麻豆约拍

This new series of online interviews will reveal more about some of our players, their musical motivations, most memorable moments and the relationship that they have with their instruments.

From picking up the bassoon at just 12 years of age, to his love for climbing mountains and even an ongoing bet that he has with the rest of the 麻豆约拍 NOW woodwind section…there’s a lot to discover about our Bassoon Section Principal, Jaros艂aw Augustyniak!

麻豆约拍 NOW: Hi Jarek, let’s start by finding out how you became a bassoon player. What has been your personal journey with this instrument?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: I started as a pianist and started studying piano when I was 9 years old. Eventually, at the age of 12, I got the chance to attend an audition to enter secondary music school in my hometown in 艁ód藕, Poland. Unfortunately - but very wisely - my teachers decided it was too late for me to catch up with the piano and it became my secondary instrument, so I was obliged to choose my main instrument.

麻豆约拍 NOW: That must have been disappointing… so why did you decide to pick up a bassoon?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: Since I was one of the late candidates, all the “cool” instruments like flute, guitar and percussion where already taken. I was presented with a disappointing choice between something I’ve never seen before… and a double bass. I said – “THAT?!” – pointing at double bass – “NO WAY!” So, the one I had never seen before was a bassoon. And after several months of classes with my very persistent first teacher, Professor Stefan Szczech, the bassoon found a way into my heart!

麻豆约拍 NOW: That’s a great story – and what an insightful and helpful teacher

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: Yes, my bassoon career wouldn’t have happened if not for the patience of my teacher and a very simple melody he gave me to study. My Father, an amateur accordionist, could read music and decided to accompany me on piano. I will never forget that feeling of sound waves reverberating under my fingers. We were repeating these few bars of music for a long time that day! That was the day I become a bassoonist.

麻豆约拍 NOW: So how has playing the bassoon positively impacted on your life?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: So, I could say that at the age of 12 I was already in love. It made my life somehow easier. I was lucky as a teenager: I knew what I wanted to do in my life and not many youngsters have this luxury. I treated bassoon playing as my sword and shield through the tough years of the communist regime and martial law in Poland in 1980s. But I was able to obtain a passport, which was not normal in those times in Poland, and go on a tour with a youth orchestra abroad.

麻豆约拍 NOW: That must have been an exciting and formative experience for you

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: Yes, there were important new discoveries and new people, new cultures, new languages. It shaped my life forever. Nowadays it is easier. You just open your smartphone! I remember that I got my first gramophone when I was 18 with 5 vinyl discs: I remember Beethoven 9th, Prokofiev Piano concerto and Mazurkas by Chopin. I played it on and on…

麻豆约拍 NOW: Music is obviously a great love for you – but what do you most love about your instrument?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: Obviously, the joy comes when I manage to put all 10 fingers on the right keys and holes and the note that I intended to produce emerges…

麻豆约拍 NOW: An honest answer! So Jarek, what’s the flip side? What’s the most frustrating thing about playing the bassoon?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: Many bassoonists would say… the reed issue. In fact, I now owe a £1 penalty to the 麻豆约拍 NOW woodwind double reed section for mentioning the “reed” word. That’s our agreement to stop constant moaning. It can be very frustrating if you don’t have decent reed! Ok guys, I now owe £4. However, I have another frustration too! The bassoon seems to be a bit like a dinosaur in the modern zoo of a symphony orchestra. It can create a bit of a dynamic balance issue. Bassoon is simply not loud enough when needed and too loud when piano dynamic is required. We need to work it especially hard to compensate this disbalance.

麻豆约拍 NOW: Do your bassoons you use to perform have any special history or stories behind them?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: My old bassoon is not officially branded, but it’s historically confirmed as ‘Heckel made’ and is an instrument I’ve played for 20 years and the one that I won my audition on for 麻豆约拍 NOW in 2003. This instrument has interesting history! I bought it from a teacher of my teachers (you could say a grand teacher!) in 艁ód藕 when I was 19. The grand teacher bought it in 1945 from the principal bassoonist of Warsaw Philharmonic. In 1991, I joined that orchestra and to my astonishment, I found on the corridor wall of the Warsaw Philharmonic a photo of that orchestra from 1939. The principal bassoonist was holding my instrument! It came back to the same orchestra after over 50 years! Isn’t that beautiful? Recently one of my talented students has been playing on that instrument. Since I’ve joined 麻豆约拍 NOW, I play on a modern Heckel. Its history has just begun! Bassoons are wind instruments whose performance standards and quality can be maintained for centuries.

麻豆约拍 NOW: If you could speak with your instrument – what would you ask it?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: Something like: “I asked you 1,000 times, why you don’t get it?”

麻豆约拍 NOW: You must have many good memories playing bassoon, but what is your single most memorable moment playing your instrument?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: Apart from the already mentioned duo with my Dad, there are many. The truth is that it really can be a ‘moment’. You can play concerts and concerts, notes and notes… all very memorable and successful. However, what stays in your memory is that split second when approaching something divine and then sharing it with your colleagues or audience. Inexplicable! And that’s the beauty of playing music.

麻豆约拍 NOW: That is a beautiful explanation! Have you got any funny stories involving your bassoon?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: Maybe not directly my instrument – but two bassoons were involved! I’m sure you will remember restrictions on flights and increased security after the 9/11 attacks. Well, we had an ensemble tour to France and were not allowed to carry bassoons onboard the plane. Therefore, Martin – my second bassoonist – and I, decided to pack both bassoons in travel cases by wrapping the instruments tightly in the hope that they would be adequately protected. Our trip to the airport didn’t create any problems and just as we were checking in, something unexpected happened…

麻豆约拍 NOW: Oh no…

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: My metronome inside of my bassoon case started ticking and producing a sound like a bomb timer. You wouldn’t believe the expression on the security officer’s face. Fortunately, everything ended without a problem!

麻豆约拍 NOW: That’s one musical adventure you won’t forget! You are always very supportive of young bassoon players, but what would you say to encourage them?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: I don’t want to steal from a sport clothes company, but it seems appropriate: “Just do it…”

麻豆约拍 NOW: So Jarek, what plans do you have to keep practising bassoon during the break in 麻豆约拍 NOW performances?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: I’ve got some chamber and solo events planned for 2021. Many pieces, many notes! This is a strange time but an opportunity to practice.

麻豆约拍 NOW: Outside of playing music, what do you enjoy doing?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: My biggest hobby is mountaineering, and I would love to visit the Cordillera Blanca in Peru and Nagano in Japan again.

麻豆约拍 NOW: And finally, what are you most looking forward to about playing with 麻豆约拍 NOW again in the future?

Jaros艂aw Augustyniak: I am looking forward to the musicianship between my woodwind colleagues. They are an amazing team. And of course, all the silly jokes that we share!

麻豆约拍 NOW: Thanks so much Jarek for sharing your story and musical memories and look forward to seeing you again soon!

If you would like to discover more about Jaros艂aw Augustyniak, please visit his website at: