The Woodwind department stands for a good atmosphere, collegiality and a collective spirit. We work hard and believe in solidarity and cooperation instead of competition. In group lessons, ensemble playing, concerts, mock-up auditions, class parties, and other projects we create a warm and secure atmosphere so that everyone feels safe to develop his or her potential. Doing together, making together, being together!

Why study Woodwind instruments at Codarts?

In our work we are guided by three core values: excellence, artistry and autonomy. Excellence tells us to be disciplined and work hard to achieve the mastery of our instrument. We therefore find it important to give you a solid technical base in exercises, scales and études.

Technical excellence is not a goal in itself, only a means that services artistry. You want to master your instrument to express all the feelings of the music. And a solid foundation gives space to your artistic ideas, imagination and creativity. We want you to blossom, to develop an individual and characteristic personality, and grow your talents. Our ambition is for you to become not only a good musician but also a mature artist.

Concerning autonomy, we encourage you to develop your own methods. From the beginning we value self-initiative. We find it important that you can develop yourself. The idea is to teach you to become your own teacher in order to be independent both in your practicing processes and in your musical choices and development. Not having just one teacher is an advantage in this sense. Sometimes you get different information from different teachers, which invites you to make your own choice and dares you to take a new path. All this serves to find your goal as an artist, so you can secure your musical future.

We help you to be a flexible musician who can find a place in the professional field. We strongly believe that the future of your profession lays in the combination of technical excellence, artistry, craftsmanship and entrepreneurship.

Rotterdam is a metropolis where many cultures live and work together. Codarts is also a 'metropolis' where many cultures and styles come together. For you, the place to be.

The Woodwind instruments

• Flute
• Clarinet
• Oboe
• Bassoon
• Saxophone

Contact

Interested? Mail your questions to classicalmusic@codarts.nl.

Woodwind Instrument - Flute

Programme

All students take lessons with all teachers. Per week you have one hou of flute lesson - one week with Juliette Hurel, the other week with Julie Moulin. Every two weeks you have 45 minutes of piccolo lesson with Beatriz Baião. You take piccolo lessons from the first year onwards; it is a particularity of our class that we are proud of.

In addition to the individual lessons there are group lessons on various subjects such as technical aspects, breathing, important pieces of the flute repertoire and orchestral excerpts.

We organise three mandatory class concerts per year: two flute concerts and one piccolo concert, plus three mock auditions.

Teachers

• Juliette Hurel - Main subject teacher flute
• Julie Moulin - Main subject teacher flute, Woodwind department representative
• Beatriz Baião - Main subject teacher piccolo
• Alessandro Soccorsi - Pianist

Admission requirements

Check here on the admission page which steps you need to take and which admission requirements you need to meet.
You can find the admission requirements of Classical Flute here.

Woodwind Instrument - Clarinet

Programme

All students participate in a one-hour lesson per week. Also, we organise improvisation workshops and ensemble lessons for orchestral passages. You have the opportunity to follow collective bass clarinet lessons about once a month.

We encourage you to come and listen to rehearsals and concerts of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra in the Doelen, just around the corner of our school. Also, we encourage you strongly to listen to the lessons of others, in a spirit of mutual support and collegiality. Whenever possible we organise concerts for our students, and mock auditions with the other woodwind instruments.

You are autonomous, and responsible for the programme that makes you reach your objectives. Every quarter you have an assessment with the teachers to evaluate the process of reaching your objectives.


Teachers

• Bruno Bonansea - Main subject teacher clarinet
• Raphael Schenkel - Main subject teacher clarinet
• Davide Lattuada - Guest teacher bass clarinet
• Sara Gutiérrez Redondo - Pianist

Admission requirements

Check here on the admission page which steps you need to take and which admission requirements you need to meet.
You can find the admission requirements of Classical Clarinet here.

Woodwind Instrument - Oboe

Programme

Like all students you have lessons with both teachers, mostly in blocks of a few weeks. This provides stability, but also versatility to your learning process. You obtain different perspectives and approaches of musical and technical aspects, of course from a common base.

You are encouraged to come and listen to each other’s lessons. There are group lessons on orchestral excerpts, and technical and musical subjects such as breathing, sound concept and style. We also organise class concerts and mock auditions with the woodwind department.

The reed is very important for any oboist. We help you to understand and master the process of making reeds. Codarts’ oboe class has a set of machines and tubes of cane, and group lessons on reed making in a clear, well-structured way.

In this way, we hope you become an excellent artist and teacher, who can convey the love for music and the oboe.

Teachers

• Roger Cramers - Main subject teacher oboe (interim)
• Hans Wolters - Main subject teacher oboe
• Sara Gutierrez Redondo - Pianist

Admission requirements

Check here on the admission page which steps you need to take and which admission requirements you need to meet.
You can find the admission requirements of Classical Oboe here​​​​​​​.

Woodwind Instrument - Bassoon

Programme

The individual lessons focus on general aspects such as sound, intonation and technical control of the bassoon. In the lessons with piano, we treat general repertoire and audition repertoire.

With his orchestra background, Pieter Nuytten encourages you to participate in orchestra auditions for youth orchestras or professional orchestras. He supports you with his in-depth approach of orchestral excerpts and audition repertoire. Since reeds are very important for a bassoon player, Codarts offers a set of reed making machines and you are encouraged to make your own reeds.

Our goal is to support you in your development as a musician that can freely interact with other musicians and can express music in a personal way. Codarts offers possibilities to form groups or perform in orchestras with high-level students, so you may learn from your peers.

It is good to know that a contrabassoon is at the disposal of all students.
 

Teachers

• Pieter Nuytten - Main subject teacher bassoon
• Reineke Broekhans - Pianist

Admission requirements

Check here​​​​​​​ on the admission page which steps you need to take and which admission requirements you need to meet.
You can find the admission requirements of Classical Bassoon here.

Woodwind Instrument - Saxophone

Programme

All students take lessons with both teachers. Per week you get a one-hour saxophone lesson. Next to the individual lessons you have group lessons on subjects such as technical aspects, breathing, important pieces of the saxophone repertoire, ensemble and orchestral playing.

We organise four student concerts per year; sometimes we play repertoire, sometimes we work with a theme.
 

Teachers

• Femke IJlstra - Main subject teacher saxophone
• Alessandro Soccorsi - Pianist

Admission requirements

Check here on the admission page which steps you need to take and which admission requirements you need to meet.
You can find the admission requirements of Classical Saxophone here.