Why I started to play the flute

My first introduction to the flute was attending concerts at my older brother's High School. At 10 I thought the girls (and sadly it was the stereotype) who were playing "Annie's Song" were the height of sophistication...and when I got to high school I was going to trade my recorder in for the flute. Sadly the woodwind teacher retired the summer before I was due to go up to High School and it never happened....25 years later...I bought myself a flute and started having lessons:)

I played the recorder from the age of 9 and then came my 13th Birthday parents asked what i wanted after trying to get a note out of my cousins flute the easter before. I went to a local music shop and found they had a second hand flute started lesson and then my 18th Birthday got my second flute and now i have 3 plus my piccolo. Who would have thought some 23 years later still playing

When I was a child, my parents wanted me to play clarinet so that's what I did. When I had my 40th birthday I wanted to try something new. I was sitting in the audience at a classical concert and I saw the shiny silver flutes and I knew then that I wanted to learn to play the flute. Although I like the sound of a wooden flute, I still love the silver shine of a metal flute. Here I am 6 years later, studying for Grade 7!

I actually wanted to play the oboe. I have no idea why! I just thought it'd be fun.
I was 6, and had tiny hands so Mum talked some sense into me and I got flute lessons.
I'll have been playing for 12 years in September!!

When we were at Primary school (year 3) we were told this is a flute, this is a violin, and this is a clarinet, having helpfully got some year 6's in with their instruments. You can play the flute or the violin now, or wait until year 5 to play the clarinet. You can imagine what beginner violins often sound like, so I chose the flute. Haven't got the slightest regret though.

I decided that I wanted to play the Flute after listening to my Nanna's James Galway CD at about age 6, after several years of persuading my Mum and Dad I started when I was about 9 - at that point we didn't know about curved headjoints and fifes - I had previously played the recorder but I always found it difficult because my fingers were too big.
I don't regret all that persuading and a massive thank you to Sir James :)

I started playing the flute in yr. 3 when we all had the option of starting violin, oboe, trumpet or flute. I hated the sound of the violin and i can't stand the trumpet and the flute looked really majestic. My teacher was dreadful though so when i was in yr. 4 i found a new flute teacher. I'm now in yr. 7 have played the flute for 5 years(but my first year was awful) and have done my grade 5!!!

I started playing the flute 2 years ago in september.I started playing the flute after my sister got a new flute and the shop sent her old one back because they couldn't sell it so I thought I might give it a try.I really enjoyed it so I tought myself a most of the notes and then started lessons.

Have just discovered this lovely website, congratulations to everyone who makes it happen! Guess I'm the oldest one here - I started playing flute at 28 [having scraped a violin at school]. I stopped and started when life and kids got in the way and took it up seriously last year, doing Grd 6 & 7 Trinity. Now I'm just about to face up to Grd 8 at the age of 50! So fingers crossed...

I am Surpised I only started flute 3 years ago and now I am doing Grade 7

I was four and I went to a school concert my brother was playing in. I was really bored and was trying really hard not to fidget. I remember it vividly! A girl came on stage with a flute and I was fascinated -I thought it was shiny and pretty. She played Morceau de Concours and I was transfixed. The obsession began!! I hassled my poor parents relentlessly to let me learn, but they couldn't find a teacher that would start me so young. I was given a fife (& cried!) and begrudgingly started the recorder. Just before my 7th birthday, I had my first lesson and was given my first flute (Tooty!!).

I joined the Recorders Club at School when I was six and my passion for music was born. I knew I would like to go on and play something else but I wasn't sure what to play. I went to my School Music Concert to listen and decide. As soon as I saw one of the girls pick up her flute and play I knew the flute was the instrument for me. I started lessons in September 2008 on the fife and got my flute in April 2009 and have loved every minute since.

i wanted to play recorder but kept getting flute and recorder names mixed up, so when my mum asked me what i wanted to play i said the flute. I've never regretted that mistake!

you can call me werido if youlike because I also play otherinstruments they are:
Piano Gr4
Descant recorder Gr2
Treble recorder Gr1
Harmonica
tenor recorder
guitar Gr2
Oboe Gr6

I started to play the flute in May of this year because I was playing clarinet in a jazz band, was listening to lots of Jazz on CD and vinyl and heard the flute and what it could do in gifted hands. People like James Moody, Herbie Mann, Bobbi Humphrey, Jamie Baum, Herbert Laws, Eric Delphy, etc, etc, etc... I fell in love with the Jazz flute sound. I also found Emma Halnan an inspiration in the Young Musicians competition this year on the BBC. Again it was her sound (a more classical sound) which was huge, vibrant and yet velvety which also drew me into the world of flutes. I am so glad I have joined you fellow tooters. I'm having a whale of a time!

I started when I was 8, although I'd been playing recorder since I was 5. Hearing a woman playing flute at church made me fall in love with the instrument, and after some discussion between my parents and the woman who played at church I started lessons with her. More than 7 years later I'm having lessons with someone else, but I still play at church as often as I can, partially because I find it a good way of praying but also because I hope one day I can inspire someone else in the same way I was inspired.

I started playing flute at age 25 then stopped for several years. Then I began lessons again just recently - and I'm over 50 now. I just love it and it helps keep me young, I think.

I started learning the fife aged 7 and moved onto the flute aged 8 1/2. I took grade 3 last week but I also started learning the piano and alto sax and started Jazz and playing in a band.I am looking forward to doing more grades soon.

I started flute at age 7, at the beginning of year 3. My headteacher gave me the opportunity. I'd been playing recorder for several years already and I suppose I just thought it would be fun! Once I'd started, I was hooked for life, of course! A birthday CD by James Galway was a great inspiration.