Newsletter September 2025, Vol. 1
Product News
Ebonite Mouthpieces
Ebonite is a type of rubber with a density similar to wood that was popularly used to make clarinets before wood and ABS materials became widely-available. It is very durable and consistent in the building process and to play, and is used by some of the most beloved instrument and accessory manufacturers such as D'Addario, Vandoren, and Jody Jazz. Interested? Contact us today!
Vandoren VK Reeds
Interested in trying synthetic reeds? Why not try Vandoren's new VK Synthetic Reeds! The composite material is unaffected by moisture, making therm long-lasting and extremely consistent. Available in both the classical VK1 (for clarinet and saxophone) and the jazz VK7 (alto saxophone) and in up to 7 strengths, there is something for every player.
Featured Publication
Poems of a Bright Moon - Maria Grenfell
Flute/Alto Flute, Clarinet and Piano
"Poems of a Bright Moon was inspired by the Hsiang-Yang Songs of Li Po, an 8th-century Chinese poet of the T’ang Dynasty (ca.618-906 A.D.). Li Po was something of a mischievous travelling minstrel and liked to indulge in the drink. A legend says that “while out drunk in a boat, he fell into a river and drowned trying to embrace the moon.” The moon appears in over a third of his poems, and the opportunity to combine Li Po’s images of moonlight with the rich dark tones of the alto flute was irresistible."
Maria Grenfell is a Tasmania-based composer whose work takes much of its influence from poetic, literary and visual sources, and from non-Western music and literature. Her orchestral music has been commissioned by all of the major Australian and New Zealand orchestras and her chamber music has been performed by the likes of Eighth Blackbird and The Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Upcoming Events
The Reed Revolution
5, 8 & 12 September
Syndey NSW
The inaugural set of Longtitude 151's Charity Duet series, brought to you by Lucas Chen and Kian Chan. All proceeds from these clarinet-piano recitals will go to support Weave Youth & Community Services, a place-based, community-led organisation based on Gadigal and Bidjigal Lands which provides crucial and life-changing services to those experiencing complex issues such as poverty, poor mental health, and domestic and family violence.
Mephistopheles Trio
8pm, Thursday 11 September
Camelot Lounge, Marrickville
The Mephistopheles Trio are three longtime friends whose shared love of music has taken them across continents, featuring Owen Salome (flutes, quenacho, quecha, bandoneon), Alexei Dupressoir (clarinets), and Oliver Shermacher (clarinets). After more than a decade of performing together—and despite life pulling them to opposite sides of the globe, from Europe to South America—they’ve reunited to bring their unique sound back to Sydney.
Audiences can expect an evening of energy, intimacy, and surprise—where the earthy soul of folk tunes collides with the sophistication of chamber music, and three wind voices intertwine to create something entirely their own.
Andromeda Sax Quartet: Return to Earth
7pm, Saturday 13 September
Glebe Town Hall, Glebe
Hot off the heels of the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, rising stars Andromeda Sax Quartet bring their fiery energy to Glebe Town Hall. Described as ‘a masterclass in ensemble finesse’ (Limelight), Andromeda are quickly making a name not just for themselves, but the vibrancy and versatility of the saxophone quartet. With contemporary reimaginings of Bach and Dvorak, to the radiance of Australian composer Ella Macens’ Ripple, Return to Earth is a celebration of Andromeda favourites old and new.