Kira Greenlees is:
The Purple Bassoonist
The Journey Towards the Golden Bassoon Reed
Or, the alternate dimension in which my high school nickname was #ReedProbz
...Wait a minute, that was THIS dimension!
When Kira first picked up a bassoon, she embarked on a journey familiar to bassoonists around the world; the eternal search for the "Golden Bassoon Reed". After nearly a decade of mastering the art of adjusting mass-produced store-bought reeds, Kira finally learned to craft her own reeds in 2020. Kira would sell a reed or two here and there, while working towards refining her craft.
Ever in pursuit of her goal of one day finding the elusive "Golden Bassoon Reed", Kira undertook a 3-year research project investigating everything she could about various types and brands of cane in hopes of learning the secrets to exactly what *it* is that makes a good reed. As any seasoned reed maker is aware, there is no single correct answer to that question. Ultimately, when it comes to reeds, bassoonists are at the whims of vegetable matter. While good technique and knowledge of the art of reed forming/finishing are essential, a good reed can only start with a good piece of cane. Inconsistency in cane quality and initial cane processing methods are the enemy of any reed maker.
Like just about any and all bassoonists residing in Canada, Kira knew all too well that Canadian bassoonists don't have too many options when it comes to sourcing gouged, shaped, or profiled cane that is of a good and consistent quality, let alone cane that is affordable on a student budget. So, in the summer of 2023 Kira decided to take all aspects of her reed making into her own hands. Kira dedicated that summer to learning all she could about processing tube cane; ideal cane properties, final cane measurements, tool calibrations, etc. Thus, The Purple Bassoonist was born. Now, Kira has officially opened her registered business and The Purple Bassoonist's online store offers cane in various stages of finishing to suit her client's needs, as well as finished reeds for those who may not have the tools, the time, or the patience to fiddle with that giant fancy grass we call arundo donax.
Our inventory options are ever-expanding, so be sure to stay TUNED (ha ha) for what's next. Who knows? Your "Golden Bassoon Reed" may just be a wee piece of cane from our store!
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Family Business
Outstanding Quality... it's a Family Affair!
Kira would like to thank her family for their continuing support and guidance, particularly those in the marketing/advertising and legal sectors, with a special shout-out to those in tooling, quality assurance, machining, and engineering at RTX Corp and Inventure Engineering. The Purple Bassoonist as a business would not exist without their assistance and expert advice. If it weren’t for their endless love and support, the actual “purple bassoonist”, Kira Greenlees (the musician) would probably still be working a 9-5 desk job right now instead of chasing her long-held dream of one day playing bassoon at the Juno Awards. So thanks guys, you rock!
Kira would also like to thank her bassoon teacher at the University of Toronto for sharing his expertise and advice and offering his recommendations to get Kira as close as possible to finally obtaining the "Golden Bassoon Reed".