Bassoon courses and projects

Five-day Bassoon Course

in the beautiful English Lake District

Wednesday 26th - Sunday 30th April 2023
at Higham Hall, Bassenthwaite, Cumbria
(Course begins with supper on 26th April at 6.30pm, ends at 2pm after lunch on 30th April)

Tutored by Laurence Perkins and Amy Thompson
with pianist John Gough (performance classes on 28th April)

Bassoonists at Higham Hall, May 2022
Bassoonists at Higham Hall, May 2022
Higham Hall, near Bassenthwaite lake
Higham Hall, near Bassenthwaite lake
Amy Thompson and Laurence Perkins
Amy Thompson and Laurence Perkins

Incredible value for money - a real inflation-buster!
5 days (4 nights) for just £535, inclusive of excellent accommodation, superb Cumbrian food and spectacular views of the Lakeland hills.

If you love bassoon playing and you want to explore ways of making it easier and more enjoyable, this is the course for you!

Expert advice on

❋ Posture
❋ Breathing
❋ Embouchure
❋ Good tone and tuning
❋ Sound projection
❋ Reed adjustment
❋ Fingerings
❋ Technical fluency
❋ Practice technique
❋ Musical interpretation

There will also be optional reed-making sessions - and, of course, great opportunities to play in bassoon ensembles! You can enjoy an informal Tutors Concert, as well as time for relaxation and socialising.

You can also take part in an optional Performance Class with concert pianist John Gough - a chance to play one of your favourite works, along with helpful feedback and expert guidance on musical style and interpretation.
(Players may request to take part in the Performance Class if they wish, and will be allocated a slot in the class. Time is limited, music of maximum 6-8 minutes duration is recommended. Other players not taking part may listen, or can play untutored ensemble music, as they prefer.)

Travel is easy...
Travel to Higham Hall by car via M6 / A66, or by train to Penrith main line station with optional minibus transfer directly to Higham (book transfer directly with the Higham Hall office).

 

Book now!

This course is hugely popular, places are limited, and applications are on a first-come first-served basis. Several players could not be accommodated in the 2022 course, so an early application will give you the best chance of a place.
(Only players aged 18 or over may apply for this residential course).

Click HERE to go directly to the on-line application form.

Please note: although every effort will be made to run the course as scheduled, all details may be subject to change without notice.

Bassenthwaite lake, just a short distance from Higham Hall
Bassenthwaite lake, just a short distance from Higham Hall

Weber Bassoon Concerto - 200th anniversary

Wednesday 3rd August 2022 in the Kennedy Hall, Cecil Sharp House, London

More than 30 bassoonists gathered in London to celebrate this great masterpiece for bassoon, which was completed (in its final version) by Weber on 3rd August 1822. They gave a live performance with soloist Amy Thompson in a new version (currently unpublished) for bassoon ensemble by Laurence Perkins, who conducted the performance.

Enjoy the entire performance here - click below!

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EVENTS and PROJECTS
led by Laurence Perkins

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2019: HANDEL 'Musick for the Royal Fireworks'
270th anniversary performance at the Royal Academy of Music, London, conducted by Laurence Perkins on 27th April 2019
(BDRS/RAM joint promotion)
Hear the complete performance on the BDRS website - click HERE

 

2018 - Year of the Bassoon
On-line audio recordings and videos including

Laurence Perkins: Bassoon Anthem  A multitrack recording of a piece specially composed by Laurence Perkins for the 2018 project - listen free to the full track on Spotify, click HERE

Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story  Four songs recorded by Laurence with pianist Yoshiko Endo playing the piano that once belonged to Leonard Bernstein, and may possibly have been used in the composition of this music.Click HERE for a free YouTube sampler of these recordings, or download MP3 files from iTunes or Amazon - click the appropriate link.

Michel Corrette: Two Arias  Recorded on location in woodland in the south of France, with owls, cicadas, bird song and a distant chapel bell. Click HERE for a free sampler of these recordings, or download MP3 files from Amazon - click the appropriate link.

Volodymyr Runchak: Lamento and Moto Perpetuo  Two contemporary pieces which explore the bassoon in highly expressive ways. Listen free to the full performances on YouTube - click HERE

Catriona McDermid  Video of a young professional bassoonist (a former student of Laurence Perkins) making her way in the challenging environment of professional playing in London. See this on YouTube - click HERE

 

The Vibrant '60s
A double-reed ensemble performance (oboes and bassoons) in St. James's Park, London - 3rd June 2017

(a British Double Reed Society event)

 

RNCM 'Young Bassoons'
Free Sunday morning sessions led by Laurence Perkins, for school-age bassoonists of any playing level. For details, click HERE

 

International Bassoon Day
Sunday 11th October 2015

and Autumn 2015 UK bassoon project

This was a marathon two-month education project, beginning with International Bassoon Day on Sunday 11th October 2015, followed by a total of 35 events around the UK - 27 'Bear-faced Bassoonery' presentations, plus 8 performances of the concert programme 'Bassoon Voyager' (click here for details).

Massed bassoons outside the Royal Albert Hall, London, on International Bassoon Day, 11th October 2015 (photo by John Durham)
Massed bassoons outside the Royal Albert Hall, London, on International Bassoon Day, 11th October 2015 (photo by John Durham)

The above photo (by John Durham) was taken on the steps of the Royal Albert Hall, on International Bassoon Day - 38 bassoonists gathered to play Mozart on a beautifully sunny lunchtime. Watch excerpts of the London event on YouTube - click HERE to see this delightful memento of a special occasion!
Martin Jones has also put his own film of the RAH event on YouTube - click HERE to see it.

Bassoon quartets live on BBC Radio 3

A feature about International Bassoon Day was the first item on BBC Radio 3's popular drive-time In Tune programme two days previously  on Friday 9th October 2015, and featured four bassoonists from different walks of life. Listen to a performance from that live radio broadcast - the performers are Laurence Perkins, Rachel Whibley, Matthew Kitteringham and Alex Kane.

Mozart: Adagio, KV580a (arranged for bassoon quartet by Laurence Perkins) - duration 4’35"