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*****The Reed Report: Issue 36*****
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Congratulations! As a subscriber, you are one of the
first to see this important information.

In this issue:

* A Lesson Learned: Stories from My Oboe Past.

* The Latest SPECIAL… Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

* Reed Tip – Our Readers Chime In.

* Quote Corner – Beethoven

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A Lesson Learned
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A few years ago, I travelled throughout the U.S. and Russia
playing oboe with the American/Russian Youth Orchestra.

We started with two weeks of rehearsal followed by a quick U.S.
tour through Nashville and New York. Then we left the country to
play in places like St. Petersburg, Moscow and with Valery
Gergiev, the Artistic and General Director of the Mariinsky
Theatre in St. Petersburg.

The whole trip was exciting, exhilarating, terrifying and
completely exhausting.

It was great.

The entire 8 week event tested my skill, my patience and my ideas
about what it means to play the oboe and to be a musician.

Moral of the story?

If you ever get the chance to do anything on the oboe that
absolutely scares you silly, GO FOR IT…

You won’t regret it, because there will always be something that
you will take away to help make you a better player.

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The Latest SPECIAL…
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Happy (Belated) St. Patrick’s Day!

FREE STANDARD SHIPPING ON JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING!!!!

This offer expires Monday night at 11:59 PM, so hurry and save
on your next order.

Order through Monday, March 20 at 11:59 PM and you won’t pay for
STANDARD (USPS) SHIPPING!

(If you choose another shipping method, $6.50 will be deducted
at checkout.)

Follow the directions below to receive a $6.50 shipping discount
on your next order:

HOW TO GET YOUR FREE SHIPPING
—————————–

1. Surf to: http://www.mklreeds.com
2. Click on any of the links to the order reeds page.
3. Fill up your shopping cart with reeds.
4. On the left hand side of the shopping cart, click “Enter
Coupon”
5. Enter the following coupon code: stpats45
6. Go to the checkout and complete your order.

That’s it! Your reeds are on their way, FREE of our
standard shipping charge.

(This offer does not apply to our 52 Reed Tips)

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The Reed/Oboe Tip
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To complete our series on keeping your reeds clean, here
are TWO reed tips from our readers.

RE: Your Advice in Issue 34 (Reed Cleaning Tip):

I much prefer using a small bird feather, about 3-4 inches.
Inserted into the staple end, with reed held in a glass of water,
a wondrous amount of gunk swirls into the water. After rotating
the feather while pumping it up and down several time, the tip
slightly protruding from the reed tip, it is pulled back out,
rinsed and dried for next time. The feather quills do a gentle
scrub and DO NOT leave fluff behind in the reed.

-Frank Davis

Reed Cleaning Tip for a Well-Soaked Reed:

Take a short piece of fishing line – make a small loop and insert
it into the reed through the tip (carefully!). Push it down to
the beginning of the staple. Gently squeeze the blades together
and slowly pull out the fishing line. Amazing what will come out
if the reed has been played a lot – amazing difference in
response!

-Cathy MacIntyre

Great reed tips Cathy and Frank! Thank you!

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Quote Corner
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“Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.
Music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks
and invents.”

-Ludwig van Beethoven

Thanks for reading. Until next time…

Happy playing,

Maryn Leister
MKL Reeds
[email protected]
http://www.mklreeds.com