In a little over one hour, Richard guided us through a history of woodwind – spanning 20 centuries – and played just a few of his collection of 800+ instruments. From the crumhorn – a curious Renaissance instrument (a bag-free bagpipe!) – through to a Baroque sopranino made of boxwood – Richard enthralled the girls with his stories and musicianship.
After his talk, he kindly stayed to answer further questions from the girls who were fascinated by his rare sub contra bass recorder and spent quite some time quizzing him about his collection. One of the girls was lucky enough to be able to play the ocarina and hear Richard’s stories and explanations which brought a fantastic evening to a close.
In a school where music plays such an important part, it was fantastic to have such an engaging speaker bring the subject alive still further! Many thanks indeed to Richard, who we hope to see back at Downe House again.
The best way to find out more about Downe House is to experience it for yourself. Book a personal tour or join us at one of our Open Mornings, available throughout the year.
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