Flute Lessons
Native American Flute is a wonderful instrument to learn at any age.
Erika has been teaching NAF to adults since 2001, and kids since January 2011.
Lesson Details
Contact Erika to schedule.
Times available on select weekday afternoons.
Location: Turtle Lake area – Durango, CO
I have always loved music. I began playing piano at age 6, classical silver flute at 10. I continued to play piano and flute throughout high school and into college. I graduated from U of MT in 1995 with a B.A. in Hydrogeology. In 1998, I traveled to South America and purchased a Kena, my first indigenous flute. I loved experimenting with this new flute and decided I would teach myself to play spontaneously, ‘from the heart’, as I had only learned to read and play written music.
Upon returning to the U.S., I purchased my first Native American flute while living in Jackson, Wyoming. This began a love-affair with this beautiful, sacred instrument. I have continued to play, perform, record and collect Native flutes, including the Indian Bansuri transverse flute, since then. I have played a variety of events: weddings, Native ceremonies, a concert with Krishna Das in Boulder, Colorado, poetic book readings with Dolores LaChapelle, and background meditation music for Diane Zumer’s “Creating Heaven on Earth” CD. I plan to record both a child’s and adult’s music and meditation CD.
Teaching Methodology
NAF is relatively easy to learn and does not require reading written music, or a musical background. I teach students to play ‘by ear’, with the focus on sound quality. Proper breathwork is key for this beautiful instrument. The music style I teach is improvisational, ‘from the heart’, as was traditional for this instrument.
It typically takes 2 to 3 consecutive lessons to cover the basics and have a good foundation to expand upon, including how to breathe correctly and play correct pitch. After this, I teach a wide variety of techniques including vibrato, tonguing, trills, and how to develop and create your own songs.
I work with all skill levels – beginners with no musical background to long-time flutists.
Cost
1. Adult lessons: Private 1 hour: $70
Semi-private 1 hour lesson – 2 adults of similar ability: $40 per person
Group 1-hr lesson – 3 adults of similar ability $35/pp
2. Child lessons, ages 6-16 (limited availability):
30-minute child private lesson for ongoing, weekly students: $40
CANCELLATION POLICY
48-hr cancellation notice required, otherwise full cost of lesson is charged. The one exception is due to illness, as long as I receive notice by 8am the day of lesson.
