This website is a showcase of my music performed in 15 recitals held at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, Connecticut from 1989-2006. I was honored to perform with Howard Rovics (piano/organ/composer), Christina Rovics (soprano), Harold Schramm (narrator), Eric Lewis (violin), and other guest artists. We played classical, celtic, and Native American music.
This website also has topical pages (click on topic above) with narratives and photos on topics of interest to me, for example, The Art of Stained Glass, with beautiful pictures of ancient and modern examples. Other topics include Ireland, Great Flutists, Native American Art, History of Bagpipes Around the World, etc.
I hope you enjoy the color and the sounds of this site.
Below see some random pictures from those topical pages.
see my new page "my collages"
click on image to enlarge
The Beginning page
Finger Rings: History and Display page
From page called MY COLLAGES
Ireland page
Ireland page
Monasteries page
Native American Art page
The Art of Stained Glass page
My favorite music on YOUTUBE
Roman Mosaics page
Bagpipes around the world! page
Clip Art: Animated and Non-Animated page
The Great Flutists page
Our Listeners---where are they from? page
Our Duffy page
Toscanni and the NBC Orchestra page
Pipes of Wood, Silver, and Gold page
Ask the Professor free service page
Ireland page
The Recital Helpers page
My Writings page
The Guestbook
The Rovics page
The Rovics page; portraits by Christina Rovics
David Machell page
Harold Schramm page
click to enlarge image
Ask The Professor, a FREE e-mail college advisement service for graduating high school seniors, undergraduate college, graduate students, or would-be students. Conducted by Dr. David Machell, Professor Emeritus, WCSU. Not to replace school counselors or faculty advisors, an "add-on!" www.machellmusic.com/asktheprofessor
SEE THE "ASK THE PROFESSOR" PAGE IN THIS WEBSITEFOR DETAILS
WELCOME FRIENDS TO MY WEBSITE! I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR VISIT..................
We perform classical music, celtic music, and Native American music on flutes and bagpipes and a variety of other music with singers, narrations, guest musicians, and sound effects. Directions for playing music on website
My music starts automatically as you can hear. Just let it play if you want to listen to the music offerings in order. If you want to be selective: scroll down list of "songs" on the widget (the square box below) to see the listing of music. At the bottom of your screen are the controls for the music (the bar along the bottom of your screen). It is like a tape recorder of old or a DVD or VCR player. THE CONTROLS ARE TO YOUR EXTREME LEFT. YOU WILL SEE THREE BUTTONS TO THE EXTREME LEFT: THOSE ARE THE CONTROLS. In the center of the three buttons is the play button; to the left is the "go back" button and to the right is the "go forward" button.
The music player (on the bar) is site-wide, meaning when you change pages within this website (go to "The Rovics" page, "The Page of Ireland" page, "Great Flutists" page, etc.), the music will keep playing. You can also play music on the widget only, but it is not site-wide. It will turn off when you change pages. Throughout my website, I have pages with content that might be of interest to you (see table of contents at the top of every page).
David Machell, flutes, bagpipes
Howard Rovics, pianist/composer
A VERY SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE PERSON WHO MADE THIS ALL POSSIBLE: Howard Rovics, brilliant pianist/composer and wonderful friend!
I will always be grateful. Thank you very much Howard!
Native Americans one with nature
MESSAGE FROM TAOS DRUM COMPANY from http://www.taosdrums.com
All life is rhythmic. We see it in the coming and going of day and night. The ebb and flow of tides. The swaying of trees in the wind. We hear it in the pattern of rain. the repetition of footsteps. The beating of the human heart. We respond to rhythm when we sense it-and seek it out when it is not present for it is invariably pleasant. Little wonder that throughout the history of mankind, people from all over the world have prized drums-the instruments of rhythm. Perhaps no other people have attached a greater significance to the spirit of the drum than the Indian tribes of North America.
Wildlife
The drum has played an inherent role in the lives of Native Americans for centuries. Prior to battle, the beat of the drum aroused a sense of strength and solidarity. In gatherings and celebrations, it created a sense of social and spiritual harmony. In Taos, New Mexico, Pueblo Indians continue to express their deep spiritual awareness through ceremonial dances accompanied by the resonant pulsing of the drum.
At the foot of The Sangre de Cristo Mountains, in venerable, five-story adobe dwellings, is where the Taos Drum originated. And in the workshops of Taos Drums, native craftsmen from Taos Pueblo continue the age-old tradition of drum making. Every drum is crafted from natural materials and renewable resources over a year-long process. Drum frames are created from wood native to Northern New Mexico-cottonwood, aspen or pine.
All trees are harvested in a sustainable way under conscientious environmental standards. Logs are stripped of bark, hollowed out, cut into sections, then stored in a warehouse and slowly dried to prevent cracking. Dried wood is then leveled, rounded and sanded. Drum heads are made from cow, deer, elk or goat hides that have been thoroughly cleaned and scraped to maintain the highest level sound, appearance and durability.
