Thank You

G'day folks, Mark here.

I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone for all their messages of support over the last week. I feel incredibly grateful to the Australian flute community for accepting me back when I returned in 2017, for the trust you've placed in me over the last five and half years, and for the warm reception you've given me in my new role as Managing Director at Flutes & Flutists.

When I was first offered to come and work for Flutes & Flutists as Artist in Residence in 2017, I accepted the job with eagerness but also some hesitation. Up until that point, I had been building a career as a performing musician and the thought of working in the flute business had never crossed my mind. But I always had a wide range of interests and it seemed like a great opportunity for me to explore and combine them. And I soon discovered that my experiences as a performer and teacher were vital when helping someone choose a new instrument, which was and still is the most important part of my job.

Both David and Lyndie have been wonderfully supportive of Tomomi and I since we arrived in Sydney. I grew up in Melbourne and Tomomi was from Japan, so the city was unfamiliar to both of us. David and Lyndie helped us find our feet and were more like our surrogate parents than employers. I will always be grateful to them for what they did for us in these first few years, and now even more so for entrusting me with the directorship of Flutes & Flutists. They built this company with love, dedication and a desire to serve the flute community, qualities which I have every intention of continuing and building upon.

And I can’t do it without my team, which I feel incredibly lucky to have around me. I couldn't have asked for better colleagues in Merryl Neille, Chris Leung and Camilla Bellstedt in the shop, Jim Phelan, Alice Coffey and Angus McEwan as our external technicians, and for our amazing team of reps and partners around Australia and overseas. Their professionalism are second to none and I feel unbelievably grateful to be able to count on them for their support, expertise and friendship.

This year will be the 35 year anniversary since David first started his business so we have lots of exciting things planned, with the highlight being of course, the return of the Australian Flute Festival. I can’t wait to share these with all of you in the coming months and I am looking forward to welcoming you to the shop and serving you, from one flutist to another.

Mark