Starting in Spring 2025 some of our events will be open to society members only. Become a Member.
We record MOST of our online workshops. You can find all our past event recordings on Our YouTube Online Events Playlist.
May 2023
Hot Tips for Low Flutes – Saturday May 13th – Noon Eastern, 9am Pacific, 5pm UK – On Zoom
Join our board members, Chris Potter, Daniel Dorff, Mariana Gariazzo, Ece Karsal, Paige Dashner Long, Carla Rees & Alexa Still, for a collection of short talks on Low Flutes. Topics include: Travel Tips for Low Flutes, How to Commission Music, Love My Contrabass, Breathing Tips for Flutes & Becoming Friends with Your Footjoint.
June 2023
Sight-Reading Session – Saturday June 10th – Noon Eastern, 9am Pacific, 5pm UK – On Zoom
Chris and Mariana will host an online low flutes play-along as part of our workshop series. Jonathan Cohen’s Subduction, Ravel’s Bolero and a piece in the Indonesian Gamelan style will be three of the featured pieces.
For those who register for the June sight-reading session but were unable to attend live, contact us for the links to the existing YouTube recordings of the individual pieces.
September 2023
Meet the Composers – Saturday, September 16th – 10am Eastern, 7am Pacific, 3pm UK, 4pm Berlin – On Zoom
Georgia composer Nicole Chamberlain and German composer Tilmann Dehnhard will share and have conversations about their low flutes compositions with ILFS Board Member Daniel Dorff. Nicole’s Beyond the Pale for low flutes ensemble was just premiered at the National Flute Assoc. convention. Tilmann’s ¡Honk! for six contras is a hoot!
October 2023
Alternate Fingerings for Low Flutes – Saturday Oct 7th – 11am Eastern, 8am Pacific, 4pm UK, 6pm Istanbul – On Zoom
Want to make tricky phrases easier on your low flute? Want to try different tonal colors or improve your intonation? It’s time to explore alternate fingerings for your low flute!
A workshop titled Alternate Fingerings for Low Flutes will feature ILFS Board members Ece Karsal, Mariana Gariazzo and Paige Dashner Long sharing their favorite alternate fingerings for alto, bass and contrabass.
Mariana’s Alto Handout – Ece’s Bass Handout
November 2023
Improving Breath Control – Saturday Nov 4th – 11am Eastern, 8am Pacific, 4pm UK – On Zoom
Learn how to breathe in FASTER, breathe in MORE, and get more notes for your air! We’ll cover exercises to build capacity, greater awareness and a demonstration of how air currents can help with volume and duration of sound.
Join Alexa Still and Chris Potter who will help you solve your breathing problems in their Improving Breath Control workshop.
February 2024
Chat with Ali and Matthias! – Saturday Feb 3rd – 11am Eastern, 8am Pacific, 4pm UK – On Zoom
Join Ali Ryerson and Matthias Ziegler for a chat before the upcoming International Low Flutes Festival. Expect a lively chat about Eva’s giant double contrabass flute shown here, then Ali will charm us with a little jazz solo and then, who knows!
Sponsored by the International Low Flutes Society as part of their online educational workshop series.
2024 International Low Flutes Festival
April 12th-14th 2024 – Hilton Washington Dulles Airport
September 2024
Low Flutes Sight-Reading Session – Saturday Sep 28th – 11am Eastern, 8am Pacific, 4pm UK – On Zoom
Join us for a Free Sight Reading Session.
Pieces include: Chase (Kovalamaca) that was performed at the April Festival by the Istanbul Flute Ensemble at the April Festival composed by Turkish composer Oya Cinar Kanik. Two pieces by Paige; ContraJam for altos, basses, and contras and hot off the presses, Metropolitan Flute Fantasy. We will also read a new Handel arrangement from Carla Rees, The Lone Gondolier by Swedish composer Robin Lilja via Pam DeSensi in Iceland and Strolling on the Strand from Katrina Emtage live from Ireland.
Music Recordings:
Handel • Metro Flute Fantasy • Strolling on the Strand • Kovalamaca • Lone Gondolier • ContraJam • Happy Frogs
November 2024
How (and Why) to Commission New Music – Saturday Nov 2nd – 11am Eastern, 8am Pacific, 3pm UK – On Zoom
Join Danny Dorff for a conversation about commissioning music for low flutes, with Q&A.
