The Wind-o became a part of my daily routine the moment it arrived. It immediately improves not only the quality of sound, but also the character and beauty of legato. When I utilize the Wind-o in lessons, the results are truly impressive. My students are able to better understand the concepts we discuss and their tone and projection is enhanced with the very first use.
Steve Ahearn is Second Clarinet of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
The Wind-O has become a staple in my teaching as well as my own practicing. It's unique design allows you to understand how the embouchure and support go hand-in-hand. The direct result after using the Wind-O is constant reminder of how it's concepts should become a rule and not an exception.
A native of Dallas, Texas, Todd Cope is currently Principal Clarinet of l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. Prior to his appointment with the OSM, Todd was a member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and held a fellowship with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida. Todd graduated from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati where he studied with Richie Hawley. He also completed a Professional Studies Certificate at the Colburn School where he studied with Yehuda Gilad. Other teachers include Carmine Campione, Greg Raden, and Deborah Ungaro Fabian.
+ full Todd Cope bioYehuda Gilad is Professor of Clarinet at The Colburn School and the University of Southern California. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yehuda_Gilad_(musician)
I noticed a dramatic improvement in my sound the very first time I used the Wind-O. It made the sound really open up and added a lot more layers instantly. I now incorporate it into my daily practice and highly recommend it to all of my students. Congratulations on a truly excellent product!
Ken Graves, Principal Clarinet of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, has collaborated with leading musicians of today including Sir Neville Marriner, Leon Fleisher, James Conlon, John Williams and Leonard Slatkin. He has performed chamber music with members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and has appeared with the Colburn Chamber Music Society.
Ken has attended the Music Academy of the West, the National Repertory Orchestra, Spoleto Festival USA, and the National Orchestral Institute. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where he was a student of Richie Hawley and his Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California where he was a student of Yehuda Gilad.
In addition to playing with the MSO, Ken enjoys teaching and is on faculty at Mississippi College, Millsaps College and Belhaven University.
I love using the Wind-o! I'm always on the look-out for a tool that can help my playing in little ways and there isn't a product on the market like the Wind-o that addresses the sophistications of the embouchure. Even after one day of using the Wind-o with the 'lightest' bands, I noticed improved security and strength on the horn - especially dynamic and expressive nuances. It's not simply a strengthening tool. The difficulty was in the coordination between engaging my corners and being able to blow the air. Harder than I thought. That's what I think makes the Wind-o unique!
A full-time member of the Axiom Brass Quintet, Kris Hammond is from Erie, Pennsylvania. In 1996, he moved to Greenville, SC and attended the Fine Arts Center in 2000. He earned his BM in trumpet performance from Florida State University, his MM in trumpet performance and literature from Northwestern University, and his primary teachers have been Dr. Christopher Moore, Charles Geyer, Barbara Butler, and Christopher Martin.
He is currently a full-time member of the Axiom Brass Quintet. Praised for their “high level of musicality and technical ability” and for their “clean, clear and precise sound,” the award-winning Axiom Brass Quintet has quickly established itself as “one of the major art music groups in brass chamber music.” As the only Brass Quintet in 27 years to ever with the prestigious Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition (2012), and the only American ensemble to ever win the Preis der Europa-Stadt Passau in Germany (2012), Axiom has also been named winners of the 2008 International Chamber Brass Competition and prize-winners of the 2010 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, the Plowman Chamber Music Competition, and Jeju City International Brass Quintet Competition in South Korea. The Axiom Brass is dedicated to enhancing the musical life of communities across the globe and educating the next generation of musicians. As a part of the Axiom Brass, Hammond is on faculty with the Boston University Tanglewood Institute [BUTI].
+ full Kris Hammond bioBurt Hara is Associate Principal Clarinet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/burt-hara
As soon as I first used the Wind-o, I could tell an incredible difference in my sound. After using it for the last few months, I cannot imagine my practice routine without it. The Wind-o has really strengthened my embouchure and improved all aspects of my playing.
Chastine Hofmeister is currently the Second Clarinetist of the Monroe Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed with the Abilene Philharmonic, Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Arlington, Garland Symphony, Midland-Odessa Symphony, Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra, Sherman Symphony Orchestra, and was previously Acting Principal of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in clarinet performance at the University of North Texas. Her primary teachers have included Greg Raden, John Scott, and Rena Feller.
Thomas Hooten is Principal Trumpet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. http://tomhooten.com
The Wind-o is an extraordinary device that has become an invaluable tool in my practice sessions and teaching. Utilizing the Wind-o helps one understand the true essence of clarinet embouchure formation, and air support. It is simply an amazing invention! Congratulations!
