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Do you play
the flute? If you live in the South West of England, 4Flutes may be for
you!
Based in Cornwall, 4Flutes
aims to encourage and support local flute players through events,
workshops and tuition.
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4Flutes is an independent registered charity set up by Ruth Ballantyne,
flautist and
flute teacher from Saltash, Cornwall. Its aim is to bring to the South
West artists of international standing who are keen to share their
talent and experience with flute enthusiasts of all ages. 4Flutes also
encourages ensemble playing with our regular flute choir.
4Flutes aims to bring
opportunities to the southwest that are both affordable and accessible
to pupils, parents and in general lovers of live music.
More...
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Post:
4Flutes,
70 Callington Road,
Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6DY
Tel: 01752 844017
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| Suggestions
If you would like to make any suggestions for activities
or events, please let us know.
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MORE ABOUT 4FLUTES
4Flutes is an independent
registered charity set up in 2003 as a continuation for the ideas
and previous events of Ruth Ballantyne. Ruth had already held four
events in the southwest for flute players of all abilities.
The ethos
behind 4Flutes is to bring to the southwest performers and teachers
that would usually only be available in the major British
cities/counties. Ruth has already managed to
get top national and international performers like Mike Mower, Jonathan Snowden, Clare Southworth, Gareth
Mclearnon and Pete Long to
visit us
and
share
their talent and experience with children and adults alike.
These
events have highlighted new techniques, reinforced general playing
skills and encouraged players to aspire to a new level of playing as
well as stimulating curiosity for new music and expanding their
repertoire.
4Flutes aims to bring opportunities to the southwest that are both
affordable and accessible to pupils, parents and in general lovers of
live music.
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| BIOGRAPHIES |
Ruth
Ballantyne
Graduated
with a degree in music from Exeter University in 1997. She combines a
busy teaching career with students of all ages both privately, at
Plymouth University, Mount House School in Tavistock and Callington
Community College with casual orchestral work with orchestras such as Ten Tors,
British Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, Sherwell Chamber Orchestra,
Opera South West, Kelly Orchestra and
Okehampton Choral Society. Ruth is also involved in other aspects of
musical life and has been Concert Manager for South West
Sinfonietta
and Instrumental secretary for the Saltash
Music, Speech and Drama Festival. Ruth
became involved in tutoring the flute section
of the Devon Fire Brigade Ceremonial Unit during 1999/2000 and as a
member of the band enjoyed playing both nationally and in Europe
including solo and ensemble performances on live television. The
practical side of Ruth's music is further enhanced by her role in the Musicians’ Union,
where she was the Plymouth Branch secretary from 1999 and since the
restructuring is now involved at regional level.
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Martin
Wightman
(Keyboard accompanist)
was born and educated in London. He trained at the Royal College of
Music with organ virtuoso and composer the late Professor Dr. Harold
Darke. Previous engagements have included “lay-clerk” at St Paul's
Knightsbridge, assistant Organist at Southwark Cathedral, accompanist
to the Exhultate Singers and a repetiteur to The London Opera Centre.
He had been Musical Director for Sutton Schools Training Orchestra and
Director of Music in a number of schools in London, Cornwall and
Plymouth where he now lives. Martin has various musical interests
including the Musical Theatre and Choral Conducting as well as private
teaching. Currently a music examiner for OCR Martin is also organist
and assistant Musical Director at Sherwell United Church, Plymouth.
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Ineke Leer
Ineke has been playing
the flute for a number of years in various orchestras and small
ensembles including a jazz/latin band in Singapore. Ineke teaches in a
primary school near Newton Abbott, so music making is her constant
therapy and enjoyment away from the demanding life in the classroom.
Since meeting Ruth and Mike at the first Flute event Ineke has been
involved in the all subsequent Fundays taking small flute choirs and
helping with ideas and organisation.
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Mike Nottage
As our event technician Mike is a crucial part
of every event and has helped with all the events even before the
formation of 4Flutes. Having
been
involved in 4Flutes for so long Mike is excused being a saxophone
player. He has recently purchased a flute unfortunately he won’t put
his saxophones
down long enough to learn to play it .. yet! Within the charity Mike
looks after the
technical bits like sound and all the other stuff that everyone else
avoids
(usually because it’s heavy). Having worked in the Baltic through to Iraq
over the years Mike has
recently returned home and hung up his
travelling boots. He now spends most of his
time playing the saxophone performing with the
Sultans of Swing
and HMS Drake band or working on others
instruments
in his wind repair workshop.
Mike covers risk assessment and some of
the media
work for the charity. But mainly still covers the Dogs bodies title.
Mike provides a constant source of inspiration for
the “4Flutes” project as well as having the patience of a Saint!!!
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Mike Mower
Mike
Mower works as a composer, mainly writing newly commissioned works. His
music is published by Itchy Fingers Publications for which he has also
written a series of very successful books of educational standard
music. Mike also works as an arranger for commercial music in a wide
range of styles and combinations.
Mike originally studied classical flute at the Royal Academy of Music,
London and was later awarded the ARAM (Associate of the Royal Academy
of Music). He also plays the saxophone and clarinet, and has led
numerous Jazz ensembles, playing his compositions, from quartet to big
band. In 1995 Mike founded and led Itchy
Fingers, the
internationally renowned jazz saxophone quartet which toured the world
until disbanding in 1997.
As a freelance musician,
Mike has played and recorded with jazz, rock
and classical artists as diverse as Gil Evans, Tina Turner, Paul
Weller, Björk, James Galway and Ryuchi Sakamoto.
Mike's playing and writing careers have always run side by side. As a
composer and arranger, he has written for numerous European Big Bands
including the BBC Big Band and Radio Orchestra, NDR Radio Big Band and
the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra. Individual artists such as James Galway,
Airto Moreira and Flora Purim and the Safri Duo have commissioned works
from Mike as well as numerous ensembles from saxophone quartets to
string quartets. He has arranged orchestral pop scores for styles as
diverse as for "Boy Bands", MOR covers, and for the Eurovision Song
Contest.
Mike has edited and mastered dozens of CDs for artists from his London
studio as well as producing records for both classical and jazz
ensembles. He has recently produced two albums for James Galway, "Tango
Del Fuego" and "Unbreak My Heart" using his compositions and
arrangements.
He frequently performs and demonstrates his music at colleges,
universities and music conventions worldwide in association with Boosey
& Hawkes, who distribute Itchy Fingers Publications.
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