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And just like that, 2021 is almost over. We'd like to thank each and everyone of you for supporting our family business, and helping keep Orpheus Music alive for the past two covid-filled years.
We are hoping that next year will bring back our courses for our Australian recorder players. Click here to find out more about our 2022 course and to keep updated with news about registration.
We look forward to organising another composition competition to support the growing number of Australian composers writing for the recorder. Next year will be for Recorder Orchestra.
In this week's Gecko, we look over the most popular items that you've enjoyed. What were the most popular plastic and wooden recorders, and sheet music sold over the last year?
And for a special surprise, we share a very special interview with virtuoso recorder player Alicia Crossley and her new Album "Bass Instincts".
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In first and second place was the Alouette and Haka plastic recorders. Aulos (Jap) have continuedly topped the market for great plastic descants for years now.
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In third place was Zen-on A415 plastic Bressan recorder. And you must have all fallen in love with it, because in fourth place was the A440 version!
Click here for the A415
Click here for the A440
No idea what this A=440 is about? Click here for info about historical and modern pitch.
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Bressan Treble 415 and 440 Hz
New model just released. The G-1A 415 Hz is the first affordable Treble recorder in Baroque tuning. Based on the hugely popular G-1A resin treble.
- Especially noted for its accurate intonation and impeccable voicing.
- Now with concave windway surfaces - usually only seen in handmade wooden recorders
- Undercut tone holes A=415 Hz Baroque tuning - a first for affordable treble recorders
- Based on fine historic instruments, designed by Shigeharu Hirao-Yamaoka and Hiroyuki Takeyama
- A marvellous instrument for recreating the music of the Baroque period.
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Studio Descant Recorder in Pearwood
Unsurprisingly Kung's Studio Pearwood descant took the first place. Ideal for those upgrading from a plastic or looking for their first wooden recorder, this model is the go to choice.
2nd Place - Mollenhauer Student Descant Recorder in Pearwood
3rd Place - Canta Descant Recorder in Pearwood
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Denner Treble Recorder in Pearwood
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In top spot for treble went to Mollenhauer's Pearwood Denner model. Ideal for Baroque repertoire, this popular instrument is a popular upgrade from plastic recorders.
2nd Place - Adri's Dream Treble Recorder in Pearwood
3rd Place - Canta Treble Recorder in Pearwood
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Studio Tenor Recorder in Pearwood
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Kung took the top three places of wooden tenors with their Studio tenor range. If you look at our finger spacing for tenors, its clear why this is everyone's top model for smaller hands.
2nd Place - Studio Tenor Recorder in Maple
3rd Place - Studio Tenor Recorder in Stained Pearwood
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Denner Bass Recorder in Cherrywood
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Mollenhauer's lightest bass recorder made from cherrywood top the top spot. Its newly designed bass cap with crook which is cleverly designed wind channelling allows for the air to pass through unobstructed and produce a clear and noise-free sound in all registers.
2nd Place - Zen on Bass in Cherrywood
3rd Place - Kung Superio Knick Bass in Cherrywood
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Music Practice Diary
Looking to keep motivated next year with your recorder practice? These specially designed diaries are for music students at any age or level. Includes useful info at the beginning with musical periods, manuscript pages, a composer timeline and terms/symbols.
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Bass Insticts - an Interview with Alicia Crossley
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Alicia Crossley, one of Australia's leading recorder players, presents an exciting program of new Australian works for Bass recorder. With diverse compositions written by some of Australia’s leading female composers, Bass Instincts explores the instinctual musicality, versatility and virtuosity of this unique instrument. Alex Joly recently interviewed Alicia to find out more about this wonderful album.
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Firstly - how have you been after our long 106-day lockdown in Sydney?
I've been doing pretty well, all things considered. Thankfully I had some work in addition to putting the final touches on "Bass Instincts" to keep me busy during the recent lockdown.
What was the concept or inspiration for your newest album?
