FluteFling~ traditional flutes and whistles in Scotland
FluteFling classes, workshops and weekends provide opportunities for people to learn and develop traditional skills on the whistle and flute in a Scottish setting.
Latest news
Aberdeen FluteFling 2025
Aberdeen FluteFling Tickets go Live!
Aberdeen FluteFling 31 October – 02 November 2025
Featuring Hamish Napier and Kirsten Allstaff, supported by and in partnership with the Elphinstone Institute and Friends of the Elphinstone Institute.
Friday concert, Saturday and Sunday workshops, trad music sessions all weekend.
See the Event page for details and tickets.
Loved the mix of ornamentation, technique and tunes. Every tutor had a very different approach and I took a lot which I’m excited to use to go further with my playing in future.
Another well organised and valuable weekend. Thanks to all concerned. Oh and thanks for the rain free weather!
Inspiring… Will always recommend.
Enjoyed it lots. Would certainly recommend it to others, and look forward to the next one! Thank you!
[I learned] that the flute playing world takes on many shapes and styles and no one should turn their back on new forms and ideas. The sharing of knowledge is a great aspect of the flute playing fraternity.
Dates for Edinburgh FluteFling 2026 will be announced later in the year.
FluteFling session tunes resource
By popular demand, we have now added resources for some of the tunes that might be expected to be played at a typical FluteFling session.
Courtesy of Dougie Pincock, PDFs and an audio of the tune in question can now be found here. There are plans to add to this. Enjoy!
The FluteFling Collection of new and traditional music for flutes and whistles from FluteFling tutors and friends is available in A4 Print and eBook editions from the FluteFling Shop.
The first book of its kind for 150 years, it is a milestone in the revival of the flute in traditional Scottish music, featuring over 100 new and traditional tunes from Scotland, Ireland and further afield.
LATEST: Available online again soon after a second print run.
Recent events
Edinburgh FluteFling 2025
The Edinburgh FluteFling took place 4-6 April 2025 at the Heart of Newhaven Community and featured a concert with Hamish Napier and Jordan Neil, and workshops with Hamish Napier, Freya Rae and Kirsten Allstaff. Thanks to all participants, guests and organisers
Join the newsletter to hear early news about FluteFling events.
Aberdeen FluteFling 2024
Aberdeen FluteFling musicians celebrating a fine day of music together. Photo (c) Linda Harkness
The Aberdeen FluteFling took place 1-3 November 2024 and featured workshops with Claire Mann, Freya Rae and Laura MacKenzie, plus Dougie Pincock in conversation with flute maker George Ormiston.
Read about the event in this blog post. Some additional photos of the weekend can be found in this blog post.
Thanks to all participants, guests and organisers!
FluteFling Release video project For Scottish Folk Day 2024
Dougie Pincock (flute) and Dierdre Graham (clarsach) performing for Scottish Folk Day 2024.
FluteFling celebrates the flute and whistle as part of Scottish Folk Day 2024 with a video project featuring musicians from Scotland and beyond.
The musicians have all been involved with FluteFling over the past 10 years.
Watch the videos on Peter Saunders’ Scottish Flute Channel on YouTube.
Edinburgh: FluteFling 10th Anniversary Weekend 19-21 April 2024 | Featuring Calum Stewart, Sharon Newton Creasey, Dougie Pincock and Sophie Stephenson | Read more…
A great turnout for the Edinburgh FluteFling in April (c) Gordon Turnbull
About FluteFling
FluteFling is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation run on a volunteer basis that seeks to advance the performing arts, in particular music, by promoting education, participation and interest in the playing of traditional music on the flute and whistle family of instruments in Scottish contexts, including an awareness and understanding of its history and relationships to other traditions.
FluteFling Scottish traditional flute and whistle weekends have been taking place since 2014 and are gratefully supported and advised by many people including Peter Saunders (Scottish Flute Channel), Tom Oakes and Richard Elliot.
If you’re interested in our events, take a look at the FAQs to find out more.
You can get in touch with us here.
Sign up for the FluteFling newsletter to learn first about our events. Look out for guest blog posts on the website, too.
Covid guidance for participants to FluteFling events can be found here.
A Sunday flute session in Sandy Bells, Edinburgh. Left to right: Phil Smillie, Bill Barry, Sharon Creasey, John Crawford, Kenny Hadden. Cathal McConnell partly in picture, extreme right. Photo (c) Gordon Turnbull
FluteFling is part of the Traditional Music Forum.