Diann Flanagan   Wed, 12 Jan 2000 13:40:35 EST
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Greetings,

I am 43 years old and live on Long Island in New York.  I began playing the 
guitar when I was about 11 years old.  Shortly after, my school took a trip 
into the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and I wandered through 
the Music room with headphones on listening to the antique instruments that 
were displayed there.  When I came to the section with the lutes I was in 
awe.  I was immediately drawn to their beauty and the sound that I heard was 
pure heaven.  From that time on I was a 'want-a-be' lutenist.  For almost 25 
years I played Renaissance music on the guitar, not knowing that lutes could 
be found outside of glass cages and that lutenists walked the earth. 

I took my degrees in Biology and taught for 13 years.  I have 4 children, 
Emily -16, Patrick - 14, Brian -12 and Kyle - 7).  After the birth of my 4th 
child, I resigned my teaching position to stay at home. That "superwoman" act 
can only last for so long!  Life was as it always had been.  Then, one 
Sunday, two years ago I was looking through the paper and saw a full page 
picture of lutenist Christopher Morrongiello with his lute advertising a
concert in a local museum that very day.  With less than an hour before the 
concert began, I packed my children in the car and drove like a bat out of 
hell to get there on time.  As I listened, my son kept elbowing me "Mom, you 
play that piece."  It was 'Go From My Window' and 'The Cobbler' and new 
things of beauty as I had never imagined.  

Chris graciously agreed to give me lessons.  I learned to read tablature with 
my classical guitar until I was able to get a lute.  In a strange turn of 
fate, the week before the lute arrived, my 4 year old son fell into my guitar 
case completely destroying my beautiful 20 year old Takamine guitar. (Do you 
have your expensive instruments insured in case of such an event?  I didn't). 
 At that moment, there was no turning back.

So, for two years I have been following my passion.  I get the kids off to 
school and take up the lute.  My house has never looked worse - but, it 
doesn't matter.  I am so very happy.  Hiro Wantanabe of Japan build me an 
eight course lute that I picked up last summer.  He is building me a 6 course 
lute that should be ready this July.  

I love reading through manuscripts and typesetting using Fronimo.  Right now 
I am working my way through the Siena Manuscript.  Words cannot describe the 
magic hidden within the ink scratching of a scribe.  I haven't yet found a 
piece that I don't love.  I just love the lute.  Heaven on earth would be to 
spend a couple of hours - days - weeks sitting in the library turning pages 
of the Capirola Lute Book, or Pickeringe,  or Board. . . it wouldn't matter, 
they are all fascinating.  This unfortunately, would not be my husbands idea 
of a vacation.  What is it with these people who don't love the lute?

Some people go through their lives without finding their hearts desire. I 
have been lucky enough to find mine.   Joining this lute net has been more 
than educational.  It has been an inspiration and a continued support.  

Thank you.

Sincerely,
 
Diann Flanagan