Composition

The panflute is one of the oldest instruments in the world. Nevertheless, there is hardly any repertoire available. The many different cultures where the instrument can be found have a rich history, but also mostly an oral tradition. This is also true for Romania, the country where my instrument originates and what this site is about. Therefore, there is a great need to write down information on the panflute, to prevent any present knowledge getting lost. One of the initiatives to ensure this is the writing of new repertoire.

Through the ages, the panflute was brought to Europe via many Eastern empires. This has in the past century developed into a wish to play more classical music, but in that case there is even less material available than was already the case with traditional music. That is why, as a musician, I am always looking for composers who want to write new works for my instrument, in any instrumentation. Works with electronics are no less welcome. Composers who have made an important contribution are Theo Loevendie, Danny de Graan, Andre Douw, Aspasia Nasopoulou, Chiel Meijering, Erçin Kaya, Hugo Harmens and Daan Manneke a.o.

At this website several audio samples are available to get an idea of the sound of the instrument, and the link listed below refers to a document on the technical possibilities of the panflute, described from the viewpoint of the composer. It was written by Matthijs Koene, teacher of panflute as a main subject at the Conservatory of Amsterdam.

www.instrumentalways.com

This hopefully takes away the main obstacle in composition, which at present is mostly a lack of knowledge of the instrument. I would also like to add that I am always looking for those who want to write for the beginning and advanced amateur, as there is an immense lack of original repertoire for these levels. I sincerely hope one day not to need violin and flute methods in my teaching practise.

Do not hesitate to contact me for more information if needed!

Nadja Spooren