P. J. Woolston and Dr. Christian Smith, Music

Because of the emphasis on performance in the BYU School of Music, a student’s most important tool, the instrument itself, is often grossly neglected. Woodwind instruments are particularly susceptible to deterioration. As keys are repeatedly pressed and manipulated, instrumental noise (the clicks and squeaks of keys interacting and pads closing) worsens and detracts from a performance. Dust accumulates between the pads and the wood, compromising the seal made by closed keys. Thus the quality of music depends largely on the condition of the instrument. Generally, and especially for instruments lent out by the school, this problem is not addressed until the instrument is unplayable. Then the instrument needs an expensive, complete overhaul. A student’s marketability depreciates according to the deterioration of the instrument.

Furthermore, professional performance contracts generally require the performer to keep the instrument in top working condition. Proper maintenance entails a regular and thorough cleaning, oiling of keys and joints, and ensuring the tightness of sealed pads. The skills of instrument maintenance are not currently within the scope of music education at Brigham Young University.

The objective of my research was to develop an adequate review and maintenance method for woodwind instruments, and to implement this method at BYU. Professor Hugh Cooper, former instructor of bassoon performance at the University of Michigan, is world-renowned as a bassoon technician. After retiring from his post there, he started doing extensive repairs on all makes of bassoons. Professor Cooper offered to teach me his bassoon maintenance methods. During the month of February, I flew to Michigan where I spent a week with him as he did extensive bassoon repair work. I spent hours on end watching him as he worked, taking notes the entire time. As he worked, he shared with me much of the knowledge he has accumulated in his field during the seventy-nine years that he has been alive. He taught me a system he uses to check his instrument, which system exposes unanticipated problems while they are minimal.

Professor Cooper is genuinely interested in augmenting the ability of bassoonists nationwide. As a published teacher, he fully understands the value of copyrighted material, however he strongly encouraged me to share that which I learned in order to ameliorate the general level of bassoon playing here at BYU. Upon my return, I taught many of Professor Cooper’s techniques to my fellow bassoonists and teacher in a master class (weekly performance class) setting at the BYU School of Music. Very few music performance students at this university had had the opportunity to receive adequate instruction on ensuring the technical excellence of their instrument. The opportunity that I had to share these techniques with them and in particular with my teacher who can now teach it to new students, will not only serve to elevate our level of performance to a more professional level, but will also better prepare students for future careers.