Playing from Spirit: Music and Stories on the Native American Flute

This interactive, musical presentation, will take the audience on a journey and leave them with a better understanding of some Native American songs and the Native American flute.

This program of music and stories begins with an introduction to William as a native adoptee, an explanation of his native name, heritage, and background. William explains how he came to start playing the Native flute after working as a musician and in the music business well into his adult life, when he had his indigenous heritage confirmed. He then describes the songs he plays with a story about how they are used by the nation they came from, or in the case of his compositions, how the songs came to him.

The songs William plays are either traditional to certain nations or inspired by native culture and beliefs, or from nature. He discusses how the flute is only used by certain nations (tribes) and how it might be used in their individual cultures. He demonstrates how the flute works and compares it to other more familiar instruments, so the audience has a frame of reference. Throughout this presentation, William will take questions from all ages in the audience and work them into his talk.

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Host or Publisher The World Music Foundation