Mr. Dorff’s works have been presented by Young Audiences (over 1000 school opera performances), the Atlanta Opera (60 performances), Baltimore Symphony (32 performances), Pittsburgh Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Aspen Music Festival, and many of the world’s leading flutists.
Mr. Dorff has composed several pieces for low flutes including Swans for two alto flutes and piano; Ballade for alto flute, bass flute and piano which was a 2021 Winner in the NFA Newly Published Music Competition; Ballad for alto flute, fluegel horn and piano; Desert Dusk for alto flute and cello; and It Takes Four to Tango for 2 c flutes, alto flute and bass flute.
December 2024
Hot Tips for Low Flutes – Saturday Dec 7th – 11am Eastern, 8am Pacific, 4pm UK – On Zoom
Debbie MacMurray will share her secrets for switching from picc to c flute to alto to bass in one concert.
Mariana Gariazzo lead us through exercises to improve articulation on bass flute.
Chris Potter will explain the advantages and disadvantages of the curved and straight headjoints for alto flute.
January 2025
Tune of the Month! – Saturday January 18th 2025 – 11am Eastern, 8am Pacific, 4pm UK – On Zoom
Open to Society Members Only
The session will feature the Largo from Vivaldi’s Winter Concerto arranged for alto and bass/contra bass flute. More than a play-along session, the arranger, Society President Chris Potter, will give pointers on improving breath control, Baroque trills, intonation and phrasing.
The 30-minute session for Society members only will be recorded and a link sent to all members who register. A PDF of the music and a link to a recording of the Largo will be sent to all registrants within two days of registration. A sign up sheet will be forthcoming.
To check to see if your membership is current, contact our Membership Manager Robin Pope at lowflutessociety@gmail.com and she will check.
February 2025
Into the Depths: Extended Techniques for Low Flutes – presented by Mary Matthews – Saturday February 15th 2025 – 11am Eastern, 8am Pacific, 4pm UK – On Zoom
Open to Everyone
Bring your low flutes and play along in this interactive workshop about extended techniques for low flutes! We will work together to play some of the most fun and effective extended techniques on low flutes including pizzicato tonguing, beatboxing syllables, key clicks, and more. We will also pair extended techniques together and alternate between different extended techniques on alto flute and bass flute.
Short Bio: Mary Matthews is an international soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral flutist who has performed on four continents and in venues including Carnegie Hall and Severance Hall. A flute professor at Florida State University and co-author of the Beatboxing & Beyond method books, she has also recorded commercially and released multiple albums. Mary is a member of Khemia Ensemble, Newfound Chamber Winds, and Duo Elektra, with whom she regularly premieres and performs new works for low flutes.
March 2025
Tune of the Month! – Monday March 17th 2025, 8pm Eastern, 5pm Pacific – On Zoom
Open to Society Members Only
Australian Karen North and owner of Allegro Music Publishing will share her arrangement of Mountain Elves. We will play together and she will talk about her piece.
Karen is a music teacher, mentor and book author. She is passionate about bringing music into the lives of children and adults and has enjoyed working in music education for the past 40 years. Karen is also keen to promote performance opportunities for students around the world and has organised an annual international flute competition since 2021, with esteemed judges including Sir James and Lady Galway, Lorna McGhee, Ulla Miilmann, Viviana Guzmán, Joshua Batty and Dr. Brice Smith.
April 2025
Air Travel With Low Flutes – Saturday April 12th 2025 – 11am Eastern, 8am Pacific, 4pm UK – On Zoom
Paige Dashner-Long and Friends will talk about Traveling with Low Flutes. Worried about getting your low flutes on a plane? Paige has taken her contra and other low flutes on many adventures in the US and Europe and found that some airlines are better than others. She will tell you what you need to plan for! Open to all, no membership needed.
Hot Travel Tips for Low Flutists Handout (PDF)
May 2025
Jazzing It Up with Ali – Saturday May 10th 2025 – 11am Eastern, 8am Pacific, 4pm UK – On Zoom
Open to Society Members Only
Ali Ryerson will give us the LowDown on Jazzing It Up!!! She will talk about the jazz style and how to create it with pizzazz! We will be playing through her In The Shade with a recording on SoundCloud. Music and links will be sent 2 weeks ahead of time.
With a career spanning nearly five decades, jazz flutist Ali Ryerson has consistently ranked among the top flutists in the Downbeat Jazz Poll for well over a decade. Ali grew up in a musical family. Her father, Art Ryerson, was a renowned jazz guitarist who got his start with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, and later became a top studio player in NYC. Ali Ryerson has carried on the family tradition, becoming an international touring/recording artist, with performances ranging from Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., to the Blue Note (NYC and Japan), plus festival appearances worldwide.
September 2025
Echoes from Anatolia: A Low Flute Celebration
Saturday, September 27th 2025 – 11am Eastern US, 6pm Istanbul, 4pm UK – On Zoom
Open to Everyone
We invite you to join us for a unique online event dedicated to low flutes and Turkish music, bringing together performers, composers, and educators in a celebration of sound, creativity, and community.
Curated around the rich musical contributions of Turkish artists, this special gathering includes yoga for musicians, performance premieres, composer interviews, and more — all centered on the deep, resonant voice of the low flute.
Event Highlights:
1. Yoga for Low Flutists
Led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şebnem Uşen
An approx. 20-minute guided session focusing on breath, posture, and release — specifically designed for low flutists.
Audience Tip for Yoga:
To get the most out of the session, we invite you to join us with your camera on if you feel comfortable — to help create a warm and connected group atmosphere.
Please prepare a quiet space, yoga mat or chair, and wear comfortable clothes. No prior yoga experience is needed — just come ready to breathe, stretch, and relax together.
2. Low Flute Ensemble Showcase (YouTube Premiere)
- Kovalamaca (Chase) – Composer: Oya Çınar Kanık
- Bayram – Composer: Orçun Orçunsel, arranged for low flutes by Özge Salar Berber.
3. Album Spotlight: Alto Flute & Piano
Featuring: Ayşen Bulut (Alto Flute) & Güldiyar Tanrıdağlı (Piano)
Selected pieces from their recent album will be featured, alongside a pre-recorded artist introduction and interview.
4. Composer Feature: Özge Gülbey
Premiere of “Escatalogoy” for Solo Flute Ensemble & Symphony Orchestra
Followed by a talk with the composer on the piece’s creation, challenges, and vision.
This event hosted by Ece Karsal, Flute Professor at Marmara University in Istanbul University and Head of the Music Department.
October 2025
Music for Low Flutes in Japan
Friday, October 24th 2025, 9 PM Eastern US, 6 PM Pacific – Saturday, October 25th 2025, 10am Tokyo – On Zoom
Open to Everyone
We will be joined by ILFS Bass Flute Competition winner Ikuko Ioka who will share videos of the Bass Flute Festival she organized in July of 2025. We will listen to Whisper Not by Benny Golson which features low flutes as played by the Japanese Jazz Flute Big Band conducted by Yuko Hoshi. The Magnum Trio’s virtuoso performance of Speyside for alto, bass and contra by Jun-Ichiro Taku completes our event. The Magnum Trio players are Kazuhiro Kajihara, Yuya Kanda, and Jun-Ichiro Taku.
This event will be at 10 AM in Japan on Saturday morning the 25th and 9 PM Eastern 6 PM Pacific on Friday night the 24th.
November 2025
Dynamite Duos for Low Flutes
Saturday, November 15th 2025 – 11am Eastern US, 8am Pacific, 6pm Istanbul, 4pm UK – On Zoom
The submissions have been received and approved! We will listen to such gems as Spiders’s Boots written and performed by Katrina Emtage for two contras, The Mouse and the Mountain King for piccolo and double contra by Paige Dashner Long, two groups performing Nicole Chamberlain’s Chuckaboo for alto and bass, a Bach Fugue from the Suite in B Minor for c flute and alto, Flower Hat Jelly from Underwater Flowers for two basses by Gary Schocker, Fenberry and Blueberry movements from Wild Berries by Geoff Warren for c flute and alto, Night-Blooming by Sonja Leonore Stahl for alto and bass, and Cliffs 1 – Lost at Sea written and performed by Daniella Mars on bass and contra.
Submission deadline was October 29th
This was an opportunity for Society members to submit YouTube videos of duets that include low flutes. At least one person in the video must be a Society member and one of the flutes must be a low flute. Once you submit a video, we will check your membership status. You could can use free software such as Acapella and record both parts yourself. The piece must be no more than 4 minutes long and can be any style or ability level. One person should be available the day of the event to introduce the piece and performers and be available to answer questions about the piece. Send links of the videos to lowflutessociety@gmail.com. In the interests of time, not all videos will be accepted. Submission deadline is October 29th.
The International Low Flutes Society 