Instrument Accuracy for a Musician Character

[insidiousraven]

Hello!  This is my first post, and something I have been beating myself up over all alone.  Now I get to talk to you fine people about my Ren problems.

I am narrowing in my persona as a bard/musician, and am curious about instruments to take and prepare music for.  I am a fairly accomplished flutist, so of course have a nice silver concert flute.  I also have a bamboo flute in the key of A, and am also thinking of getting a pennywhistle.  And, when I have more money, a Gemshorn.  Maybe a recorder, too.

My question is, what types of instruments should I focus on building into my persona, and which ones should I prepare music for?  Next year I'm going to try out for the KCRF as a street performer.  I'm not sure what their expectations will be of me, but I want to be prepared as far as period instruments, and also build a formidable and well thought out character.

Any thoughts as to instruments I should buy / what materials they should be made out of?  Thanks!

[Capt Robertsgrave Thighbiter]

Rule of Faire - never take anything that you can not afford to loose.
A concert flute doesn't seem to fall in that category.

[Prof. John Bull]

Unless historical accuracy is, specifically, what you try to achieve in being at fest, don't try for it.  There are a handful of people who strive for historicity in their instruments at fest (Owain Phyfe comes to mind), but they are the exception rather than the rule and are heavily involved in the early music scene outside of fest.

My advice would be to:
1) Stick with the modern flute with its improved loudness, dynamic control, and ability to play in all keys
2) Take a cheap flute to fest, either a crummy one you already have or a cheap one from eBay or craigslist.

I have cheap fiddles I use at fest, one basically a garage sale instrument I found on craigslist, the other a Chinese instrument shipped to me directly from the factory.

You'll have plenty to do in selecting and memorizing suitable material without having to switch instruments.