"Bass Instincts" celebrates two things, the versatility and virtuosity of the bass recorder, and Australian female composers. Promoting the bass recorder has long been a passion of mine and "Bass Instincts" is my latest project that aims to showcase the unique musical qualities of the bass recorder through specially composed compositions by local composers.
What is your creative process when you are collaborating with the composers when writing new music for the recorder?
The creative process differs for each collaboration since each composer has their own method of writing. Some composers have very strong ideas about what they want to write and only need minimal workshopping, while other composers will have multiple ideas that they want to explore and we will workshop regularly to build a piece. When I ask a composer to collaborate on a new composition, I will approach them with either the specific instrumentation (such as my album "Muse" which features recorder and string quartet repertoire), or a theme for the composition. Even though I often regularly workshop ideas with composers, I like to give them as much compositional freedom as possible and act more as a guide who offers technical advise to fine tune the composition.
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Were there any compositions or composers in this album who challenged your artistic aesthetic or recorder techniques/playing styles in an unexpected way?
I got to explore a diverse range of writing style with the composers selected for "Bass Instincts". In Anne Boyd's "Alhekulyele", we explored a range of sung chant-like melodies that weave through the recorder line to create an ancient soundscape. Amanda Cole's compositions often feature microtonal structures which is one compositional format I have not really worked with, so it was wonderful to get to work so closely with Amanda to find the best notes to use on the bass recorder to achieve her interferance beat-based composition. Exploring textural sounds to form the foundation for Fiona Hill's "Lost in the Darkness" was also an exciting collaborative process. It isn't unusual for composers to feature extended techniques in contemporary compositions, but it was interesting to explore these technique with the integration of live electronics and finding extended techniques that had the correct texture for the theme of the piece.
How did our 2021 lockdown affect your album/musical career?
Like many musicians, lockdowns meant our performing careers were put on hold with many concerts cancelled. During this time I was focusing on planning future projects, finalising details for the "Bass Instincts" cd release, and I also had the opportunity to film some music videos to help build my online presence.
How has your style evolved since your very first album "Addicted to Bass" ? What has made you return to the bass recorder for a second album?
A lot has changed since I released "Addicted to Bass" 10 years ago. "Addicted to bass" was not only my first recording project, but also my first major solo performing project after completing tertiary studies. While I was confident in my performing abilities, I don't think I truly knew or accepted my individual playing style. Since then, I have become far more familiar with my performing strengths and weaknesses, and feel much more confident to offer specific advice about writing for the recorder when collaborating with composers.
Returning to the bass recorder for a second album was always on my radar since I believe the instrument has so much virtuosic potential that needs to be promoted, but I had other projects that I wanted to embark on before dedicating my time to working on an another exclusively bass recorder album. I also wanted to take my time to find the right combination of composers to work with to curate a new album that would best showcase the versatility of the bass recorder.
Where can we see you perform?
I will soon be announcing new dates for my "Bass Instincts" tour which had to be postponed due to lockdowns this year, and I'll be joining Pinchgut Opera for some of their concerts in 2022.
What’s next for you? What are you looking forward to in 2022?
I am so excited to get back on the concert hall stage in 2022 and performing for audiences again. I will finally get to perform the world premiere of all the pieces created for "Bass Instincts" and I'll be starting some new exciting collaborations.
Lastly, are there any artists (recorder or otherwise) that you adore, and that you feel need to be heard at the moment (or that touched you during lockdown)?
There are many people in the music industry who I admire, particularly those advocating new music. Genevieve Lacey continues to astound audiences with her imaginative projects, and Erin Helyard has established himself as a leading artistic director and musician in this country. Some other people who have been doing amazing work recently are composers Sarah Elise Thompson and Anne Cawrse.
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Click here to read past issues of Gecko.
Click here to see our Christmas music edition.
Click here to see our Christmas Catalogue.
Click here to see the Prize winners for the OMCC21 and Orpheus Music more well-known publications.
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Thinking about coming to Australia's biggest Recorder course? Click here to find out more.
Or click here to see FAQ about the Recorder Gathering.
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