Hey folks, I just returned back to Shanghai from Seattle, and glad to see my house had not obvious issues with rain and earthquakes.
But one of my missions was to visit with Peter Noy, before he took off for Boxwood. I wanted to see his shop, try some of his headjoints on my Rudall, and of course play all the flutes he's bringing to the east coast. Very educational and a blast.
Frankly, he is the best aesthetic craftsman of flutes around--he does all kinds of difficult and funky variations--like silver lined keyways and amber plugs for headjoint caps--he even copied in copious detail the silver Rudall end cap!
Most impressive? He has this contemporary headjoint design with a HUGE angled oval embouchure that is really a joy to play. He uses ivory and amber as blowedges and the craftsmanship is phenomenal.
All in all, his flutes are great, but not for everyone who plays Irish music. His flute tones are awesome, rich, silky smooth, and ruthlesslessly in tune across 2+ octaves.
They don't have the Olwelly reedy edge or bark though, that many people will want. But his have that Rudall type HONK! on a very strong low end. Very very nice flutes. Kind of a step up on a McGee type flute--with that short D foot, the two have a lot in common tone wise and both are surprisingly loud. Peter's are much more meticulously crafted though. Again, IMHO.
Really amazing was the contemporary flute with amber blow edge on a boxwood flute. Incredible! Very loud for a boxwood flute, and just gorgeous tone and playability. The tone was really creamy and rich, nice honk. If it wasn't for the obvious humidity issues with boxwood...I'd take that flute in a 6-key version in a second.
In fact...I did, gave him a deposit for a blackwood version. I brought him my Rudall to measure so that I can use the headjoint on my Rudall.
Ah well...hard to resist especially since he is a local craftsman (though from Toronto).
I recommend anyone to check his flutes out at Boxwood. He blew away the field at the West Coast Flute consortium last year at Dusty Strings.
A visit with Peter Noy
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Loren
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