The Kansas City 

Native American 
Flute Circle 
Homepage

Last Update:
Wednesday, April 26, 2006 02:42:26 PM

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This is the homepage of the Kansas City Native American Flute Circle, and you are visitor number:

If you would like more information about the Circle, you can e-mail me at dsz-zoo@earthlink.net or you can contact Circle founding member Jim Curley at (913) 962-9711.

My name is Richard Gross, and I maintain this page on behalf of the Kansas City Native American Flute Circle. I invite you to attend our meetings, which are completely free and are open to anyone who plays the Native American flute and to non-players who are interested in the Native American flute. If you have any questions at all, feel free to send them to me at dsz-zoo@earthlink.net and I will do my best to answer them.

Not in the Kansas City area? Maybe you can find a flute circle in your area by visiting The International Native American Flute Association.

This KCNAFC site now has a SPECIAL EVENTS page. It lists special upcoming events (aside from the regularly-scheduled meeting) that are planned by the Circle or by individual members. Check it out by following THIS link.

This Just In!
Early May, 2005

Desré Dory of Cloudwalker Flutes is offering one-on-one flute making workshops! Read all about in the Acrobat flier by clicking here.

I'm #2 on the waiting list for a workshop slot. DARN YOU, DAN, FOR BEATING ME TO THE #1 POSITION!!!

Prairie Days were held May 15th & 16th at the Deanna Rose Farmstead. This was a great opportunity for Circle members to participate and play for the public at the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead. This amazing facility is designed to educate children and demonstrate what life was like in times past.

Check out the photo gallery from this event here!

Aside from one three-year-old heckler (who, actually, was very funny and will probably be a star one day... as soon as he's able to wear big boy pants), both days were a smash! Check out the Farmstead's website at this address: http://www.opkansas.org/_Vis/Farmstead/index.cfm.

25 March 2004 * Mark Holland Concert at Mountain Music Shoppe a Hit! The Mark Holland Native American Flute concert held at The Parlor last night was a huge success. Though not strictly a flute circle event, KCNAFC members were out in large numbers to support this event.

Holland is the second artist to present a Native American Flute concert at The Parlor this year.

Despite some early difficulties with the backup band (a CD player), Holland presented several compositions from various CDs that he has made that feature the Native American Flute in concert with other world instruments, including banjo, sitar, cello, bass and a diverse collection of percussion instruments. 

Holland's background and education in music translates into vital and innovative music on the Native American Flute. Last night's concert for the Mountain Music Shoppe was truly a special event; I hope we'll see Holland back at the Parlor in the future!

Mark Holland's website is www.autumnschild.com.

 

SPRING 2004 * Don't Forget the "Prairie Days" May Event at the Deanna Rose Farmstead! We've been talking about it for several meetings now... you know, the event Fred told us about in Overland Park. Here's the e-mail from Fred:

I'm sure there will be more planning for this at the April meeting. The weekend of May 15-16 will be the weekend immediately BEFORE out May meeting, so think about what you'd like to do so we can come up with a plan in April!

See you all then.

OCTOBER 2003 * I'M AN IDIOT: Okay. I admit it. I messed up. October was a FANTASTIC meeting for the Kansas City Area Native American Flute Circle. I had my digital camera with me at the meeting. You'll notice, though, there aren't any pictures of what happened at the meeting. I was so excited, I guess I forgot to take any...

Jerry and Lisa Fretwell of Fretwell Flutes (www.fretwellflutes.com) were back at our meeting to visit. Jerry shared some of his playing with us and answered questions about his approach to flute making. His flute play like a dream and he makes some keys that aren't easily available elsewhere. (He mentioned that he's currently building a Bb drone.)

But, even better than that, both Jerry and Lisa are class-act people... the kind of folks you really want to have at your flute circle meetings because they have so much to offer. We in the Kansas City Area Native American Flute Circle are truly fortunate to have a number of members about whom the same can be said; when we get visitors like Lisa and Jerry, it makes it even better. (You guys come on back anytime, okay?)

Plus, I saw Jim Curly and Jerry Fretwell off to the side talking with their game faces on. You know... talking business. I hope this means we'll be seeing Fretwell Flutes offered for sale in the Mountain Music Shoppe in the very near future. So, Jerry, I hear you're making a Bb drone. Does it have a home yet? Send it on to the Shoppe and I'll see if I can't find it one!

This next part isn't really about the Kansas City Area Native American Flute Circle, but it is about traditional Native American storytelling and sharing the love and the lore of the Native American Flute... so here we go. (Plus, I'll take any opportunity to brag on my lovely and talented wife that I can find. I guess if you've been to more than one flute circle meeting, you've figured that out, though, huh?)

Katei, my wife, is an Osage and she's a storyteller. One of the things she does is to go to schools where she does storytelling in the traditional style. Before she begins her stories, I play the Native American flute for the students and give a brief presentation on the flute itself. 

Wednesday, the day after our October KCNAFC meeting, Katei and I had two presentations at area schools. The morning began at Oak Park High School, where we gave our presentation in their Little Theater.

"Little Theater" was the theme of the day, because our next stop was at Penn Valley Community College where we were once again in a "Little Theater." This one wasn't so little, though. It had microphones, stage lighting and a set manager. It know it was a first for me -- playing on a stage with lights so bright I couldn't see the audience. I know it was hard for Katei to be hugely traditional with microphones and all, but she did a wonderful job of it. I'm really proud of you, Katei!

Effective April 1, 2004, older meeting notes have been moved to a new page. If you'd like to read these notes, just follow this link!

FLUTE CIRCLE MEMBERS: Have ideas for content for this page? E-mail it to me! Just want to say "hi?" That's fine, too.

Flutists and Flute Makers who have visited the circle:

• Desré Dory: www.cloudwalkerflutes.com

• Raymond Redfeather: www.heartwoodflutes.com/

• Jerry Fretwell: www.fretwellflutes.com

• Mark Holland: www.autumnschild.com

Circle Links on this site:

Non-KCNAF Circle Links on this site: