Fall River Fipple Fluters to Celebrate National Play the Recorder Day

Some Fall River residents are fluttering away in hopes you will find a new hobby in playing the recorder.

How many of us can remember the opportunity at some of our public schools to take up playing the recorder? It was an inexpensive way to begin to learn reading and playing music. It was also the simplest instrument to maintain.

From personal experience, I can remember playing "Hot Cross Buns" on the recorder, which was just the beginning of my love for music.

Yes, I was a total band geek. I was a member of the All City Band and even had a stint playing in the New Bedford High Marching Band; band camp and those fields shows are no joke.

As with anything, we have a national day celebrating the mighty recorder coming up on March 15, and a group of Fall River residents that call themselves "The Fall River Fipple Fluters" are ready to play and raise awareness.

Judith Conrad is part of this jolly group that originally formed around 1990. They will be playing at The Ignite Space in downtown Fall River on March 15 for National Play the Recorder Day. This isn't a new day; it has actually been a designated day since 1989.

On this day, Conrad is encouraging anyone to come out and enjoy but also drop in and play with them – or better yet, learn how you can start playing.

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The Fipple Fluters have been meeting weekly at the same spot for over 35 years. If that doesn't say they love playing, I don't know what does.

"We need new members. At the moment there are three of us, and a fourth who is currently in Germany," Conrad said.

If you have been thinking about taking up a hobby, one that might get you off your cell phone and with good people, you may want to consider checking this out.