About this project

FLUTES AND ROOTS
The Story of Humanity

We are living in astonishing times. The human lifewave is cresting on Planet Earth and no one knows what will happen. Everything seems to depend on a rapid evolution of human culture. So it's a great time to gain some perspective... to take a deep breath, relax and revisit the journey of homo sapiens from our roots in Africa through the present day. And what better accompaniment on this journey than the LIVE sounds of ancient flutes from each continent!

I've been preparing to offer such performances for the past four years alongside earning a living marketing my flutes and music. Now in 2010 I'm ready to step this performance project up into high gear, with your help.

This is the year to finish the program scripts, equip the stage, create working copies of several excavated flutes up to 40,000 years old, and begin to market these FLUTEWALKER Story Concerts (pdf brochure) to schools, colleges, conference centers and music venues nationwide. Total funding needs are as follows:

SCRIPT COMPLETION (for my time) $4000
MUSIC COMPOSITION (time) $2000
EQUIP STAGE $3800
FLUTE TRAVEL CASES $ 600
FLUTE REPRODUCTIONS (time) $1600
MARKETING $4500

TOTAL $16,500

This Kickstarter project is for $1600 to design and create playable reproductions of two ancient flutes recently excavated. The first is a 9,000 year old flutemade of the wingbone of a crane which was unearthed with several others in the 1980s in China. This flute is the world's oldest intact, playable musical instrument. The second is the extraordinary little fluteuncovered last year in a German cave which has been dated at up to 40,000 years old. This broken but mostly intact flute is carved from a vulture bone and is the world's oldest musical instrument. I will be reproducing these flutes from the wood of the holly tree, which is creamy white and looks like bone. Internet photos, measurements and recordings should be sufficient to get close to the original sound (the material matters less to the sound than most people think).

Your contribution will be helping the world hear sounds and stories from the dawn of humankind. The narratives of these Story Concerts are based on new research by National Geographic's Genographic Project, which has clearly traced the pathways of the 60,000 year human journey around the world. And the 16 flutes I play are the descendants of ancient voices from each continent. These elements are used in the stories to address multicultural and environmental themes in a whole new way.


All who contribute any amount to this project will receive a high quality music download of a new piece I'm composing right now for my handcarved Native flutes and drum. In addition, I'm offering album downloads or CDs... several high quality handmade flutes... and a live Flutewalker performance!


Here's what people have said after seeing pilot performances of the Story Concert material:

"Werner John is a Johnny Appleseed for our time, sowing ideas that will hopefully bear fruit for us all.  It's wonderful how Werner's soft music can add such volume to his message." -- Bob Campano, Rensselaer, NY

"A most enjoyable evening.  The story is touching and historically accurate.  The music is beautiful and the instruments fascinating.  Thank you!" -- Imra Toth, Harvard, MA

"Werner took us on an extraordinary journey through time and landscapes by word and flute." -- Eleanor Toth, Harvard, MA

"Werner John's presentation captivated our congregation. He wove commentary on the fragility of our planet with beautiful soaring, sometimes haunting, sometimes playful original melodies performed on flutes made from his own hand. Werner John is a gently persuasive troubador bringing a message of responsible stewardship to the human community." -- Al De Salvo, Albany, NY

"Your work... is so important to the planet. I have never heard anyone articulate what you see, like you do. You made me think." -- Mary Schaefer, Delaware

You can find more on the philosopy of my work, plus hear my flutes and music at www.flutewalker.com