When Gary Stroutsos was in college back in the ‘70s he attended a Jethro Tull concert – and was never the same afterward.

Mesmerized by the flute sounds of Ian Anderson, he went to a pawnshop and bought a beginner’s flute for $35.

Largely self-taught, Stroutsos had another epiphany during his first big gig, in 1997. A history buff, he discovered his passion while performing with “The American Indian Music and Dance Tour,” where world music met traditional Native American music.

“It (was) an honor being invited, not being a tribal member,” Stroutsos explains. “I wanted to celebrate what Lewis and Clark heard, not what they saw.”

Considered a master world flutist today, Stroutsos will appear at the Kirkland Performance Center on Friday, May 4 to remember the songs through music and film.

Dan Mayer, KPC executive director, says: “It’s our goal to bring artists and programs that really count to our community. Stroutsos does that. His work with (filmmaker) Ken Burns brings a unique quality to the performance. Audiences are captivated by his enthusiasm, learning about the Native culture without being lectured. We’re delighted to have him.”

In a recent interview in Kirkland, Stroutsos revealed that he learned the flute on his own but later studied with great flutists, including James Newton and Demilio Lozano; also, with great Native flutists Kevin Locke Lakota, Keith Bear Mandan Hidatsa and Bryan Akipa Dakota.

A documentary film, “Remembering the Songs,” will also be shown during the event at KPC. Julie Cajune, executive director of the Center for American Indian Policy at Salish Kootenai College in Pablo, Mont., will make a rare appearance, according to Stroutsos. “Remembering The Songs” gives a glimpse of song keepers and music makers from the Dine, Zuni and Salish communities. “Through the film we invite you to experience a brief moment of the power and meaning of song,” he says.

“I’m excited to show the film,” Cajune said in a recent phone interview. “Most have limited understanding and this explains it fairly well. The songs have particular uses. During the film, what the first song actually says is based in prayer for rain.”

During the 1997 tour, filmmaker Ken Burns of PBS fame invited Stroutsos to perform at the White House. He recalls, “I saw a glimpse of Ken Burns and President Clinton walking to the podium. Picture that, you’re playing a simple melody and who’s coming right up the chute, these two guys in blue blazers.”

He continues: “Even more profound, there’s a waiting room with a blue rug and all the different busts of presidents. I look out the window thinking, wait a minute, there’s cars out there, I’m inside the White House, not outside just looking in. That really blew my mind.”

When asked about a memorable performance, he shares this story: “I am playing this haunting song at the People’s Center in Pablo, Mont. Performing, bringing alive music and memories of people who are gone but dear to the heart of Native Americans. One of the elders cried while listening to the sounds that she did not hear anymore, saying it reminded her of relatives and days gone by. My own tears fell.”

Stroutsos lives in Seattle; he moved here from California in 1979 with his wife and two children. He smiles while reminiscing about coming to Kirkland to promote jazz music. “Kirkland was a sleepy little village then.”

He says, “The Indian and other cultures’ stories are being lost to our youth. Creating music with storytelling allows me to share the knowledge I’ve learned from so many people.  Indian kids need Indian role models, but I encourage new listeners.”

What advice does he have for young flute players? “Get a foundation, really work on a sound you can call your own. Put your fingerprint on it. Feel good about what you are playing,” he says.

He offers what he calls his “Top 10 secrets”: “Think melodically. Dynamics. Tone. Power in silence. Sound like landscapes. Take chances, creating on the spot. Have a story behind your song. Find spiritual underpinnings. Be original. Have a sound you call your own.”

For information visit www.kpcenter.org or www.GaryStroutsos.com.

Peggy Kunkel is a student in the University of Washington News Laboratory.