Nicholas Daniel Oboe Masterclass & Recital

We are thrilled to welcome internationally renowned artist and chamber musician, Nicholas Daniel for a Masterclass and recital here at Midwest Musical Imports on Saturday March 25th, 2017 from 2:30 -5:30 pm!

Mr. Daniel will give a brief recital and then work with several area college students.  The event is jointly sponsored by Marigaux Paris and Midwest Musical Imports.  We will have Marigaux oboes to play before and after the event. We will also have a reception with snacks post masterclass.  Please join us for this wonderful opportunity to hear and work with this amazing musician!

Nicholas Daniel – Oboe and Conductor

Nicholas Daniel’s long and distinguished career began when, at the age of 18, he won the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition. As one of the UK's most distinguished soloists, he has become an important ambassador for music in many different fields. In recognition of this, he was awarded the prestigious Queen's Medal for Music.

Nicholas has been a concerto soloist with many of the world’s leading orchestras, working under conductors such as Edward Gardner, Sakari Oramo, Roger Norrington, Jiri Belohlavek, Mark Wigglesworth, James MacMillan and Mark Elder. In addition to his experience in Baroque music, he has premiered works by composers including Harrison Birtwistle, Henri Dutilleux, Thea Musgrave, John Tavener, James MacMillan and Michael Tippett. His recording of oboe concertos by Vaughan Williams and MacMillan was awarded the BBC Music Magazine Premiere Award in 2016.

He is oboist with Britten Sinfonia and Artistic Director of the Leicester International Festival. He teaches in the UK and in Germany, where is he Professor of Oboe at the Musikhochschule, Trossingen

He made his conducting debut at the 2004 BBC Proms with Britten Sinfonia. He has conducted many projects with the orchestra over 20 years, including many new works, and recently conducted orchestras in Finland and Norway.

An active chamber musician, Nicholas is a founder member of the Haffner Wind Ensemble and the Britten Oboe Quartet, whose debut disc will be released on the Harmonia Mundi label early 2017. He also regularly works with the pianists Charles Owen and Julius Drake, and with the Carducci and Vogler String Quartets.

Nicholas plays a Marigaux 901 FSC model, the first Oboe anywhere in the world to be certified as fairly traded by the Forestry Stewardship Council.

www.nicholasdaniel.co.uk

We've moved and are open for business!!!!

We are extremely happy to announce that we have moved to our new location and most importantly, WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!!!!!  Please visit us at:  1621 E. Hennepin Ave., Ste. 100, Minneapolis, MN 55414. (Only two blocks away from our old location!) Our email and phone contacts have not changed.

If arriving by car, take East Hennepin to 16th Ave SE, and park either on 16th Ave SE (it's a dead end), or the parking lot across from the west entrance on 16th.  If needed, there is a ramp located at the back of the building at the main entrance.  Please call us with questions. We are located in the southwest corner of the Fisk building, at the corner of 16th Ave SE and E. Hennepin Ave.

The new space is much larger than our old and includes a recital hall!  Our repair dept. and the retail shopping area have been expanded.  Below are some photos.  We can't wait to welcome you in the store!

20170110_100734 Our new shopping area

20170110_100833The brand new recital hall!  Watch for upcoming events!!

20170110_101010The repair staff (minus Allen) in the new repair shop!  L-R , Eric, Caleb, Ginny, Matt and Coda in the front!

20170110_121359Sales staff in the new sales area! L-R Jeff, Steven, Jessica, Katie, Brandon, Tori.

We thank you for your patience over the new year as we were closed and completed our move.  Please stop by and say hello when you are in the area!  We'd love to give you a personal tour! =)

Best wishes from all of us at MMI!
Jessica, Jeff, Steven, Katie, Brandon, Tori, Eric, Ginny, Matt, Caleb and Allen

Welcome Richie Hawley!

We are excited to announce our collaboration with Buffet-Crampon artist and Rice University's Richie Hawley!  Richie is currently the Professor of Clarinet at the Shepherd School of Music in Houston, TX.  He is a highly sought after performer and teacher and we are honored to join forces with him!  Our current plans are to send Richie to the Paris Buffet-Crampon factory in September to hand-select high quality instruments.  His goal is to find instruments that are versatile for any player!

“I’m very excited to be working with MMI to hand-select instruments. There are few shops that can combine an excellent selection of instruments with specialists who can tailor their instruments to your needs.  The folks at MMI are fun, knowledgeable and are guaranteed to give you great service!” -R.H.

Once the instruments arrive at our store they are professionally set-up to ensure that they are in top playing condition for trials.  This includes changing critical pads, adjusting tone holes and spring tension.  You will be amazed by the difference our changes make!

We have a great variety of clarinets in stock including the new Tradition.  The instrument is easy blowing yet the depth of the sound is not compromised. These instruments are a must try!  We also have a great selection of Eb, A and Bass clarinets.  Our Prestige and Tosca bass clarinets  are always in stock!

Our generous 7-day no deposit trial system also allows you to take up to three at a time!  Call us today to set up a trial and feel the difference in our clarinets!

Richie Hawley. Buffet pallet

(Richie at the Buffet-Crampon factory in Jacksonville)

Richie with repair

(Richie working with our repair specialists)

Oboe Masterclass Led By Peter Cooper - Videos

Back in September, we were very fortunate to host Colorado Symphony Principal Oboist and Marigaux Artist Peter Cooper for a masterclass event.  We had 5 amazing student participants, instruments and accessories, and a day full of oboe.  Here are a few videos to share from the event.

