Shuichi Tanaka, founder of ALTUS, is one of today’s most amazing flute makers emerging from the Japanese flute manufacturing tradition. As a gifted flautist, Tanaka has developed from early on – during his flute studies with Toshio Takahashi – a genuine interest in the sound qualities and technical aspects of his instrument As a flautist, the construction of the headjoint became his first fascinat
ion. Thoroughly, he investigated all the factors influencing the sound of the instrument, since every cut, file stroke and material combination provoques a change of sound. After having spent five years of training in manufacturing flutes at the Muramatsu company , followed by work in senior positions with Miyazawa and Takumi, he finally created his „own flute“ in 1981, working patiently after hours in focused isolation. His extensive experience as a flute maker and and his enthusiasm for the European flute manufacturing tradition (Böhm, Lot, Hammig etc.) Tanaka‘s affable collaboration and friendship with the London virtuoso William Bennett led to the invention of the „Bennett-Scale“ giving ALTUS flutes their characteristic precise intonation. Today many international artist love the character of the ALTUS flutes, such as William Bennet, Michael Cox, Denis Bouriakov, Alena Walentin, Ana de la Vega, the list goes on.. If you want to learn more about the brand, please visit our website: www.altusflutes.eu