Clarinetist Cecilia Kang currently teaches at North Dakota State University in Fargo. She has also served on faculty at Luzerne Music Center (New York) and Grumo Music Festival (Italy) during the summer months. She is a D’Addario Woodwinds Artist and has presented numerous concerts and master classes around the world. For more information, please visit www.kangcecilia.com.
The Wind-o has proven to be a valuable tool both for teaching and in my own practice. It has been an amazing aid for staying in shape on long teaching days when lengthy practice sessions are not possible due to time restraints. Bravo on an excellent product!
Christopher Kirkpatrick currently teaches at the University of Montana in Missoula. During the summers he is on the faculty of the International Music Camp. He holds degrees from Michigan State University (DMA), the University of New Mexico (MM) and the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga (BM). His teachers have included Elsa Ludewig-Verdehr, Steve Cohen, Keith Lemmons, Michael Stordahl, Ted Gurch, Nikolasa Tejero, and Peter Temko. For more information, please visit christopherkirkpatrickclarinet.com.
The Wind-o is undoubtedly one of the most useful tools a wind player can have. Implementing it in my daily warm-up routine has helped me to efficiently reinforce proper embouchure muscles while maintaining a good air stream. There are plenty of products that focus either on embouchure or air, but not both like The Wind-o. I really do believe that this tool has helped me to keep all of my fundamentals grounded to allow for as much beauty in the sound as possible. The Wind-o has been so effective in my own playing that I will absolutely recommend it to all of my students.
Sean Krissman is Principal Clarinet of the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra.
The Wind-O improved my sound immediately. As I've continued to use it, I've heard dramatic improvements in my intonation and articulation. I now have greater awareness of the way I'm using my embouchure and the effect embouchure has on all other aspects of my playing. This tool is definitely a permanent part of my practice routine, and has given me insights about my embouchure that I couldn't have found anywhere else.
Andrew is a freelance and studio musician in Los Angeles. He is a Teaching Artist for Harmony Project, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Mt. St. Mary's College. www.AndrewCLeonard.com
I find the Wind-o to be an extremely effective tool for both teaching and my own playing. It activates essential muscles for the embouchure and perhaps more importantly, provides feedback on the coordination of the embouchure with the air. This allows the user to feel the proper engagement of the embouchure coupled with a focused stream of air, with immediate results for quality of tone, legato, and articulation. I find this physical feedback more effective than verbal reminders for both my students and myself, and so I use the Wind-o daily and highly recommend it for any wind player.
Andrew Lowy is Second Clarinet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic
After receiving the Wind-o, it took only a few days before it was an integral part of my daily practicing. I currently use it before I start practicing, during my practicing, and after my practicing. It is quite amazing to see how such a small device can help reinforce the fundamentals of playing. Without over thinking anything, the Wind-o has allowed me to have better control, and more flexibility while playing the saxophone
Nathan Mertens currently serves as the Saxophone Teaching Assistant at the University of Texas at Austin - Butler School of Music, where he is pursuing a Doctorate of Music Arts degree in Saxophone Performance with Dr. Stephen Page. He currently performs with the University of Texas Wind Ensemble, Resurgence Saxophone Quartet, the Austin Saxophone Ensemble, and the University of Texas Saxophone Ensemble. Mertens also received his Master’s degree at the University of Texas. He completed his undergraduate work at Hastings College in Nebraska graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Woodwind Pedagogy. While at Hastings College, he studied with Dr. Debra McKim-Rhodes and performed with the Hastings Symphony Orchestra, Hastings College Wind Ensemble, Hastings College Saxophone Quartet, and Hastings College Jazz Ensemble. He also has played with the San Antonio Symphony, Ellipsis Saxophone Quartet, and the “Token Trio”, a chamber ensemble consisting of flute, saxophone, and piano. The Token Trio performed as the collegiate representative at the Nebraska NAfME convention.
+ full Nathan Mertens bio
This remarkable new tool Chris has created will, without doubt, improve your playing. It certainly has improved mine! It's simple to use and noticeable in its result from the very first time. Whether you're a beginner or a professional, this is a tool you just can't live without.
Eugene Mondie is currently the Assistant Principal and Eb Clarinetist with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, D.C. Appointed by Leonard Slatkin in the spring of 2000, Eugene has also served as Principal of the Spokane Symphony, Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa, and as acting Principal of the Charleston Symphony.
