Sounds of the Soul | Just Breathe

Just breathe. The flute will do the rest.

It’s not quite that easy, of course. But such a symbiotic connection is an aspiration of sorts for flute maker John Mark Aladeen.

As a child in the Philippines, Aladeen was enamored by a flute fashioned from bamboo by a man at the roadside.

“I needed to have it, beyond any rational thought,” Aladeen says. “This whole journey started with that flute.”

Bamboo is an abundant form of grass seemingly designed to be made into flutes.

“Every flute that is made has its own personality,” Aladeen says. “No two are alike.”

Yet each flute, when played enough, brings Aladeen life’s essential emotions — peace and joy, a perfect elixir for times such as these.

To learn more, watch the attached video.

“Sounds of the Soul” is a Flatland arts series produced by G10 Creative. Watch for digital shorts publishing online Thursdays through July 9, then tune in at 7:30 p.m. July 16 on KCPT for the full 30-minute documentary.