Wonderful Winds Flute Roadshows present a unique opportunity to get together with your local flute community under the expert guidance of one of the country’s leading flute ensemble coaches.

Using the extensive Wonderful Winds Flutets library as a resource, players will have the chance to play together in a large Flute Choir and, in the full day/weekend events, play in smaller chamber groups tailored to give every flautist the chance to develop in a supportive and convivial atmosphere. Several formats of the Roadshows are available, and are suitable for all ages and abilities. 

What are the options?

Flute Roadshow - The Workshop
A 3-to-4-hour flute workshop, including warm ups and flute choir.
Grades 1 to Diploma+
Maximum 50 players tbc dependant on room size.
Tutor: Mel Orriss

Flute Roadshow - The Play Day
A full day’s playing, including warm ups, full flute choir and chamber music.
The morning will feature warm-ups and massed flute choir.  In the afternoon players will form smaller groups and get access to the Wonderful Winds flute library, featuring all 300+ pieces in the flute catalogue. Mel will drop into the groups to offer help and advice. The day will finish with a final informal choir play through.
Grades 1 to Diploma+ , Maximum 50 players tbc (dependant on number and sizes of rooms.)
Tutor: Mel Orriss
Just Flutes trade stand and Wonderful Winds pop-up shop where available.

Flute Roadshow - The Big Flute Day
A full day’s playing, including warm ups, full flute choir, split choir, Q&A sessions, chamber music and informal concert.
The morning will feature warm-ups, massed flute choir, and 2 smaller flute choirs, split by ability. In the afternoon players will form smaller groups and work on music chosen from the Wonderful Winds flute library, featuring all 300+ pieces in the flute catalogue. The tutors will drop into the chamber groups to offer coaching. The day will finish with an informal concert, featuring a selection of the choir and group pieces.
Grades 1 to Diploma+, Maximum 50 players tbc (dependant on number and sizes of rooms.)
Tutors: Mel Orriss plus another guest tutor.
Just Flutes trade stand and Wonderful Winds pop-up shop where available.
 

Flute Roadshow - The Big Flute Weekend.
A full weekend of playing (Gr. 1-5 day one, Gr. 5+ day two) including warm ups, full choir, Q&A sessions, chamber music and informal concert.
The morning will feature warm-ups and massed flute choir. In the afternoons players will form smaller groups and work on music chosen from the Wonderful Winds flute library, featuring all 300+ pieces in the flute catalogue. The tutors will drop into the chamber groups to offer coaching. The days will finish with an informal concert, featuring a selection of the choir and group pieces.
Maximum of 40 players per day tbc (dependant on number and sizes of rooms.)
Tutors: Mel Orriss plus another guest tutor.
Just Flutes trade stand and Wonderful Winds pop-up shop where available.

 

 

How it works

Wonderful Winds share the responsibilities of organising the Roadshows with a local representative, for example a flute teacher or flute choir leader.

As a local rep, you just need to source a venue, and help us to reach enough players to cover the venue costs and our fee. Wonderful Winds will provide a press pack including printed flyers and digital promotion, and handle all bookings and queries through our website, with the player’s booking fees going directly to you, the local rep. Using this successful model, reps have been able to raise extra funds for their groups or future ventures, whilst promoting flute playing within the community. We are happy to give advice on fees and promotion to ensure the event is a success.
You can download full details below.
Formats and fees
Responsibilities
Venue requirements

If you are interested in having a Flute Roadshow in your area, simply get in touch with Mel, and together we can make it happen!
Mel Orriss: mail@wonderfulwinds.com 07817 703844

Principal Tutor

Mel Orriss studied flute at Chetham’s School of Music and then at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Peter Lloyd and Kathryn Lukas. As a student she was a semi-finalist in the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year Competition and also toured with the European Community Youth Orchestra.

In 1999 Mel swapped the hectic pace of life as a London musician for an equally hectic life as a musician in Devon. She now teaches flautists of all ages both privately and in some of the region’s schools, coaches woodwind groups and flute ensembles, (including Flute Cocktail, Devon) and is the Assistant Conductor and Woodwind coach of the Devon Youth Symphony and Concert Orchestras. Mel’s passion for arranging and composing led to her co-founding the music publishing company Wonderful Winds in 2010. The company has since built a global reputation for excellence, providing inspiring ensemble music for wind players of all levels worldwide, and its publications have been major prize winners in the National Flute Association (USA) Newly Published Music competition.

Major Commissions

2013 – Shaun Davey’s “The Relief of Derry Symphony” arranged for massed flute bands and soloists, Maiden City Festival, Derry, Northern Ireland.

2014 – “Towards the Blue Horizon” for The Big Flute Challenge world record, Belfast.

2015 – “Bonny at Morn” for The Big Flute Challenge, Belfast.

2016 – “1.7.16” for the Hamilton Flute Band’s Somme centenary performance, Derry.

2017 – Music for “Nonsense, Fantasy and Cautionary Tales” with Wells Cathedral School/Festive Flutes

2018 – “A Lad, a Love and a Lassie” (Three Burns Songs) for Flutes Unlimited

2019 – “ Lullaby and Dandling Song” for Birmingham Flute Choir

2024 – “The Birmingham Tango” for the Flute Choir Festival, Birmingham

Wonderful Winds Customer Reviews

“...a real joy. Their arrangements are interesting and well prepared, easy to read and very well presented with humour, goodwill and efficiency - a constant miracle.”
Atarah Ben-Tovim, MBE.

“Nobody could fail but to be delighted by all you do - great arrangements”
Liz Childs, Bedfordshire Woodwind Academy.

“I can truly say that you have transformed my working life!”
Liz Fife, Ex-principal Cor Anglais, Royal Opera House; Oboe teacher, Wells Cathedral School.

“The most brilliant arrangements for all abilities - witty, creative and super educational tools! I really don't know where I'd be without them!”
Louise Rayner, Director, Flute Salad and Flute Cocktail, Hampshire.