New Zealand Double Reed Society

Hi everyone, You are warmly invited to come along to the New Zealand Double Reed Society's Christmas Get Together on Saturday 3 December at 5pm. Come and play in the double reed band with christmas music and lots more and/or join us at 6pm for a shared dinner. Please bring a plate of food to share for dinner (cold).  NZDRS will provide drinks. Please contact for venue Free for members; non members $5  Please invite your double reed playing friends to join us and forward this email to anyone you think might be interested. RSVP by Thursday 1 December. We look forward to seeing many of you there!

This will be our final meeting for the year. For those who haven't been before, we meet for an afternoon of chamber music with other double reed playing adults. A pleasant venue, music provided (in advance), professional tuition and afternoon tea are included in the cost of $30 for NZDRS members, $35 non members.  2.00 - 4.30pm  Sat 3 Dec Sign up by Thurs 24 November. Your music will be scanned out to you by next weekend. We have played a huge range of music this year ranging from Haydn to Edwin Carr, and Armenian folk songs to Zelenka and always have lots of fun plus there is lots of input into your playing at all levels. This session will be followed at 5pm by an hour of double reed band and then a shared meal to finish off a great year for NZDRS. More details of this to follow soon. We look forward to seeing you there.

We've elected new officers: President: Gordon Skinner Vice President: Robert Orr Secretary: Alison Jepson Treasurer: Casey Gsell Webmaster: Jacqui Hopkins We've also started up a planning committee with APO members, college and uni students, and adult members who all generously are donating their time. Casey and Alison are still running the day-to-day affairs of our branch, so still contact them with your questions.

We're having our AGM meeting on November 12 in Auckland.  All members can nominate officers for the 2012 season: President Vice President Planning Committee Social Secretary Website Manager Accountant Treasurer Secretary Come with your ideas for the New Zealand Double Reed Society, or send us an email.

Christchurch NZDRS leader, Selena Orwin, is teaching at the International Akaroa Summer Festival again this year. From Selena:  "Calling all Bassoonists! Please join me in Akaroa at the International Festival this summer for some wonderful bassooning and seriously good fun! We have a lesson every day and and the opportunity to participate in some chamber music and lunchtime recitals in a wonderfully supportive environment. In addition, there are great concerts every night presented by the faculty and excellent opportunities for social activity in an idyllic location. How could you not improve in such surroundings?! For serious students and enthusiastic amateurs alike-everyone is very welcome. I hope to see you there in January. Please check out the website and register now! (Please note the dates are not fixed yet for me within the festival but it looks as though I will be there from the 13th not the 18th as the material states at the moment) Come and experience

Congratulations to all the kiwi winners in the 2011 Australasian Double Reed Competition held in Melbourne!     Jaiqi Ai: Senior Section, Most Promising Bassoonist     Todd Gibson-Cornish: Senior Section, First Place and Best Bassoonist     Jacqui Hopkins: Weekend Warrior Section, Honourable Mention   See the full competition results on the Australasian Double Reed Society website here

Come have tapas with the New Zealand Double Reed Society and Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra members.  Hear stories about about Stravinsky's masterpiece ballet, "Le Sacre du Printemps"/"The Rite of Spring."  The show opens with one of the most famous bassoon solos of all time, and the five oboe and cor anglais players have many great moments.  The premiere of this modernist piece started a riot in the theatre!  After dinner, see the amazing show for yourself with 180 young dancers and the APO at the Aotea Centre. Family members and friends invited.  Please RSVP to NZDRS by October 10.  Buy your own tickets to the show from the APO box office.

Coming to New Zealand Double Reed Day 2011? Click here to request to join the New Zealand Double Reed Society Facebook group!  You can post your own concert and double reed news.

