Mark your calendar and plan to join us for another exciting season of flute events!
Oct 25, 2026 Review and Contest
Nov 6-7, 2026 RAFA Artist Competition
Nov 7, 2026 RAFA Flute Fair
Date TBD Flute Choir Day
Date TBD Solo and Ensemble Fest
Date TBD RAFA Members’ Recital
Aug 2026 – May 2027 Flute choirs
Review and Contest (42nd annual)
Sunday, October 25, 2026
Time and venue TBD
Flutists of all ages perform solos for judges’ comments. Contest winners receive scholarships and participate in the Student Showcase recital at the RAFA Flute Fair on Saturday, November 7.
See Review and Contest for the guidelines, repertoire lists, and registration.
RAFA Artist Competition (11th annual)
Friday-Saturday, November 6-7, 2026
Highland United Methodist Church
1901 Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC
National-level competition for advanced flutists age 17 and above; $1750 in prizes. Friday evening’s Semi-final round is open to the public. The Final round will be held during the Flute Fair on Saturday, November 7.
See RAFA Artist Competition for details.
RAFA Flute Fair (37th annual) with guest artist Rama Kumaran
Saturday, November 7, 2026
Highland United Methodist Church
1901 Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC
The day’s offerings will include the Final round of the 11th annual RAFA Artist Competition and the Student Showcase recitals featuring winners of the 2026 Review and Contest. Vendors will be on site with flutes and accessories for sale.
Rama Kumaran is a flutist in Nashville, TN. He has played the official recordings of Herman Beeftink’s flute music for the last 10 years. As a teenager, he was the youngest winner of the National Flute Association’s Young Artist Competition, later completing his Bachelors at Vanderbilt University and his Masters in classical and early music at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. As a Pearl Artist, he’s proud to represent Pearl’s low flutes — most recently, as a guest artist giving masterclasses, workshops, and recitals at university departments and flute festivals across the USA. Rama plays piccolo in the Jackson Symphony in west Tennessee, and as a Nashville recording artist he’s played orchestral and folk flutes on the soundtracks of movies, video games, and theme park attractions. When he’s not practicing or out with friends, he’s watching his favorite streamers or leveling up his characters in Honkai: Star Rail. www.ramaflute.com
Flute Choir Day
Solo and Ensemble Fest (23rd annual)
Date and venue TBD
Graded repertoire examinations for all ages; participants can choose to enter the solo and/or ensemble category. Each solo participant prepares a solo and etude from their chosen division, as well as specific required scales. Ensemble participants prepare one ensemble piece; no etude or scales are required for ensembles.
RAFA Members’ Recital
Date and venue TBD
This end-of-year recital features RAFA members performing in solos, small ensembles, and flute choirs. Invite family and friends, and enjoy an afternoon of music. Bring light snacks to share for a celebration after.
Flute choirs
August 2026 – May 2027
RAFA offers six flute choirs in the Triangle:
Carolina Flute Choir (beginner/all levels, all ages)
Triangle Flute Orchestra (intermediate level, all ages)
Durham Flute Choir (intermediate level, all ages)
Flutastix (intermediate level, high school junior through adult)
Synchronicity (intermediate level and above, all ages)
City of Oaks Flute Ensemble (advanced level, all ages)
See Flute Choirs for information.