Our
beloved Eldred Spell left us this week. His family, his students at Western
Carolina University and the flute world lost a brilliant, accomplished human
being. Not only was he a fine flutist, insightful and diligent teacher, piccolo
head joint maker, collector of flutes, repairer and rebuilder of flutes, but
the best friend a person could have. He was always willing to help his colleagues,
friends and students with whatever they needed. Fix your flute, give medicine
to your cat, repair your car - he was there.
Eldred’s connection with Wildacres started in 1978, the first year it hosted a flute class. Competition was fierce to attend as a performer in William Bennett’s class, but once he submitted his audition tape, he was in. In fact, he was the first flutist to play for Wibb in the very first class. He got us off to a roaring start.
Eldred attended the Wildacres flute classes every year in these beginning years, and with his first wife, Jan, helped with the organization and implementation of the program, preparing food for parties, fixing broken flutes, or taking someone to a doctor, we could always count on the Spells. Eldred also started the flute repair class at Wildacres and acted as Wibb’s teaching assistant some years.
In the meantime, Eldred went back to school (Michigan State University) where he earned his PhD, after which he was offered a part-time teaching job as the flute teacher at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. (A Charleston boy, he became addicted to the lure of the mountains of North Carolina after experiencing Wildacres.) That part-time job morphed over 35 years into a Full Professor position and national recognition as an expert on all things flute.
Eldred continued his association with the Wildacres Flute Retreat as a guest presenter. We never quite knew what he would want to talk about but we knew it was be fascinating. This past summer (2022) he carted up a good portion of his massive flute collection - estimated to be over 300 flutes - and proceeded to describe flutes from many different cultures, as well as historical flutes. Amara Guitry assisted him by actually playing all these flutes. A wager was made that he would find a flute she couldn’t play. He lost when she managed to get a sound out of his Nose Flute. Such a fun evening with lots of laughter.
And it was to be Wildacres' last time with our beloved Eldred Spell. Rest well, Dear Friend, and Thank You for everything.
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