As a member of the National Symphony he has given master classes throughout the United States on their annual residencies as well as here in the Washington, D.C. area. Internationally, he has taught master classes and taught privately as well at music festivals in Japan and Taiwan ROC. In addition he teaches clarinet at CUA.
He received his Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College and his Masters of Music from DePaul University. His primary teachers have been Donald Montanaro, Larry Combs and Larry McDonald.
Eugene is an Artist for Vandoren and Buffet Crampon.
This is the single best tool I've seen during my career for the clarinet embouchure. My students have made profound embouchure adjustments after experiencing the effect on the muscles surrounding the lips with the Wind-o. Immediately, their tone colors and their overall flexibility between registers improved.
Douglas Monroe is assistant professor of clarinet at East Carolina University, where he performs with the Coastal Winds woodwind quintet. Previously, he taught at North Dakota State University where he was a founding member of Trio Élan and the Red River Winds, and was principal clarinet with the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra. He has also been principal clarinetist with the Arizona Opera and clarinet soloist with the United States Army Field Band, Washington, D.C. Monroe has performed with the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra, the Aspen Festival Orchestra, and plays regularly with the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra.
+ full Douglas Monroe bio
The Wind-o is an incredibly effective teaching, training and practice aid. I feel that the Wind-o effectively isolates and trains the right muscles in my embouchure, and I always feel like my sound is richer, more flexible and much more focused when I use the Wind-o, the clarinet suddenly feels much easier! I also use the Wind-o when I don't have time to practice. I think that because the Wind-o so efficiently reminds me of the correct muscle position and trains those muscles that even if I don't manage to play the clarinet on a particular day, I can keep my embouchure in good shape with just a few minutes on the Wind-o.
Alex Morris - Freelance Clarinetist and Bass Clarinetist in Melbourne, Australia and Bass Clarinet Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival
The Wind-o is an invaluable tool for clarinetists, which I incorporate throughout my practice routine. It is a particularly helpful aid in solving issues of sound production and articulation! I have found a new freedom and flexibility in my sound through regular work with the Wind-o.
Christopher Nichols enjoys a multi-faceted career as a clarinetist with performances of traditional and contemporary solo, chamber music, wind band, and orchestral literature throughout the United States and Europe. Dr. Nichols has recently performed as part of the Blodgett Recital Series, the Great Spaces Music and Arts Series, the College Music Society Great Plains and Northeast Conferences, and the International Clarinet Association ClarinetFest®. As a dynamic and enthusiastic educator, he spends part of his summer at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and has presented master classes at universities throughout the United States. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Clarinet at the University of Delaware. More information about Dr. Nichols is available on his website: www.christophernicholsclarinet.com.
For years I have looked for something that would help build and train the embouchure. The Wind-O is a remarkable, thoughtful tool that has helped me gain greater awareness and control of my embouchure, while also incorporating the movement of air. When returning to the saxophone, the result is truly exceptional! I have found the Wind-O to be a valuable part of my daily routine, and gladly recommend this innovative tool to everyone.
Described by noted American composer Libby Larsen as "fearless on stage," saxophonist Stephen Page has garnered international prominence as one of the leading saxophonist's of today's younger generation.
Dr. Page has appeared across four continents, in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada, and across the United States. He has performed under such notable conductors as Fredrick Fennell, Ray Cramer, Craig Kirchhoff, Gary Hill, Toshiyuki Shimada, Gary Green, Richard Heidel and Akira Mori.
Well known for his interpretations of the great original works for saxophone, Stephen has also gained acclaim for his innovative arrangements and performances of the violin repertoire from composers such as Brahms, Faure, Grieg, Franck and Prokofiev, and Bach. He has also furthered the saxophone repertoire through the commissioning of new works from composers such as John Mackey, David Maslanka, David Rakowski, Ida Gotkovsky, David Canfield, Mark Lewis, Gregory Wanamaker, and Mark Mellits, among many others.
+ full Stephen Page bio
Every serious clarinet player needs to get a Wind-o! I have been using the Wind-o in my practice sessions for a few weeks and have been impressed how much more freedom I have found in my sound. The Wind-o lets you move air while correctly directing the corners of the embouchure. I wish I would have gotten my Wind-o years ago!
Clarinetist Phillip O. Paglialonga teaches at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. He is a founding member of the PEN Trio (www.PENtrio.com), which regularly tours throughout the United States and is represented by Price Rubin & Partners. In the summer months Dr. Paglialonga is on the faculty at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan. More information about Dr. Paglialonga is available on his website (www.thefirstgissilent.com).
