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Polypropylene and the Future of the Bassoon

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The dearth of young bassoonists in America can be felt at every level of expertise, whether it be at professional levels where there are fewer qualified bassoonists compared to other woodwinds, or in local communities where interested pupils cannot find a teacher to guide them. In order to alleviate this…

The dearth of young bassoonists in America can be felt at every level of expertise, whether it be at professional levels where there are fewer qualified bassoonists compared to other woodwinds, or in local communities where interested pupils cannot find a teacher to guide them. In order to alleviate this scarcity, we must solve the problem at its root: young bassoonists. There have been many attempts to provide better instructional material for beginner-level bassoonists and to produce better reeds to entice more students to study the bassoon and to sustain their playing beyond the first few years. These attempts, however, fail to address another critical issue: the cost and availability of the bassoon itself.

Most bassoonists in America begin their journey in public school; however, many school music programs cannot afford to purchase bassoons due to their cost. To combat this obstacle, Fox Products produced their first bassoon made of polypropylene—a synthetic material—in 1961 at a relatively low price point. This is an innovation that no other bassoon manufacturer has accomplished. An analysis of sales numbers from major instrument suppliers indicate that these bassoons have been very successful. Their availability has allowed schools to purchase instruments to educate more young bassoonists and, as a result, participant numbers of students in Texas (where public music programs are known for their strength) competing at regional and state competitions have increased over the past fifty years. Fox, through their focus on affordable student bassoons, is revitalizing young students’ interest in playing the bassoon and thus is a major factor in the reversal of the decline of bassoonists in America.

ContributorsTran, Toan (Author) / Micklich, Albie (Thesis advisor) / Gardner, Joshua (Committee member) / Carpenter, Ellon (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2017