Bredna
Hi from Bredna
I live in Gisborne, New Zealand and play with a mad little Irish/Scottish group here called "Madra Dubh". We play for occasional gigs and for the local Irish club once a month, and whenever we feel like it at other times. No actual Session here apart from that.
My main instrument is the Irish flute these days - I have a Forbes Delrin keyless which is fabulous and so robust I can take it down to the beach to play. The bottom D on it really booms if you want it to.
I also have a silver Boehm system Pearl Open-holed flute for other types of music.
And some whistles - a Chieftain low D (old style) and a Chieftain Low F (V3) which I really like playing. It gets the high notes very easily and is much easier for the fingers than the low D. Also a Freeman tweaked high D Feadog and a Generation Bb. And this year (2012) I've gone a bit crazy and bought another low D - this time a Goldie. I thought I was buying a high D (!) as the people selling it didn't know a thing and said it was 29 cm long. What a surprise to receive a low D - now I have to get used to it (the lowest 3 holes are much harder to get used to than the Chieftain) or else sell it on. Then I bought another Goldie - a tunable low G. What a honey it is too, and great for accompanying singers who are singing in C.
I've taken alot of notice of the advice here to learn by ear, although it is difficult for a classically trained person like me. So far I still find it easier to get the dots to learn from, then throw them away. Basically its still 'work in progress'. I've been to two of our Irish Music Festivals (Ceol Aneas) now and they've been a great help with figuring out how to do this lovely music justice. This June I'll be going back - with Conal O'Grada tutoring I'd crawl there if necessary!
Tunes in Bredna's tunebook: 11