I recently received my Wind-o and am excited by the results I've seen thus far. My student's faces light up after using it for the first time, and they immediately want to know how quickly they can get one! It is rare to find a pedagogical tool that makes such a large and immediate impact, and my students and I are immensely enjoying the new-found freedom in our playing.
Recognized for his "rich, luscious tone quality" (The Clarinet), Rob Patterson is quickly establishing himself as an exciting young versatile clarinetist. Mr. Patterson is the clarinetist with Ensemble 39 and the VERGE Ensemble, the Lyrique en Mer festival in France, and has served on the faculty at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival and Yellow Barn Music Festival. During the academic year, Mr. Patterson serves as Lecturer in Music at the University of Virginia. He has been a featured author in the International Clarinet Society’s The Clarinet magazine and has presented classes at the Juilliard School, James Madison University, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University and at Strathmore. For more information, please visit www.robwpatterson.com
I use The Wind-o in my everyday warm-up. It is great in practicing sessions as it prompts the muscles in the right way, helping me to get the feeling of a good embouchure and air pressure. When I set up the shims correctly, it forces me to bring the corners in more, which I find works wonders when I go back to the clarinet. It is a very innovative product. Congratulations on your good work!
Jordi Pons – Professor at Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano and Musik Akademie der Stadt Basel, Switzerland
The Wind-o is remarkably effective, because it works on the automatic connection between several physical aspects of good clarinet playing. It continues to help me improve, and that makes me really happy!
Bradley Powell is an Artist Diploma candidate at McGill University. For more information, please visit: Pronto Musica- Bradley Powell.
I recently received my Wind-o and I immediately noticed a dramatic improvement in my playing. By coupling embouchure and air practice, it encourages the fundamentals that are essential for great playing, and does so with clear visual and physical feedback. The results are freer articulation, improved intonation, and maximized tonal resonance. It's an excellent tool both for professionals and students; I can't imagine any wind player whowouldn't benefit from the Wind-o.
Spencer Prewitt is currently serving as the instructor of clarinet at the Flint Institute of Music in Flint, Michigan. He earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Bowling Green State University and is an active orchestral musician in the region. Spencer is the second and acting principal clarinetist with the Lima Ohio Symphony and has performed with the symphonies in Toledo, Fort Wayne, Ann Arbor, Flint, and Lansing. He has also been the principal clarinet and mentor of the Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra and was principal clarinet of the Ohio Light Opera Orchestra for six years. In 2014 he joined the clarinet faculty of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. As a chamber musician he has won a silver medal in the International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition in Boston, MA with the PVC Trio (piano, voice, clarinet) and with The Fawn Trio (piano, flute, clarinet) Spencer won a special judges recognition prize in the Plowman Chamber Music Competition and was a semi-finalist in the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition.
The Wind-o has become an invaluable tool in my daily practice and I have recommended it to all my students as well. No matter the level of the player, using the Wind-o gives the player the physical awareness needed to improve and strengthen the embouchure. The almost instant audible improvement, when going back and forth between the Wind-o and your instrument, will have you and your students hooked!
I think the Wind-o is great! I’ve been using it myself and with my students. For my very young students, it’s a great tactile way of guiding them towards the proper use of the corners in the embouchure, focusing the air stream, and curtailing cheek puffing/directing the air extraneously. For myself, I’m amazed by how quickly it focuses my sound, improves my legato, and adds color and complexity to my sound. Congrats on a great product!
Josh Redman is the Clarinet Product Specialist with D’Addario and Company, Inc. He has been invited to speak on the subjects of music business and clarinet pedagogy and equipment at The Boston Conservatory, The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, The College of St. Rose, the NYSSMA All State Winter Conference, Syracuse University, and public schools across the country. His primary mentors include author and pedagogue Larry Guy, recording artist Lawrence Sobol, and the late, renowned Kalmen Opperman. Josh performs and maintains an active private studio on Long Island, where he resides.
After only a few days of use, it became clear to me that the Wind-o is something I will have in my case for the rest of my career. The Wind-o allows me to effectively strengthen my embouchure muscles and promote proper air support with as little as two minutes of use per day. It has become a valuable tool for me during long travel days, as I am able to keep in shape without ever having to take out my clarinet! I highly recommend the Wind-o to clarinetists of all ages and ability levels.
Samuel Rothstein is the Assistant Principal and Bass Clarinetist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
By using The Wind-o I can feel how embouchure muscles work. The Wind-o allows me strengthen these muscles in order to improve the control of sound and tuning.
Paco Sanz is a member of Manjana Group and Paul Cézanne Trio. He is a Teacher at Alcalá de Henares Conservatory in Madrid (Spain).
