Professor of Music Andrea Ridilla joins global experts in Czech-funded double reed research initiative
Professor of Music Andrea Ridilla joins global experts in Czech-funded double reed research initiative
Andrea Ridilla, Professor of Music (Oboe) has received a prestigious invitation to join with esteemed international cadre of double reed artists in a project funded by a grant from the Ministry of Education of the Czech government, as part of a broader initiative by the Ministry of Education, to support education and research. The Double Reed Laboratory at the Faculty of Music, Janáček Academy of Performing Arts (JAMU), aims to enhance research and development in the field of wind instrument performance.
Jurij Likin, Professor of Oboe at the anáček Academy in Brno, Czechia, along with his bassoon professor colleague, Roman Novozámský are spearheading project. It will span two phases over two years. Professor Ridilla was to invited to collaborate on both phases of the project in 2026 and 2027. Professor Likin writes to Professor Ridilla: “I hold your experience and your way of thinking about double reed issues in the highest regard—they are of exceptional value in this context.”
The Lab is dedicated to supporting research in musical performance, with a particular focus on mapping the research outcomes of leading international experts and formulating a strategy for initiating acoustic research into double reed in the context of music performance and pedagogy. The initiative promotes innovation and creativity in the teaching of wind instruments. Research in this area contributes to broadening the expertise of faculty members and strengthening JAMU’s participation in international networks of higher arts education.
Research into reed design and manufacturing technology — and its influence on the acoustic, aesthetic, and expressive qualities of double reed instruments — is a promising area for academic inquiry. The results are directly applicable in teaching, artistic performance, and even reedmaking practice.
Oboe and bassoon are double reed woodwinds that rank among the world’s oldest instruments. Thanks to their technological evolution, they now play a vital role in classical music. Artistic performance on the oboe and bassoon involves not only technical and interpretative challenges, but also a strong dependence on the quality of the reed, which forms an integral part of the instrument. Sound is produced through the vibration of two pieces of cane (Arundo donax) bound together and inserted into the instrument’s upper joint. The pitch is determined by the resonance of the air column. Modern double reed instruments include the oboe, bassoon, English horn, oboe d’amore, baritone oboe, and contrabassoon.
List of invited experts:
- Alex Klein (Brazil) – Renowned soloist and orchestral musician; CEO of PRIMA (Program of Social Inclusion through Music and the Arts); professor at Oberlin Conservatory, University of Washington, Northwestern University, and Roosevelt University.
- Andrea Ridilla (USA) – Professor at Miami University; author of several publications on oboe reed research. Co-author with Udo Heng of Reeds 'n Stuff, American oboe gouging machine, U.S. Patented.
- Omar Zoboli (Switzerland) – Renowned oboe soloist and virtuoso; Professor at the Musikhochschule Bern and the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano.
- Merlén Vavřiková (USA) – Czech-American oboist; professor at Grand Valley State University, Michigan; researcher and contributor to IDRS publications.
- Graham Salter (UK) – Double reed specialist; author of the book, Understanding the Oboe Reeds.
- Štěpán Turnovský (Austria) – Renowned soloist and chamber musician; bassoonist, the Vienna State Opera; specialist in bassoon reed-making.
- Artur Kasperek (Poland) – Esteemed bassoonist and professor; head of the Department of Wind Instruments at the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw; expert in bassoon reeds.
- Fabrice Rousson (France) – Double reed expert; Solo Oboe - Opéra de Rouen Haute Normandie, France, innovator in reed-making technology; director of Tout pour le hautbois.
Professor Ridilla and Professor Likin collaborated in a joint recording project from 1995-1997 with the Miami Wind Quintet and the Prague Wind Quintet, of which Professor Likin was a member. The two ensembles recorded three CDs of woodwind harmoniemusik, and performed a series of concerts together in the USA and the Czech Republic. It has always been proclaimed that there are no goodbyes in the music business. This new joint venture supports this adage.