Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn to play the flute
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Beginners on the flute start by making a sound on the head joint alone, then build up embouchure, breath control and tonguing until they can read and play simple tunes. Once you can manage a few notes, there are flute choirs and beginner bands that welcome players of all abilities.
Moderate£100 to £500 / $130 to $650MonthsIndoorsAlone or with othersUK and US
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What it's really like
City Lit's Flute 1A, an 11-session Friday evening course in London, starts with first sounds on the head joint, then embouchure, breath control, tone, posture, tonguing and slurring, reading the treble clef and playing tunes, with introductory scales and arpeggios. You do not need to read music beforehand. The college suggests at least 20 minutes' practice a day on at least four days a week.
You bring your own flute and cleaning accessories, plus two tutor books. Hiring is an option; Dawkes Music's beginner flute rental includes a hard case, a cleaning rod and a cleaning swab.
Playing with others comes early. The British Flute Society's directory lists flute choirs by region, and some take beginners. In the US, the National Flute Association has a committee for adult amateurs, from beginners to returning players, which runs an adult flute choir at its convention.
Ways in and what they cost
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| City Lit, London | Flute 1A: 11 Friday evening sessions of 90 minutes from 18 September 2026; complete beginners and returners; bring your own flute | £229 |
| Oldham Music Service, Oldham | Late Starters band (Adult Training Wind Band): Wednesday evenings; for players with basic knowledge who can play and read a few notes | £71 a term |
| Flute-It!, Portsmouth (British Flute Society directory) | Flute choir: Thursday evenings; all ages and abilities welcome | £3 a session |
| Museum of Making Music, Carlsbad, California | New Horizons Beginning Band: Wednesdays, 12 August to 9 December 2026; for adults who have never learned a band instrument; flute among the instruments | $125 for the session |
Dawkes Music listed its Yamaha YFL-212 beginner flute rental at £25 a month including VAT, with a three-month minimum and maintenance and insurance included.
How to start
- Book a beginners' class at an adult education college or a community music school; City Lit's Flute 1A suits complete beginners and returning players.
- Get a student flute, bought or hired by the month from a music shop, and the tutor books your course asks for.
- Once you can play a few notes, look up a flute choir near you in the British Flute Society's directory, or join a beginner band.
Where to go
- City Lit: Flute 1A, for beginners (London) UK
- British Flute Society: UK flute choir directory UK
- National Flute Association: Adult Flutist and Amateur Resources Committee US
- Museum of Making Music: New Horizons Beginning Band, fall 2026 (Carlsbad, California) US
We opened these links on 8 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Do I need to read music to learn the flute?
No. City Lit says you do not need to read music before Flute 1A; reading treble clef notation is taught on the course.
Can I hire a flute instead of buying one?
Yes, from some music shops. Dawkes Music listed a beginner flute at £25 a month with a three-month minimum, and from month four half of each payment can be credited towards buying an instrument from them.
Are there flute choirs for beginners?
Some. The British Flute Society's directory lists Piccolissimo in Southampton for beginners up to Grade 5, and groups such as Flute-It! in Portsmouth and the Chiddingfold Flute Group in Surrey welcome all abilities.
How much should I practise the flute?
City Lit suggests at least 20 minutes a day on at least four days a week for its beginners' course.
Where this comes from: City Lit, Flute 1A (ME111A); Dawkes Music, Rent a flute in C; British Flute Society, Flute choir directory; British Flute Society, home page; Oldham Council, Adult Community Wind Band; National Flute Association, Adult Flutist and Amateur Resources Committee; Museum of Making Music, New Horizons Fall Band Session 2026; SUNY Fredonia news, James Gibbons of the New Horizons Band of Western New York (1 April 2009). Opened 8 November 2026.
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