The New Zealand Double Reed Society
proudly presents the
NZDRS Oboe and Bassoon Competition 2024
The New Zealand Double Reed Society (NZDRS) is a branch of the Australasian Double Reed Society, a non-profit organisation
which promotes and enhances the knowledge of double reed instruments (oboe and bassoon family). It runs regular performer’s evenings,
masterclasses and other workshops throughout the year.
The NZDRS is excited to announce the fourth ever Oboe and Bassoon Competition. Performers are to send in
video recordings of their performance, which will be judged by oboist Helen Clinton and bassoonist Justin Sun. There are three categories;
Beginner, Intermediate, and Open, and prizes for each of these categories for both Oboists and Bassoonists!
Finalists may have their entry video posted on the NZDRS Facebook page. Please see below for competition
guidelines and how to enter.
Competition Guidelines
How to Enter
Entries will open online on March 31, 2024. To enter, entrants must fill out and submit an application form.
Entrants must then send a video recording of their performance or upload it to YouTube and send the link to:
nzdoublereeds@gmail.com
● Video recordings must be made with one fixed camera angle/location, focused such that the performer and the accompanist (if applicable) are visible at all times.
● Check videos for sound quality prior to sending.
● The repertoire that was chosen must be outlined in the email.
● The files must be clearly labelled with the entrant’s name.
● Two performance pieces may be sent as one video file or two separate files. If uploading to Youtube,
set the privacy settings for the video to ‘Unlisted’ and email the link.
● The email must be received by May 12, 2024
Submissions will not be accepted if the entrant has not filled out the online application form.
Click here for tips on recording videos.
Categories
Please choose a category at your teacher's discretion.
Beginner - Entrants who have learned for 2 years or less are to submit a recording of 1 short piece.
Intermediate - Entrants who have learned for more than 2 years and are 16 years old or under are to submit 2 short but
contrasting pieces of 4-8 minutes combined.
Open - Entrants of any age who have learned for more than 2 years are to submit 2 pieces of 8-15 minutes combined.
Please note: The categories above are guidelines, and the Judges Panel may use their
discretion to move candidates into another category as they see appropriate. Past winners must enter the next category, e.g. the junior winner from 2022 must enter Intermediate 2024
and so on. This does not apply to the Open category.
Memorisation is not required and the use of accompaniments is optional. Accompaniments can however be useful
for the performer and may help ‘fill out’ a performance. Anyone may accompany an entrant. Some accompaniment
recordings from the ABRSM syllabus can be found here: ABRSM: Downloads (select Oboe or Bassoon and then the applicable grade).
Prizes to be included from:
Oboe: Beginner
● ABI Music $200 Repair Voucher
● One K.GE KlastiG Oboe Bocal Reed (valued at $150 USD)
● $50 Cash Prize
Oboe: Intermediate
● ABI Music $200 Repair Voucher
● One K.GE KlastiG Oboe Bocal Reed (valued at $150 USD)
● $75 Cash Prize
Oboe: Open
● ABI Music $200 Repair Voucher
● One K.GE KlastiG Oboe Bocal Reed (valued at $150 USD)
● 2 x one hour lessons from a NZ based oboe teacher of your choice
(SPONSORED BY NZDRS)
● $100 Cash Prize (SPONSORED BY ABRSM)
Bassoon: Beginner
● ABI Music $200 Repair Voucher
● K.GE Reeds 10 x Artist Bassoon Reeds
● $50 Cash Prize
Bassoon: Intermediate
● ABI Music $200 Repair Voucher
● K.GE Reeds 10 x Professional Bassoon Reeds
● $75 Cash Prize
Bassoon: Open
● ABI Music $200 Repair Voucher
● K.GE Reeds 10 x Professional Bassoon Reeds
● 2 x one hour lessons from a NZ based bassoon teacher of your choice
(SPONSORED BY NZDRS)
● $100 Cash Prize (SPONSORED BY ABRSM)
Competition Information
● The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. on 12 May 2024
● Prize winners will be announced 3 June 2024
● The judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into after prizes have been announced
and the winners have been contacted.
● Winners may be asked to give the NZDRS permission to post their entry video on the NZDRS Facebook page.
● Entrants may only enter once and must be a New Zealand or Australia resident.
The entrant must provide a physical address in New Zealand or Australia as part of the application.
● The application must have accurate email addresses and phone numbers for the entrant.
Entry Fees
● Entrance fees are waived for NZDRS members.
Become a member here.
● Fees for non-members are:
$15 for Beginner category
$20 for Intermediate category
$30 for Open category.
● All entry fees are non refundable.
Adjudicators
Helen Clinton (Oboe)
Helen joined the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as Associate Principal Oboe in 2023.
Prior to this, she enjoyed a busy and varied freelance career in the UK and in Sweden, where she held a contract position
as Principal Oboe with the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra for the 2018 – 19 season and worked as an orchestral
academist alongside the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra during 2017. In addition to freelancing with
many orchestras across the north of England, Helen has notably appeared as Guest Principal Oboe with the
BBC Symphony Orchestra in the BBC Proms and performed live on BBC TV and radio with the BBC Philharmonic
Orchestra on multiple occasions.
Helen completed her studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and the Royal College of
Music in London, with teachers including Jenny Galloway and Melinda Maxwell. Immediately after graduating
she joined the Southbank Sinfonia in London for the 2015 season, and subsequently appeared as an on-stage
musician in the National Theatre’s critically acclaimed revival of Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus, which ran from
2016 – 18 and was broadcast to cinemas worldwide.
Justin Sun (Bassoon)
Justin was appointed Principal Bassoon of the NZSO in 2023, after joining the orchestra as Associate Principal in 2021.
He is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the Royal College of Music in London.
Throughout his education, he was mentored by Richard McIntyre, Andrew Barnes, Matthew Wilkie, Noriko Shimada,
Joost Bosdijk, Julie Price, Sarah Burnett and Ole Kristian Dahl.
After completing his studies in 2018, Justin was appointed Principal Bassoon of the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra in Denmark,
where he worked for 3 years before moving to New Zealand. He has performed as guest principal with many orchestras worldwide,
including Sydney Symphony, Australian Opera and Ballet, Scottish Chamber, Royal Philharmonic and BBC Symphony.
Sponsors
The NZDRS would like to thank our sponsors, whose generosity has made it possible to hold this competition:
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact the New Zealand Double Reed Society.
Email: nzdoublereeds@gmail.com
Website: www.nzdrs.org.nz
THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 SPONSORS!