After soaking the rawhide to make it pliable, the hide is hand scalloped, stretched and secured with rawhide lacing to the frame. Each completed drum has its own distinct voice. The type of wood, the depth and diameter of the frame, the thickness and tightness of the hide, the thickness of the walls, temperature and humidity all effect the tone. The experts at Taos drums can work with you to match the best wood and hide for particular need and climate.
Over the years, Taos Drums has gained international recognition as the caretaker of the original Taos Drum. While the age old drum making methods continue, Taos Drums has expanded upon the traditional by utilizing the bountiful artistic skills of three distinct cultures of Northern New Mexico inhabitants. An evolving line of products created by Anglo, Hispanic and Native American artisans includes wrought iron lamps, rawhide lampshades, carved chairs and drum tables as well as an elaborate line of painted drums.
If you are in the Taos area, look for the giant teepees on the Taos Drums grounds located five miles south of Taos Plaza on highway 68. Stop by for a free tour of our drum-making workshop and visit our showroom. You will find the world's largest selections of Indian drums, and a diverse display of rawhide furnishings, primitive folk art, ethnic crafts and jewelry, Indian music, books on drumming and the region's best selection of Zapotec rugs. Come, share in the spirit of the drum.....
TheSouthwest Indian Foundation I was given a tour by the Executive Director of the SW Indian Foundation of their very many activities. From addiction treatment programs to buying stoves, they are there for the Tribes of the Southwest: Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, Apache, and other Pueblo peoples of that region. I am very impressed with the Foundation. A very worthwhile charity!!!
MUSIC LISTINGS,SCROLL DOWN TO SEE EVERYTHING
Saint Joseph Cathedral, Hartford, CT
WHATISNEWONMY WEBSITE?
PAGES OF THIS WEBSITE The Beginning UPDATED My Collages collages ASK THE PROFESSOR free service always updated
CLIP ART: ANIMATED AND NON-ANIMATED clips Roman Mosaics: Early to Christian Era Rome The Page of Ireland and the Home of the Machells material The Bagpipe: In History and Around the World
The Pipes of Wood, Silver, and Gold material
My Articles and Other Writing
Great Flutists
The Greatest Orchestra
Our Dog Duffy and Little Suzy PICTURES!!!!!!! pictures
The Art of Stained Glass
Abbeys, Monasteries, Old and New
The Performers: SEPARATE PAGES FOR PERFORMERS David Machell
The Rovics
Harold Schramm
In Gratitude: Concert Helpers Native American Art
Listeners---where do they come from? UPDATED MY FAVORITE MUSIC ON YOUTUBE PAGE
***Widgets are placed throughout my website to serve as a table of contents, just scroll down to see the listings.
***The music will be changed periodically. Not all pieces will be changed. Some popular pieces will be continued.
***In this website are photo and information galleries. While you listen to music, you can view the pictures and read the text.
***At the top of the page (under the page header) is your table of contents for this website. click on whatever page you want to see.
***Photos and some text assembled from various websites. My appreciation, displayed for educational purposes only.
MY MUSIC BEGINS........................
2006, see pink indicator JAMES FARRELL, my bagpipe teacher, see blue DAVID MACHELL
The Saint Patrick's Pipe Band of Glastonbury, CT. Largely started by my Mother's five brothers who played the pipes and my grandfather who served as the band treasurer when they came to this country from county Armagh, Ireland in 1923 and settled in Manchester, CT, known in those days as a manufacturer of silk and other textiles (the Cheney Mills--a strong attraction for immigrants). Cheney Mills, South Manchester, CT Since then, I had cousins belong to the band, as well as my Father, Ernest Machell. Collectively I had 20 years in the Band (that's a lot of wind!!). I started playing at 7 years of age. The first parade I was in was in Holyoke, MA. We accompanied a car with John and Jackie Kennedy in the back seat! That was 1958 two years before he ran for president. We got to play for many famous people because there were probably only two Irish bagpipe bands in the eastern U.S., most were Scottish, of course.
The Band has been going strong since its beginnings in the 1930's. I hope many years into the future!
I learned to play bagpipes under the mentorship of Pipe Major James Farrell, a wonderful teacher and friend. We were members of the Saint Patrick's Pipe Band of Manchester then Glastonbury, CT. I will be always grateful to PM Farrell for imparting in me the knowledge to play this amazing instrument. 1960, red DAVID MACHELL (10 years old), green PATRICK ROONEY, my friend, light blue my bagpipe teacher JAMES FARRELL, pink JOHN MCPARLAND, my cousin, dark blue DON CRATTY, my cousin, yellow ERNEST MACHELL, my father. The woman in the photo was an actress hyping a new movie, "Parrish" with Troy Donahue. The film was made in Connecticut around the South Windsor area (tobacco country). The film's story was about, in part, life on a large tobacco plantation. Hartford Courant, March 12, 2010, Page 1 (photograph taken in 2006)
I began playing flute on my own, borrowing a keyless applewood flute from Patrick Clancy of Manchester, CT, an excellent Irish flute player.
