Cambridge Woodwind Makers

02/09/2026

We have one space left on our now annual Chalumeau Making course.
This November with Guy Cowley, please share with any Chalumeauists you might know.....!

https://www.cambridgemakers.org/i-would-like-to/our-courses/chalumeau-making/

And they are finished!

Well done to these two proud new Chalumeau makers and owners!
And well done to Guy for teaching such a superb course!

A reminder that it's thanks to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust - QEST that we have been able to support Guy in his career, so if you wish to support them to support others, please read up on their 35th anniversary fundraising drive!

https://www.qest.org.uk/alumni/guy-cowley/

🌟 To date QEST has supported over 900 craftspeople working across the UK in 130 craft disciplines. Support from individuals and organisations ensure QEST can continue to provide transformative opportunities for talented and aspiring makers across the UK, for the next 35 years and beyond.
🌟 Donate £35 | Bid Online Until 9 Nov | Discover Makers
➡ Head to to find out more.

02/09/2026

Coming up soon, Baroque & Modern Oboe Reed Making & Adjustment with Shapiro
Saturday 3rd-Sunday 4th October 2026

“Just a note to repeat my thanks for your outstanding reed-making course. Your encyclopaedic knowledge of all things oboe combined with your teaching skills and enthusiasm made it a most enjoyable and valuable couple of days that far exceeded my expectations. Not only did you manage simultaneously to demonstrate modern and baroque reed-making, but you also managed to give each of us 1:1 time tailored to our individual needs. I now have a clear ‘recipe’ to make reeds for my particular baroque oboe, a couple of reeds to use as inspiration and several staple suggestions to try for myself. Fantastic!….In the meantime, thanks +++ for giving so generously of your time and expertise.”

”Adam was superb, both as a teacher and a technician, and, yes, he must come back as often as he will. In the yearly world of oboe reed making two or three intensely focused w/ends are so much more beneficial than the odd half day… ”

Oboe Reed Making or Adjustment Course overview | Adam offers three types of course with Cambridge Woodwind Makers: Oboe Reed Making, Oboe Reed Adjustment and a combination of the two; all are offered separately for modern, baroque and cor-anglais reeds. Making | Participants will learn the steps and...

24/06/2026

Dr Ingrid Pearson, Senior Academic Tutor at the RCM, has been awarded a £100,000 research grant by UKRI to explore how additive manufacturing (including 3D printing) can be used to produce playable replicas of historical woodwind instruments, for performance, recording and public engagement 🪈

In collaboration with The Open University, 3D Music Instruments and Cambridge Woodwind Makers, the project will benefit musical practitioners and scholars, instrument makers, historians, curators as well as museums and other individuals internationally.

Discover more about this innovative research: https://bit.ly/rcm-ukri

📸: Chris Christodoulou

29/05/2026

Following our recent and very encouraging professional development course in instrument key making with Peter Worrell he has now passed the baton to Guy Cowley and we have set the date for the course in 2027.

If you don't believe the blowing of our own trumpet (woodwind instrument!), here's what this year's participants had to say:

"Honestly one of the best investments I’ve made in a long time.

The amount of knowledge shared over the 3 days was incredible, and so many questions I had built up over years of self teaching suddenly started making sense.

Peter, Guy and Daniel were brilliant teachers throughout, very generous with their knowledge and always happy to answer questions.

Meeting fellow makers was also a big part of the experience and the fun, exchanging knowledge, ideas, tips and different ways of approaching problems.

I came back with a huge amount to process, experiment with and improve in my own workshop.

Really glad I took the step to join the course."

"The course was amazing and Peter and Guy are some of the best professionals and teachers I ever met in my 25 years as a professional luthier. Also Daniel, all the chats with us were plenty of wisdom and generosity."

You can find out more and book for next year here:

Key Making Course overview | During this course you will make an 'apprentice piece' as per the examples pictured below. Through making the piece, you will explore and learn about the process of making keys, enabling you to be able to offer keywork adjustments, repair and alterations to your customer...

29/04/2026

Always a pleasure to see instruments of our own making in performance!

If you're in Cambridge there's a lovely concert coming up:

Bloomsbury Players: Schubert Octet and Songs of Inspiration in Cambridge
🎶Franz Schubert - Octet in F major, D. 803 and new arrangements of Schubert’s songs that inspired his instrumental chamber music, alongside excerpts from his string quartets _Rosamunde_ and _Death and the Maiden_
📅 Friday, 8 May 2026
🕒 7pm (doors 6:30pm)
📍 *The Parish Church of St Clement* , Bridge St, Cambridge CB2 1UF
💷 £20 (standard), £10 (under 30s)
🎟️ https://www.tickettailor.com/events/vermeerchamberconcerts/2171561
💥 *All pieces will be introduced by the players*

Schubert Octet in St. Clement’s Church, Cambridge – Parish Church of St. Clement, Cambridge, Fri 8 May 2026 - Schubert Octet and Songs of Inspiration - a programme by Vermeer Chamber Concerts, presented by the Bloomsbury Players Join us for an evening of glorious music in St. Clement’s Churc...

25/04/2026

Those on the September Baroque Oboe Making course will be making instruments based on the J.M.Anciuti (italian 1730) model. Plays at 415hz

One place left if you want to join them!

Baroque Oboe Making Course overview | During this intense six day course you will take part in the entire process of creating your own Baroque oboe. With a maximum of three participants on each course you will have plenty of one-to-one time with the tutor, Paul van der Linden. Instrument

17/04/2026

We've got spaces to make Recorders, Clarinets, Baroque Oboes and Chalumeau before the year is out.
Plus our autumn Repair & Care courses.....
https://www.cambridgemakers.org/i-would-like-to/view-cambridge-woodwind-makers-calendar-of-events/