This is Flutes Inspired

Fluteful thinking, free downloads, and more

Welcome to Flutes. Inspired, however it may be that you’ve arrived here.

Perhaps you’ve been on one of my many courses or flute days. Perhaps you’ve bought one of my publications or one of the fine piano accompaniment tracks recorded by John Alley. Perhaps you’ve subscribed on my website, or maybe you’ve just stumbled upon my Substack. No matter how you’ve come to Flutes Inspired and Aurea Capra Editions, I really appreciate your interest.

If we haven’t met in person, I’m Elisabeth Parry and my passion is all things flute - whether it’s as a flute player (I’m honoured to be a Powell Artist), as a teacher and clinician (directing Flutes Inspired courses around the world), as an arranger and composer (for Aurea Capra Editions), or as writer (and former Editor of PAN, Journal of the British Flute Society).

That does all keep me quite busy so I have to admit that in the past, I haven’t been great at keeping in touch. Many, many times I’ve written a newsletter or blog post, then deleted it. Like most people, my inbox is overflowing and I really don’t want to be responsible for adding to anyone else’s.

But perhaps the real reason is that I’ve come to realise that that promotional emails and Facebook posts are just not my thing. Maybe they’re not yours either.

So instead, I’ve decided to write more regularly online, creating a space to think about flute playing and learning, as well as sharing PDFs, audio tracks, and other items of flute interest. I want to inspire you to extend, investigate, and think about your flute playing through regular insights into practice, technique, repertoire and more. There will be occasional guest posts from some fluting legends along the way, too.

I’ll send out these posts as a newsletter on the first and third Tuesday of every month, and they’ll also be hosted on my Substack where you can read them at any time. I’d love to receive your thoughts and responses, whether by reply to me personally or in the comments.

What I love to write about:

I’m a passionate believer that adult flute players, even those who come to the instrument late in life, can achieve their highest goals with the right encouragement, engagement, and teaching.

I’m fascinated by the links between music, art, philosophy, and history, and how thinking beyond the flute can help us become better musicians and better flute players.

I also think a lot about musical artistry in string playing and singing. We can learn so much as flute players from great artists in other genres.

And I’ve got a lot of ideas about how to practice more effectively - the surest way to become a better player.

Other things I write about from time to time:

When I meander off the fluting path, it’s usually in the direction of France - which is, after all, the spiritual home of all flute players - where John and I live and are restoring an 18th century maison de maître (literally, the “master’s house” or grand bourgeois house in the heart of a village). We’re getting there… but like all things, not least playing the flute, it’s a process.

I hope you’ll stay with me on the Flutes. Inspired journey. It’s free to subscribe.

Receiving the Flutes. Inspired newsletter

A new edition of the Flutes. Inspired newsletter goes directly to your inbox on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. If you are enjoying Flutes. Inspired, please do share it with your flute friends. Everyone is welcome.