OBOE REED CLASSES As part of the NZDRS Day, there will be the opportunity to learn more about oboe reeds. There will be two classes: REED ADJUSTING and REED MAKING: SCRAPES. Rosslyn-Keynote Music Ltd, one of our sponsors for the event, are offering great deals for reed tools (see below). When registering, let us know which class you would like to attend and which tools you would like to order. REED ADJUSTING This class is suitable for all oboists. You will learn how to get the best from your reed, including how to check whether it is actually the reed that is misfunctioning rather than the instrument or something you are doing! You will learn simple scraping techniques, problem diagnosis and about sourcing and looking after your reed. You will need:  a reed scraping knife *, a plastic plaque,  a soft pencil, small ruler, old reeds to practice on. * a Stanley knife with a retractable NEW blade can also be used but is more difficult to handle, Craft knives are not suit

Double Reed Day is almost here!  Our sponsors really make big events like this possible.  This year, sponsors made sure we were able to book the St. Cuthbert's recital hall as well as the music school, so the ending recital and big band will be in a better hall this year.  They have made sure that there will be an accompanist for the advanced masterclasses this year, which we weren't able to fund last year.  Sponsors make sure we have the best guest artists from the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Auckland Philharmonia to come teach and perform for you. More names to come, but so far our sponsors for Double Reed Day 2011 include K.Ge Reeds/Armstrong Ward, the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, Rosslyn-Keynote Music, Ltd. and Reviol Woodwind Instruments and Repair. Double Reed Day 2011 Participant ENTRY FORM HERE

The Australasian Double Reed Society's annual conference and competition is in Melbourne this year. Good luck to all New Zealand members competing in the oboe and bassoon competition.  There are good prizes to be won in many categories. September 24/25, 2011 Scotch College, Hawthorn Melbourne, Australia More information at http://www.adrs.org.au/

Calling all oboe and bassoon players! The second New Zealand Double Reed Day is almost here! Auckland September 3, 2011 9:30am check-in 10am to 5pm This year we’re planning: chamber music for participants with professional coaches back-to-basics masterclasses for adult amateurs and students accompanied advanced masterclasses for oboe and bassoon Q & A panel with musicians and teachers oboe and bassoon reed classes student performances a recital by NZSO and APO musicians big double reed band vendors with double reed music and gear This year will be even better than last: piano accompaniment, new guest artists and coaches, new vendors, more performance opportunities, and a Q & A panel with musicians in all phases of their careers Guest artists: - Robert Orr and Peter Dykes of the NZSO - Martin Lee, Ingrid Hagan, and Rachel Guan of the APO Chamber music coaches: - Those listed above. - Gordon Skinner (Principal bassoon - emeritus, Sydney Symph

Come play bassoon quartets with other members!  Students and adults welcome.  Casey Gsell and Alison Jepson will be there to coach, and tea and scones provided.  Music will be provided beforehand, so sign up soon! June 18th, Auckland, 2pm to 4:30pm.  Email for details.

This master class was given by Camille White, Principal Oboist of Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.  Camille was the source of many interesting insights, evocative analogies and practical suggestions including : Use a mirror on your stand to check embouchure and finger position.   If it feels safe... it may not be the most interesting performance Practice articulation patterns on the reed alone (no hands) - the reed should not move.   Roll lips in from a “whistle” shape, keeping chin down and not letting corners get too wide To avoid being sharp at the end of a phrase...do not be sharp at the start...   Listen to John Mack’s recordings of Britten’s Metamorphoses to get an “non British” take on them. Camille’s warm and positive manner enabled the participants to do their best in an unfamiliar situation, and everyone left with lots of ideas to use and work on. Thank you! --Alison Jepson (excerpt from Reeding Matter , Vol. 14, No. 2)

The monthly chamber music club in Auckland is going well, and we would love to see you there.  We've had oboe, oboe d'amore, cor anglais, and bassoon players attending. Come along for an afternoon of playing chamber music with other double reed playing adults. A pleasant venue, music provided (in advance), professional tuition and afternoon tea.  Grade 6+, please. We meet every month, so email us for details!      $30 NZDRS members, $40 non members Contact for details.

The February event is a trip to see early oboes and bassoons.  Don't miss this fascinating, historical trip.