WOODWIND players are rising to the challenge of playing a new monster-sized flute which cost £6,000.

The Forest Flute Choir is delighted with the addition of the huge sub contrabass, which plays three octaves below the normal concert flute and takes a lot of skill and puff to play.

Affectionately known as ‘le petit Bernard’, the flute was designed and built in Holland but later sold to All Flutes Plus in London.

The cost of £6,000 was raised through donations, a decade of fundraising and a grant from the New Grove Trust in Monmouth.

Fiona Crawley, conductor and founder of the Forest Flute Choir, said: “It’s incredibly exciting for us. Not only is it the largest and deepest flute most people will ever see, but it actually takes us from being a decent regional choir to being able to perform as a flute orchestra on a national stage.

“Currently, ‘Bernard’ is being tamed by senior flautist Tim Bateman from Mitcheldean and its first public outing will be at Mitcheldean Church this Saturday (May 6).”

The flute choir performs a wide variety of music, appealing to all ages and abilities, ranging from Bach and Purcell through to Gershwin, jazz and more avant-garde modern pieces.

The flute choir recently joined forces with the Cardiff Amateur Flute Ensemble to perform at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff, and was also invited to perform at the Birmingham Conservatoire with The National Flute Orchestra in The Adrian Boult auditorium.