‘Voicing’ TJ Piccolos

The 'Voicing' of each TJ headjoint stands as a pivotal aspect of our piccolo design and production. Andrew Oxley, a skilled flute player and maker, possesses a deep understanding of what makes an instrument truly 'sing' and the significance of enabling every player to discover their distinct musical voice. With almost five decades of experience, Andrew meticulously handcrafts the embouchure of each TJ Grenadilla & Rosewood (Mopane) piccolo headjoint.

Through a precise process of refining the embouchure to his own measurements, Andrew plays the headjoint and artfully shapes it until its unique 'Voice' emerges. As a dedicated professional flute maker based in England, he specialises in headjoint manufacturing, repair, and restoration. His long-standing collaboration with TJ flutes has led him to 'Voice’ every wooden flute and piccolo headjoint in their range.

Andrew's journey in headjoint making began in 1976 while studying at the Royal College of Music. Whilst at the R.C.M, he studied with Edward Walker, principal piccolo at the London Symphony Orchestra, who was a unique piccolo player in his own right.  During Andrew’s final year at R.C.M. he studied piccolo as an additional specialised subject and subsequently played piccolo in many recording sessions including film work.  Although he loved perfroming, it was his fascination with flute headjoint making which led to him a change of career.  

Although he has crafted 52 flutes in a mix of silver and gold over the years, it is the headjoint that has become his true passion and specialty, resulting in over 1500 headjoints made using an array of diverse materials. Remarkably, one of his creations was made from a brass tube retrieved from the wreckage of a sunken armed ship, torpedoed in 1918!

His expertise has attracted collaborations with esteemed flautists such as William Bennett, Adrian Brett, Atarah Ben-Tovim, Susan Milan, Julie Wright, and many others.

Andrew Oxley

Flute and headjoint maker