Hans Wisse
I have been a contrabassoonist / bassoonist with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra for over 30 years. Since my first bassoon lessons at the age of 15, I have been making my own bassoon reeds. For nearly 20 years, I have also been crafting reeds for an ever-growing number of colleagues both in the Netherlands and abroad.
Over the years, I have increasingly specialized in reed making, particularly in the origin and characteristics of the material used: Arundo donax, a grass species native to Mediterranean regions and cultivated worldwide on plantations specifically for the music industry. The quality of this material, especially its density and hardness, is crucial to the final result and differs for every player. During the reed-making workshop, we will address this and discuss the do's and don'ts that help us achieve the most stable result possible.
