my flute journey

Bolivian flute heritage

I grew up in Bolivia (from 1955 to 1974) where there is a strong tradition of folk music and various types of flutes are in use.  These include kena/quena, pan pipes - siku (Aymara)/ antara (Quechua) /sampoña (Spanish), pinkulu (end blown duct flute), and the Tacana side-blown flute.

I started making my own flutes in 1998; my mother had just died and I was looking for a instrument to play some music again. I picked up some bamboo on the beach in California, started poking holes in it, did some research on the web and things took off from there.

I was invited to Cornerstone music festival in Illinois in 2002, where I ran a flute making workshop, which grew into several other festivals over several years. I calculate that I have made and helped make about 10,000 flutes by now. At the moment i make them for a hobby and to have ones to give away when I am out playing and any person shows interest and wants to learn to play.