Neuse River Flute Circle

December 1, 2007 the Neuse River Flute Circle was fortunate to host a workshop featuring R. Carlos Nakai. Four Flute Circles from North and South Carolina were represented at the event that ran about 2 1/2 hours. Our presenter told us about how he encountered the Native American Flute several years after an automobile accident cut short his career of playing classical trumpet. He gave us a good sense of his approach to music and the philosophy in which his playing is embedded. He encouraged us to listen and be responsive to sounds in our world and to music. He encouraged us to get back to a childlike willingness to attempt new musical things and to make music without fear of judgment. He talked about breathing while playing & about dealing with stage fright. He spent some time after the session talking about Nakai tablature - the system of musical notation he developed for the Native American Flute. In the course of things, Nakai asked some of us to play, and at times he played a little, but for the most part, the workshop was about ideas. At the end of his presentation, he offered his classic Five Word Workshop:  “Just Play the Damn Flute!” The flute and playing the music should come first — ahead of tablature & traditional music study!  ”Paint a picture for the world,” he said, “with the flute as your paintbrush!”  As we learn to express our humanity through the Native American Flute, the flute itself is always the best teacher.    

John Kincheloe