Nothing beats trying out different instruments yourself first. A "man of many lutes" who lives in Tokyo is Ed Drubrow: http:// www9.plala.or.jp/edurbrow/ Going to local society meetings can also be a great resource, and beginners are typically welcome and encouraged. Here is one in Japan: http://home.planet.nl/~d.v.ooijen/lgs/
Now of course if you are from Tokyo, Ohio (not just Ohio Gozimashta), the Lute society of America's festival is the last week of June in Cleveland: http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~lsa/seminar/Cleveland2006/ index.html With private lessons available from people like O'Dette, McFarlane, O'Brien, Satoh etc, it would be like Yo-Yo Ma teaching your daughter how to play open strings on the cello or Yvgeny Kissin showing her middle C on the piano! I had my first beginner lesson at a festival like this, and there really is nothing to be intimidated about. DS On Mar 18, 2006, at 1:17 AM, Christopher Witmer wrote: > Hello, > > Our whole family loves "early music" and the kids, ranging in age > from 4 > to 18, are all involved. The oldest is about to enter her second > year as > a voice major in a local conservatory of music, and I expect that at > least some of the younger siblings will go that route as well. > > My 13-year-old daughter, who has been playing only keyboard > instruments > until now, is about to start lute lessons, something that she has > looked > forward to for a long time. She loves Elizabethan lute songs and the > music of Bach, as well as everything in between, so she will probably > wind up playing a variety of instruments. > > My first question: > Assuming one will eventually be playing variety of lutes, is there any > consensus on a best type of instrument with which to begin? Of course, > we'll discuss this with the teacher too, but any opinions would be > appreciated. By the way, my daughter has no previous experience > with guitar. > > My second question: > What on earth is this? > (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7398226111) > I'm not very knowledgeable on lutes, but it doesn't look like anything > I've seen before . . . > > Thanks! > > Chris Witmer > Tokyo > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
