The Emanuel Flute, introduced in 1991, is known to top flutists as an instrument that both delights and challenges. With carefully studied, faithfully rendered design, and consistently precise construction, Emanuel’s instruments allow the professional player to explore the full dynamic and expressive range of the flute. The Emanuel Flute’s colorful sound projects well in demanding orchestral settings, and blends its singing tone in ensemble playing of all types. That’s the simple claim that was made in 1991, and it remains true today.

What makes these flutes so special?
With Emanuel, you won’t have glossy advertising spreads or paid endorsements to help you define a “niche” for these exquisite instruments. But Emanuel Flutes are different, and you may have to do a little research to understand why. Emanuel Arista builds flutes like no other instrument-maker in the United States today. Flutes are commissioned by, and built for, an individual. When you pick up the phone to call the workshop, you’ll speak directly with the flute-maker. He will listen to your concerns and will build the flute you need, to your specifications. Emanuel doesn’t assemble flute components brought in from unnamed manufacturers and doesn’t dilute his time or energy with outsourcing. Flute parts are designed and produced in Emanuel’s home-based workshop. The hand-fitted mechanism of the Emanuel Flute is so tight, so precise, that your flute should play for 100 years; and at that advanced age, if pitch or musical tastes have changed, its shapely keywork will still recommend it as a collector’s prize.
Then, of course, there’s the sound. You can’t separate the way a flute sounds -- to you, to your audience, as you change and grow over time, and in a variety of settings -- from the way it’s made. Every silver-soldered joint, every oiled pivot, contributes to an acoustic and aesthetic whole that results in a round, warm tone, full with harmonics. The Emanuel Flute has a complex sound that adapts and evolves with your own artistry, stretching you, rewarding your effort. There’s a little magic going on here. Well, maybe not. But the fact is, no one can explain why, in the hands of their owners, these flutes grow more responsive and resonant as time passes.
The late Roger Stevens, former principal flutist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, had this to say about one of the very first Emanuel Flutes: “I was impressed with the quality workmanship. The response of this instrument is even and reflects well the player’s intent. The color possibilities in each register are unusually versatile and well balanced, with a broad dynamic range that seems limited only by the player’s input. Overall, I was very impressed.” For more customer comments, click here.

Who should play an Emanuel Flute?
Anyone who loves working with its sound. Anyone who values fine craftsmanship in traditional form. Flutists who want personal service from the flute-maker. Artists who want to play an instrument made by an artist, and who are willing to try a flute that is less commercially visible than the mass-produced, high-volume brands on the market today.
A self-taught flute-maker, Emanuel has been building instruments for 30 years. Read his biography to learn more. Today’s Emanuel Flutes and headjoints are the product of his singular commitment to the art and craft of flute-making. They’re slow art for a fast world.