After a few months of consistently using the Wind-o I can say that I saw both instantaneous and long-term results in my tone. My awareness of the function of the embouchure, specifically the lip corner and cheek muscles, has been improved and this has helped me to maintain a healthy embouchure for the entire day. As any professional or student clarinetist knows, it can be hard to maintain a healthy, circular embouchure for all the practicing, rehearsing, and performing that a given day may bring. Using the Wind-o even for just a minute in between practice sessions helps me retain the round, glowing tone that a round embouchure can produce.
I have also used the Wind-o with some of my private students. With my youngest students, it can be hard to have any awareness of the corner muscles of the lips at all. The Wind-o is great for these students who have trouble understanding where these muscles are and how to use them. An air leak from the corners can be a problem for some of my students as well. The Wind-o will instantly help any student who pulls the corners back (as in a smile) to realize what they are doing. When I hear an air leak in a lesson I will often get the Wind-o out and do an embouchure-check!
Eric Schultz is a clarinetist residing in Minneapolis, MN. He performs regularly in the Twin Cities area in both classical and jazz styles, while also pursuing graduate studies in Music Performance as a School of Music Fellow at the University of Minnesota with Alexander Fiterstein.
+ full Eric Schultz bio
I have been using The Wind-O for a few months now and it has become a part of my daily practice routine. Because I been able to strengthen my embouchure, I have discovered more ease and flexibility in all aspects of playing the clarinet. I have recommended this tool to my students and look forward to hearing the results!
Julianne has preformed and studied in both the United States and Canada. She is currently the Principal Clarinetist of the Edmonton Symphony, and previously held the position as Principal Clarinet with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. She attained her Bachelor’s of Music in clarinet performance from the University of Toronto, where she was as a student of Joaquin Valdepenas. She then studied with Yehuda Gilad at the University of Southern California, where she received her Master’s Degree.
+ full Julianne-Scott bio
I have recently acquired the wind-o and really is a helpful tool in daily practice . It`s surprising how this tool contributes to the coordination of a correct embouchure and air focus, to be flexible and concentrate at the same time, allowing you to have more energy and freedom to make music.
MARIXI SESMA AIZPURUA does pedagogical work as a teacher at Conservatorire and also collaborates with different chamber´s ensembles and orchestras where she has played symphonic repertoire as well as opera. Furthermore, since 2002 she is in charge of Klarinete Maratoia´s meetings that takes place in Zumaia (Gipuzkoa, Spain). In the same way, she is involved in a few innovative educational plannigs and community projects. http://urvalensemble.blogspot.com.es/p/english_09.html
I have found the Wind-o to be a great help in my daily practice routine. It focuses my embouchure training together with coordination of breath technique that is so essential when playing clarinet. During a recent recording of Rachmaninov's 2nd Symphony, practice with the Wind-o made me free to focus my energy on making music so that the 3rd movement solo felt effortless.
Christian Stene is the Principal clarinetist of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. He previously held the same position with the Norwegian National Opera Orchestra. He is also Assistant Professor at the Grieg Academy of Music in Bergen, a Buffet Crampon and Vandoren artist, and the National Chairperson (Norway) for the International Clarinet Association (ICA).
+ full Christian Stene bio
The Wind-o is an amazing tool for all levels of musician. It constantly reinforces the principles of clarinet playing teachers throughout my life have instilled in me. It keeps air focused and freely moving while keeping the integrity of the embouchure ideal for playing. As a freelance musician, I find the Wind-o a great way to warm up before a performance when time is limited. I’ve recommended it to a number of students this summer to help them stay in playing shape for their returns to school this fall while they’re abroad an unable to travel with their instruments.
Jonathan Terry is a freelance clarinetist in Los Angeles. He is also a Teaching Artist for Young Musicians Foundation.
The Wind-o is fantastic! I am using it regularly as a warm up tool. I notice muscles in my embouchure I did not know I had.
Joaquin Valdepeñas is Principal Clarinet of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He is a member of the faculty of the Aspen Music Festival and School and the Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music. www.joaquinvaldepenas.com
We all want to be able to express ourselves in music easily. In order to do that we have to have strong fundamentals on the instrument. When we try to think or control these (embouchure/air support) manually it usually gets too complicated, so what I like most about the Wind-o is that it automatically gives the right path to build or reinforce correct fundamentals, so I can concentrate on music. I use it regularly during my warm-up and practice, also when I'm loosing the 'correct' feeling. I strongly recommend to try it no matter what your playing level is!
Domas Zaborskis is studying clarinet performance at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre.
