The perception of the flute is often one of elegance, grace and poise. It’ as if she put on her best evening dress with a pearl necklace and sipped on a glass of something French.
But what if the flute let her hair down, ripped holes in her jeans, lit up a cigarette and cracked open a can of Bud Light? Enter The Inline G Flute Podcast.
Inline G is a fresh, innovative and raucous weekly podcast diving into the world of flute. With a mixture of solo episodes with just myself and a cocktail, to guest episodes with some of the world’s biggest flute personalities, it’s the podcast on a mission to present the flute in the light it deserves.
Luck of the Irish
The core principle behind Inline G is that no topic is off the table. From analyses of the deep eroticism of Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé”, to toxic masculinity in the flute world, or from the history of the French and American Flute Schools to online arguments in the community; every topic is welcome.
As a man from Belfast, humour and storytelling are in my DNA, as is the knack for using comedy as a tool to cope with political and social challenges. This DNA is what helps set Inline G apart from anything else in the flute world.
When I was studying in the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, or later at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris, I craved something that made the flute world more relatable. Posh English accents and well-read American academics are all well and good, but their way of communicating was world’s away from what I grew up with in Ireland.
In recent years Belfast has become a hub of comedy, with a stand up and podcasting scene that pound-for-pound could compete with anywhere in the world. If so many Belfast natives can use self-deprecation and irony to such hilarious effect online, why shouldn’t classical music get a slice of the cake?
Having fluted and lived in the UK, France and now Germany, I’ve noticed a recurring phenomenon: The Post-Concert Pint.
A beautiful space where classical musicians allow their true feelings to join us for a Guinness, discussing long into the night topics that would be far too inappropriate for the cold light of day (with some choice language thrown in for good measure). What if we could capture that atmosphere, and put it out on the internet?
And so with these things in mind, Inline G was born. A podcast that combines the Irish love of rebelliousness, with the confidence of a piccolo player who’s 4 pints deep.
A Tale of Two Podcasts
The Inline G Flute Podcast has a new episode every single Friday (pinky promise), released as a video version on YouTube or as audio on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Despite these weekly releases, the podcast falls into 2 very distinct categories. The first is solo episodes.
Hosted by myself with a straw in something tropical, solo episodes feature heavily researched scripts, jumping into the topics flute players love to chat at the pub about. Did Mozart really hate the flute, or was he just being a typically moody 22-year-old? Can one simultaneously explain true flute intonation using Pythagorean theorem whilst recounting the crush they had on their high school maths teacher? Is the American flute school just the French flute school with an American accent?
These are the questions you’ll find answers to, as well as diving into the likes of mental health specials, advice for music college and zooming in on the Facebook flute community. Then in the blue corner, we have the guest episodes.
Now firstly, cards on the table: I never wanted guests on Inline G. The first was my old flatmate Jakob, a German who’s only knowledge of flute is hearing it through his bedroom wall has we lived through lockdown together. This was meant as a one-off treat to celebrate 10 episodes, and I had every intention of it staying that way.
However, one Tuesday afternoon, I see an email pop up on my phone. It’s from Gary Schocker. Yes, THE Gary Schocker. He had found the podcast through a friend and was a fan of its openness, seeing it as the perfect platform to address some things.
So, on he came, and since then the podcast guest list has ended up like me in a Denny’s: out of control.
So far, we’ve had the likes of Zofia Neugebauer, Magali Mosnier, Nicole Esposito, Stephen Clark, Alexis Kossenko, Hélène Boulègue, Greg Patillo, Alberto Navarra, Julien Beaudiment, Rafael Adobas Bayog, Marianna Busslechner and so many more, all gracing the podcast.
(Excuse me whilst I pick up those names I dropped.)
These guest episodes have one clear goal: to get to know these players as people, not just as flutists. It’s meant to feel like we’re at the back of a dimly lit Irish pub at 11pm, with nothing more than a few whiskeys and some stories to keep us company. I get to pick the brains of my favourite players, asking them the things I’ve always wanted to know, whilst the listener comes along for the ride.
What’s Julien Beaudiment’s favourite cocktail? What has Nicole Esposito got to do with the FBI? What was the first album Zofia Neugebauer ever bought? You’ll only find those answers on Inline G.
Why should you tune in?
In a flute world that is often sterilised and cleaned up for its media appearances, The Inline G Flute Podcast fills an important gap, and it can do so because of the unique community built around it.
Through Patreon, everything is listener funded. If listeners can afford it, they can sign up to pay me the price of a pint once a month. They don’t get any extra content, and everyone can listen to the podcast for free; but if they can afford it, the donations keep the podcast growing. It’s a system based on kindness and soundness, and I’m overwhelmed with the generosity shown.
Also, because of this self-funded model, I’m not adhering to the whims of sponsors, so the podcast remains a space for complete expression.
The Inline G Podcast community is the most empathetic, compassionate and downright hilarious corner of the flute world, and there’s always space for a few more.
So come on in, the water’s lovely x
The Inline G Flute Podcast releases new episodes every Friday, on platforms including YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or anywhere you can find podcasts.
Shake Up Your Style: The Inline G Flute Merchandise Store is Open!
The Inline G Flute Merchandise store is here, and it’s shaking things up! From bold designs to top-quality gear, this is the merch the flute world has been waiting for. Featuring the eye-catching artwork of Irish designer Gra, this collection has style written all over it. With stunning photography by Kat and modeling from the effortlessly cool Marianna, Niall, and Joseph, we’ve mixed up the perfect blend of fun and flair. It’s as refreshing as a well-crafted cocktail – flute style!
Ready to level up your wardrobe? Check it out now and bring a little extra sparkle to your flute life!
Gareth Houston
www.garethhouston.com | The Inline G Flute Podcast on Youtube | on Spotify
Hailing from Belfast, Ireland, Gareth Houston is a classical flutist, teacher and podcaster living in Köln, Germany. Having graduated from both the Royal Welsh College of Music, and the École Normale de Musique de Paris, Gareth relocated to Germany where he enjoys a diverse freelance career.
Gareth appears regularly as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician across Europe, and more recently has added the launch of The Inline G Flute Podcast to his professional portfolio.
