Product Reviews: Piccolo Craft

After years of using school-owned, military-owned (odd thought, that), or borrowed piccolos when I needed one I finally have my own beautiful Bulgheroni 501. I had received two questions from an orchestral manager of a group playing Beethoven 9: 1) Do you play piccolo? and 2) Do you have one? I had to reply "Yes." & "No". Clearly that is not going to get you the job, however, I told him I would by the time of the first rehearsal. And I got the job.

My instrument loved those ten minutes or so of playing with the contrabassoon and the big bass drum, et al.

So now that I had one I looked around for sound advice. I found, aside from having a year or more of private lessons, only a few print resources. There is, of course, the Trevor Wye & Patricia Morris "Practice Book for piccolo". It is an important and useful resource. But what I was missing were the stories and hidden knowledge I have heard after years of flute festivals, masterclasses and so on.

But now there is this wonderful material for serious piccolo players by a great writer and player who has written detailed, step-by-step advice plus fascinating and amusing stories. Have you, for instance, heard of Gurreleider whistles? Thank you Andrew Lane, principal piccolo, City of Birminham Symphony Orchestra.

I think thath this product is very good an I will centainly recommended to my friends.