I began playing the concert flute with lessons from Mr. Robert Johns in 1962 when I was 12 years old. Mr. Johns was a music educator at Illing Middle School in Manchester, CT. His primary instrument was the flute, but he played all instruments of the concert band and orchestra. He also played the double bass in the Hartford Symphony Orchestra for many years. He was a fine man and also a wonderful friend.
I was very fortunate having two fine gentlemen starting me in music. My gratitude to Mr. Johns and Mr. Farrell.
MY MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS OF THE PAST
Eastern United States Pipe Band Association (EUSPBA) The International Native American Flute Association
1964-68 Greater Hartford Youth Orchestra (First Flute and Soloist);
1971-74 Hartt Symphony Orchestra (Principal Flute), Symphonic Wind Ensemble (Principal Flute), Pro Musica Ensemble, solo recitals (Clinton Adams, pianist)
Bagpiper, collectively 20 years (three different time periods)
MANCHESTER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND CHORALE
((MANCHESTER CIVIC ORCHESTRA)
1965-68 Second flute
1966-68; 1971-73 Substitute flutist
Ellis Island, the historical gateway to America
Ellis Island, at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor, is the location of what was from January 1, 1892, until November 12, 1954 the immigrant processing facility that replaced the state-run Castle Garden Immigration Depot (1855–1890) in Manhattan. It is owned by the Federal government and is now part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, under the jurisdiction of the US National Park Service.
click on image to enlarge
ENTRANCE GATE TO MISSION CHURCH
JEMEZ MOUNTAINS
BANDELIER PARK
OUTSIDE SANTA FE
DOWNTOWN SANTA FE
MISSION CHURCH IN SPRING
RAINBOW OVER CAMEL ROCK
INN AT LORETTO
FOREST ROAD
CANYON
ACOMA PUEBLO
INN OF THE ANASAZI
A THEATER IN SANTA FE
FRANK HOWELL GALLERY
DOWNTOWN SANTA FE
PALACE OF THE GOVERNORS
LORETTO CHAPEL
SANTA FE PLAZA
DOWNTOWN SANTA FE
CIRCULAR STAIRCASE IN LORETTO CHAPEL
SANTA FE PLAZA DAYTIME
PALACE OF THE GOVERNORS
BANDELIER NATIONAL PARK
HOTEL PLAZA REAL, my hotel
LORETTO CHAPEL
STATUE "The Founding of Santa Fe"
INN AT LORETTO
STATE CAPITAL
PALACE OF THE GOVERNORS
SANTA FE OPERA
LIBRARY, SANTA FE
CATHEDRAL OF SAINT FRANCIS
A BREAD OVEN
SANTA FE HOUSE
INN AT LORETTO
TAOS PUEBLO
INN OF THE ANASASI
PALACE OF THE GOVERNORS, Native Americans selling
SUNRISE
FRANK HOWELL GALLERY, WASHINGTON STREET
FRANK HOWELL GALLERY, WASHINGTON STREET
MESA IN DESERT
The extended network of listeners of this music website and it's cousin website (see below for address) with music players [widgets] of my music on the following social networks: Myspace, iGoogle, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, WebRing, Digg, LinkedIn, ALL THINGS STRINGS.
BLOGGERWebRing Digg LINKEDIN ALL THINGS STRINGS
TOTAL NUMBER OF HITS FOR MUSIC WEBSITES = 184,985******** (as of JANUARY 23, 2012, 2:33 pm) www.machellmusic.com =79,627 & www.reverbnation.com/davidmachell =29,809 + widgets =75,549 (music players [widgets] of my music on the following social networks: Myspace, iGoogle, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, WebRing, Digg, LinkedIn, ALL THINGS STRINGS.)
Arthur Winograd was a very fine man and I was honored to play music for him several times when he was musical director/conductor of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra from 1964 -1985. Arthur Winograd, 90, died in Morristown, NJ on Thursday, April 22, 2010.
William Kincaid (1895-1967) and his $187,000 platinum flute Considered the greatest 20th century American flutist and pedagogue of the instrument, William Kincaid, was born April 26, 1895 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1921, when Kincaid was twenty-six, he moved to Philadelphia by the request of Leopold Stokowski, the conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra. It was here that Kincaid replaced Andre Maquarre as solo flutist, a position he held until his retirement in 1960. Having settled in Philadelphia, Kincaid joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in 1928 and was an original member of the Philadelphia Woodwind Quintet, which was created in 1950. This platinum flute (above) was made by Verne Q. Powell in 1939 and exhibited in the New York City World's Fair held the same year as evident by the trylon and perisphere inscriptions. Purchased by Kincaid, the flute accompanied him on numerous recitals and recordings. Following Kincaid's death in 1967, the flute was passed to one of his celebrated pupils, Elaine Shaffer. Efrem Kurtz, the distinguished conductor and widower of Shaffer, was next to inherit the flute before it was purchased at auction from Christie's in 1986, setting a world auction record for any flute sold at auction ($187,000). Today in 2010, it is obviously worth much, much more!
collages
