanese. He offers twice weekly Aikido classes for adults and children at Liscannor, County Clare.
Aikido is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as “the Way of unifying (with) life energy” or as “the Way of harmonious spirit.” Ueshiba’s goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury. Read more…
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March 10, 2009 at 9:05 am
· Filed under Flute Making, Flute Players, Irish flute, Martin Doyle, Musicians, Recently Added, Wooden Flutes ·Tagged Desi Wilkinson, Dyad, Elizabeth Petcu, essay, Flute, maker, Martin Doyle, player
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…
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February 3, 2009 at 9:27 pm
· Filed under Flute Players, Irish flute, Irish traditional music, Martin Doyle, Martin Doyle Flutes, Music, Musicians, Wooden Flutes ·Tagged Irish traditional music, Martin Doyle Flutes, Ronan Browne, Cran, Desi Wilkinson, video clips, Seán Corcoran, Erin Grá mo Chroi
Cran is an Irish traditional music group made up of three people who, as individuals, are each important figures in contemporary Irish culture.
Seán Corcoran (bouzouki and lead vocals) has had a long career as a solo singer before founding Cran with Desi Wilkinson, and is internationally renowned as a skilful interpretor of songs from the Irish tradition, both in English and Gaelic. Read more…
Desi Wilkinson (flutes & vocals) is one of the leading exponents of the traditional Irish flute (“the timber flute”) and a fine singer, to boot. Originally from Belfast, he was inspired to get involved in Irish music through the playing of Fermanagh fiddler, Tom Gunn, a near neighbour. It was from Tom that he learned his first tunes. Read more…
Ronan Browne (uilleann pipes, flutes, vocals) is widely regarded as one of the great virtuosos of the uilleann pipes, Ronan has carved out an international reputation both as concert performer and session musician. Ronan is the piper on the original recording of Riverdance and is also the original piper with the Afro Celt Sound System, appearing on their first two top-selling albums. Read more…
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With the Irish spring in the air, the three piece music ensemble Rune are looking forward to their first post-winter concert. Rune – 
Additions to Martin Doyle Flutes
July 16, 2009 at 11:29 pm · Filed under Martin Doyle, Martin Doyle Flutes, Recently Added, Testimonials, Translations, Website ·Tagged additions, comments, Irish language, Martin Doyle Flutes, new, Page, Testimonials, Website
And one from David Craig of Duluth, Minnesota, USA, who writes,
Three pages of testimonials from owners of Martin Doyle flutes may be viewed from here: Testimonials
Also added is a translation of the About Martin Doyle page into Irish. This page was kindly translated into Irish by the renowned Irish biographer and encyclopaedist Diarmuid Breathnach of County Wicklow, Ireland. The new page may be viewed here: Sceal Máirtín Ó Dubhghaill. Our thanks to Diarmuid Breathnach for his time and kind patience.
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