Hi, I'm Kim Laskowski, Associate Principal
Bassoon of the New York Philharmonic, and this is "What's in My Case?".
I'm on the subway anywhere from two to four times a day,
so I like to use a lightweight case. It's also important for me that it
should be strong, and that it should be weatherproof,
and this has a weatherproof cover.
Inside my case, well, I have a bassoon, of course.
And, I carry around with me two boxes of reeds, two seat straps,
and several bocals. I wouldn't want to be caught at a rehearsal or a
concert without these things, so I like to carry
a lot of them. See, here's my favorite seat strap,
and my replacement strap,
my favorite box of reeds, and my
backups.
You're probably wondering: why two bassoons?
Well, two different systems of bassoons exist.
One is the German bassoon, which you've seen earlier in the video,
and this is the French system bassoon. In the early 1920s,
people that played the French bassoon in the United States
switched to German bassoon. In 1977, I went
to the Paris Conservatory to study with the great Maurice Allard
to learn the French system, because it's always been
a great love of mine. It sounds a little bit different than the German bassoon:
When you become serious about the bassoon, I recommend that you start
making reeds as soon as possible. It's good to have a teacher that is a
good reed maker. My teacher, Harold Goltzer, who was the
Associate Principal bassoonist of the New York Philharmonic,
taught me how to make reeds. He said that you're only as good as the best reed in
your box.
It's not necessary to buy all these reed tools and machines at once.
First, start out with a simple reed tool set, and as you get more advanced in your
reed making skills, you'll accumulate more.
Sometimes it's difficult to get organized, so it's better to break up
your practice sessions into shorter sessions instead of practicing for three
hours in a row. This makes practice more manageable, it's
better for concentration, and you won't develop muscle injuries.
Happy practicing! My name is Kim Laskowski, Associate
Principal Bassoon of the New York Philharmonic,
and this was "What's in My Case?". Thanks for joining me!