Vincent Persichetti's Parable for Solo Oboe - Michaela Helms, oboe

 

Ralph Vaughan Williams Concerto for Oboe - Jenni Neuski, oboe

MMI Exclusive Sharpening Steels

Now in stock and ready to ship, the Dual-sided sharpening steels for reed knives have returned!  After a long hiatus, we began working with a new manufacturer approximately 8 months ago and have finally created a product which is of the highest standards for our customers.  The micro-grooves are just fine enough to remove an ultra-fine layer of metal from your knife while the smooth side of the rod will add a very fine edge which is extremely sharp.  We have spent a great deal of time with our manufacturer in production to ensure that every detail is perfect and we can present to you a product that we stand behind 100%!

These steels will be exclusively distributed through Midwest Musical Imports.

Check them out in the webstore or you can give us a call in the shop at 800.926.5587 to get yours!

From the Pros - Nathan Hughes, Principal Oboe Metropolitan Opera, Faculty The Juilliard School

Midwest Musical Imports has always held close relationships with many prominent solo and orchestral players throughout the world.  Whether they're trying instruments, hand-selecting instruments for sale, purchasing accessories, or just stopping in for a visit we are always pleased to work with these phenomenal musicians.

In our oboe department we work closely with a number of players who hand-select instruments and are always willing to offer tips and advice for any aspiring oboist. Nathan Hughes, principal oboist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Oboe Faculty at The Juilliard School, is one such player that which we have a close working relationship with here at Midwest Musical Imports.  Considered to be one of the leading orchestral players as well as a sought after pedagog, Mr. Hughes' experience and expertise as a player and performing artist is highly valued and we are grateful for the partnership we share with him!

In a recent series of videos produced for the New World Symphony, Mr. Hughes offers advice on a variety of subjects ranging from articulation, phrasing, and audition preparation.  We'll be featuring these videos over the coming months as part of an information resource for oboists!

Video #1 - Double-Tonguing

video courtesy of the New World Symphony Orchestra

Introducing the Selmer Présence Clarinets

We have two brand new Bb Selmer Presence clarinets by SeleS in stock and ready to go out on trial.  Selmer has finally manufactured a great professional clarinet at a more affordable price so contact Brandon at [email protected] or 1(800)926-5587  if you would like to give them a try.

Selmer Présence clarinets

Selmer says:

Henri SELMER Paris unveils, under the new brand SeleS, a never before seen clarinet called Présence.

Thanks to its innovative bore design, this clarinet has unique acoustic qualities that provide ease of emission, exceptional homogeneity and above all an instrument that is easy to play.

The sound of the Présence clarinet is a mix of harmonic richness, and timbre; essential characteristics to the instrument. Also, the research done on the position and size of the tone holes has given this clarinet unrivalled intonation.

Specially designed keys, as well as new key orientations and positions, provide unmatched mechanical precision and response combined with player comfort.

Selmer Présence clarinets are available in B-flat and A with two keywork finishes available: silver and nickel. An E-flat lever is also available as an option.

The grenadilla wood is selected, delicately worked, naturally treated, lacquered and waterproofed for a protection and finish at the top of its class. This clarinet comes equipped with Valentino pads, preferred by many clarinetists and recommended by experienced repairers for their seal, stability and durability.

The Fox 680 Bassoon

Fox680BassoonFox's latest professional model combines the best features of the thick and thin walled short bore bassoons! The lightness and ease of the tenor register of the thin-wall 201 with the body and power of the thick-wall 660. Acoustically this bassoon is greater than the sum of its parts.

We are ordering Fox 680 bassoons in both Red and Mountain maple with special keywork options that professionals demand. The standard mechanism is:
18% Nickel silver key castings. Nickel silver hinges and machined parts. Full German system with high D and E keys. Right hand whisper key lock. Rollers on F, Ab, Eb, and Db. Metal tubes extending into the bore in the finger holes of the wing and boot joints to prevent water from entering the tone holes. All posts are set with epoxy and spring posts are locked with screws.

Additionally we order these instruments with the upgraded "Rotary" style whisper lock, double low C, left hand D-Eb trill key, right thumb Ab/Bb trill key, and high F key.

The Fox Renard 680 Bassoon

Call to check our current availability and to set up a trial. 800-926-5587

Introducing the Lorée-Cabart Oboe & English Horn

We're pleased to offer the Lorée-Cabart instruments here at Midwest Musical Imports - Including both the Cabart Oboe and the new English horn! Looking for your first English horn on a budget then we highly recommend the Lorée-Cabart. A mostly full conservatory instrument, it is all grenadilla  and includes a Lorée 2H bocal, case and case cover. These are beautiful instruments and certainly worth trying!  The oboes have long been an affordable option for students and amateurs alike!  Call for current price and availability.

About the Cabart Firm -

Founded in 1893, Cabart became part of the de Gourdon company in 1974. Cabart is the stamp of well-made student oboes and English horns with close tolerances, key-fitting, and cork pads throughout the instruments. Because of their high standard of manufacture combined with precise and stable tuning, Cabart is, very often, the most promising student choice.