Powell Flutes

Zen (Head Joint) Master, Lindsey McChord of Powell Flutes

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When I visited the Powell Flutes factory in the summer of 2014, one of the highlights was meeting the chief head joint maker, Lindsey McChord. Henceforth, I have thought of her as a "Zen Master" in the art of cutting head joints, because it really takes that kind of patient, sustained attention to detail to make the fabulous varieties of head joints on offer by Powell. She radiated that calmness, and it shows in the incredible consistency of the head joints Powell produces.

At that time, Lindsey was developing what would become the Signature II style head joint, and I was able to try a prototype—it has the larger lip plate like the Custom Philharmonic and Venti style heads, and the cut of the embouchure is slightly different from the original Signature (still on offer). To me, it was a winner, and indeed has been in production for the last year or so.

Now Powell has just launched the Lumina style head joint for its Custom and Conservatory flutes, and I'm dying to try one out. As soon as I get some here, I'll let everyone know. But coming from the workshop of Lindsey, I suspect it will be another winner!

Lindsey McChord, Chief Head Joint Maker at Powell Flutes

Lindsey McChord, Chief Head Joint Maker at Powell Flutes

Luthier Tomás Miranda at the Summer Flute Academy

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One of our hallowed traditions at the Summer Flute Academy is to bring the wonderful luthier Tomás Miranda up from Lisbon for a day, to show us a bit about the inner workings of our flutes! What to do and what NOT to do, in order to reduce mechanical problems, and when to send the flute in to him for professional treatment! 

As the official repairman for Powell Flutes here in Portugal, Tomás was able to visit the Powell factory and touch base with the masters of flute-building there—fotos of that visit on another blog entry! I think it was luthier-heaven for him, not counting the New England winter weather!

At the 4th Summer Flute Academy Tomás removed and replaced the mechanism of  a Yamaha for instructive purposes, and then sat at his table patiently "treating" students' flutes with small problems of leaks and wobbles and so forth. Tomás is a gem of a person, and has that amazing calmness of spirit necessary for this kind of work—he's our "artist behind the artists onstage"! Photo ©Susana Neves/AFV.

Tomás Miranda, at work at the 4th Summer Flute Academy. Photo ©Susana Neves/AFV

Tomás Miranda, at work at the 4th Summer Flute Academy. Photo ©Susana Neves/AFV

Powell-Happy… in San Diego!

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Here's a great photo hot off the wires from the NFA Convention in San Diego—Christina Cobas of Powell Flutes in Boston, and Gary Woodward, Powell Artist, longtime Powell fan, and Professor of Flute at the U.S.C. among other positions. Christina, the wonderful "go-to" person at Powell, sent it just to make me (further) JEALOUS that I was unable to attend the Convention—even though it was held practically around the corner from where I grew up! 

Gary has always played on a number of Powell flutes, as well as a Powell piccolo he inherited from his teacher, Roger Stevens, who was Principal Flute of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Gary, whose second love is automobiles, once drove from L.A. to Utah (!) to pick up an early Powell, sight unseen—that's when I started to understand what special instruments they were. That was back in high school or early college days, when Gary was my teacher; in a few short years he took me miles in my playing, yet all the hard work just seemed like fun. THANK YOU, Gary, for that gift, and hope to see you "live" very soon! Thanks, Christina, for sending the photo!

Christina Cobas, of Powell Flutes, with Gary Woodward, Powell Artist in San Diego

Christina Cobas, of Powell Flutes, with Gary Woodward, Powell Artist in San Diego

Powell-Happy at the Summer Flute Academy (2)

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Here's another great photo from the Powell Flutes trial-session at the 4th Summer Flute Academy at ESMAE, Porto in July. Shown below, Samuel Maia trying out an Aurumite® 9k head joint on a sterling silver Handmade Conservatory flute body. Style style style, Sr. Maia!

Did you know that you can switch out head joints and flute bodies separately? This can be a great solution to finding your dream instrument within your price range!

Aurumite® is a patented-by-Powell fusion of one layer of sterling silver and one layer of gold—in this case, 9 karat gold, on the outside of the tube. Powell offers two other types of Aurumite®: 14k, which has a heavier layer of gold on the inside of the flute tube,and Ruby Aurumite, with a 14k rose gold layer on the outside of the flute tube. All combine the "best of both worlds": the projection of silver with the warmth, depth and finesse of gold. Handmade Conservatory flutes are available in Aurumite 9k, while Handmade Custom are available in 9k, 14k, and Ruby Aurumite. To make an appointment to try them out in Lisbon or in your area, just click here.

Photo ©Susana Neves/AFV

Photo ©Susana Neves/AFV

Powell-Happy at the Summer Flute Academy (1)

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During the 4th Summer Flute Academy, I did a "show and tell" about Powell Flutes, about its long, prestigious history (founded 1927) and a brief orientation about the different models and options. Brief—considering the many, many options—so that there would be time for the Academy participants to try out a Powell flute or head joint. It was a bit of a crazy scene, but here is a beautiful photo, by photographer Susana Neves, of Leonor Moreira playing a gorgeous Handmade Custom Grenadilla flute. if you've been wondering "what's up" with the resurgence of wood flutes, just give one of these a try! To make an appointment for a trial session in Lisbon or in your area, just contact me with a click here!

Leonor Moreira playing a Custom Handmade Powell flute in Grenadilla, Photo © Susana Neves/AFV

Leonor Moreira playing a Custom Handmade Powell flute in Grenadilla, Photo © Susana Neves/AFV

Aldo Baerten at the Summer Flute Academy - photos!

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I'd like to again thank Aldo Baerten, Principal Flute of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic in Antwerp, Belgium, for his wonderful recital and masterclasses at the Summer Flute Academy this year. His performance and work with the students reflected the artistic influences of his teacher, the legendary Peter-Lukas Graf, a special stylistic flexibility that perhaps comes from performing under chief conductors Edo de Wart and Philippe Herreweghe, as well as that special "something" that reaches and touches the audience, in this, the most ephemeral of the arts.

Aldo is a Powell Flutes Artist, and his presence was made possible by Powell Flutes in Boston, USA. Photos below: Aldo Baerten in action teaching, a group foto with Aldo, and with me before the session on Powell's history and flutes—a few minutes later, the room was full of flutists trying out the gear, of course!