Our expert orchestral woodwind staff provide specialist tuition in flute, piccolo, oboe, cor anglais, clarinet, E flat and bass clarinet, bassoon and contrabassoon. Comprehensive training in historical performance techniques on Baroque and Classical instruments is also available. Working very much as a team, our woodwind tutors and consultants take the greatest care to ensure that every aspect of your playing is dealt with, from the smallest technical detail to coping with stage nerves.
As a new student, you’ll immediately appreciate the supportive and collaborative attitude shared by our staff and students, making for an atmosphere that is motivational rather than competitive. Focusing on each student’s development as an individual performer means everyone can concentrate on the most important thing – music.
Bass Clarinet
Clarinettists wishing to explore in depth the now extensive repertoire for bass clarinet and, as a related instrument, basset horn, can take advantage of this first study area within the PgCert or the performance pathway of the PgDip/MMus. The programme has been set up in collaboration with the Italian clarinettist Paolo De Gaspari, who has initiated a diploma for bass clarinet at the Academia in Pordenone, near Venice. His expertise, particularly in contemporary repertoire, alongside that of Prof Michael Harris (Head of Woodwind and former principal bass clarinettist of the Philharmonia Orchestra) and Mark O’Brien (CBSO, BCMG) will ensure your study is both stimulating and musically challenging. You will be offered the option of a shared orchestral audition/recital as your final assessment.
Developing your skills
From the very first weeks of your study, you’ll find yourself playing in a wind repertoire class. Available at introductory and advanced levels, these classes cover all the standard orchestral repertoire from the point of view of the wind section and are a first step in learning the skills of listening and playing in an ensemble. You’ll then develop these further through our Symphonic Wind Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra and highly accomplished Wind Ensemble.
Performance opportunities
At every stage in your development, you’ll undertake classes and coaching to build your performance skills, and we regularly invite distinguished international soloists to give masterclasses in solo repertoire. Additional performance opportunities are provided at every level by the Conservatoire’s full schedule of internal and public concerts.
To encourage you to develop a broad understanding of music and your chosen instrument(s), you will have access to an array of performance electives throughout your study here.
International Double Reed Society
Last held in the UK in 1989, Birmingham Conservatoire hosted the International Double Reed Society (IDRS) annual conference in July 2009. This once-in-a generation event for oboists and bassoonists attracted leading professionals (including Nicholas Daniel, Carlo Columbo, Jonathan Kelly, Meyrick Alexander, Pascal Gallois and Gordon Hunt), students and enthusiasts from over 40 countries. The conference involved 100 concerts and other events including 38 world premieres, 56 traders and over 1,000 participants.