<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=10y6DH_1Gnmsm3j00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=10y6DH_1Gnmsm3j00" width="990" height="660" ><figcaption>(From left) Jane Yonke and Martha Coventry play a duet on the tenor and soprano recorders, respectively. Photo by Eleanor Corbin.</figcaption></figure>For some, the recorder conjures sounds of sharp, whistly tunes emanating from a grade-school classroom.The instrument can be so much more, though, as proven by Coventry Consort a group of people who get together in Sister Bay, to play harmonious recorder music.“It’s an easy instrument to learn. It’s easy to play, but it’s not easy to play well,” said Jane Yonke, who taught her daughters to play the recorder from a young age. One of those daughters, Martha Coventry, now boasts a large collection of both recorders and recorder sheet music. Coventry invigorated this love even more by taking an intermediate recorder class at the Clearing Folk School in Ellison Bay.“I thought, it’s time to put up a sign, invite people to come and play, and see what happens,” she said.First, she joined the Recorders on the Door Ensemble, a group based out of Sturgeon Bay, who immediately encouraged her to start her own group in Northern Door, even providing her books of Christmas sheet music to play at local senior homes. Coventry actually already had a consort – a small ensemble – registered with the American Recorder Society. She had started that with her mom and one of her sisters before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the group had fallen off over the years. So, she decided to start things up again and encourage new members to join. Every Thursday at 2 pm, the group meets for an open session at Coventry Care, 10547 Koessl Lane. Anyone can join regardless of experience level, they just need to bring their own recorder.“People who only know a note or two should be encouraged to come and play that note or two every time that note shows up in the music,” Coventry said. “And if they don’t know how to read music, we could teach them how to read music. They can also learn to play by ear.”In the large file cabinet full of sheet music that Coventry purchased from resale sites and received from other recorder groups, she keeps everything from beginner to advanced music.She also has everything from solos to six-part ensemble numbers, so she’s ready to accommodate any number of people who arrive. So far, the group has maxed out at 6 attendees, Coventry said, and is always ready for more.“To play as a group is such an enjoyment,” Yonke said.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2XAiqX_1Gnmsm3j00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2XAiqX_1Gnmsm3j00" width="1440" height="1080" ><figcaption>Some of the recorders in Martha Coventry’s collection, ranging from the Garklein recorder to the bass recorder. Photo by Eleanor Corbin.</figcaption></figure>Recorders GaloreIf you (like I) thought that there was only one type of recorder, you’d be mistaken.Like most other wind instruments – saxophones, oboes, clarinets – recorders come in different sizes and keys. The smallest, the Garklein recorder, measures roughly 6 inches in length and plays in the key of C, while the Contrabass recorder can be up to eight feet in length and play in the key of F.Together, a group of people playing different recorders can harmonize and play a full arrangement.Coventry’s collection spans from the Garklein size to the bass size, which are typically just over two feet in length. The distance and placement of the finger holes can vary between each recorder, so switching between recorders can take some adjusting, she said.For the most part, the larger the recorder, the farther apart the holes. Yonke, however, uses a special 3D-printed recorder that allows her to play tenor with an instrument about half the normal size.Unlike a normal recorder, these special instruments have complex tube systems within them that allow it to produce a deeper sound while keeping the finger holes close together. As she’s gotten older, Yonke said these instruments are the most comfortable for her to play.In general, however, Coventry said not to get too caught up in what recorder you buy at first.“A $15-dollar Yamaha plastic recorder, that’s all you need,” she said. “They sound just as good as the wooden ones and the expensive wooden ones unless you become a professional.”</div></body>

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For some, the recorder conjures sounds of sharp, whistly tunes emanating from a grade-school classroom. The instrument can be so much more, though, as proven by Coventry Consort a group of people who get together in Sister Bay, to play harmonious recorder music. “It’s an easy instrument to learn. It’s...

Recorder Fun in Sister Bay

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For some, the recorder conjures sounds of sharp, whistly tunes emanating from a grade-school classroom. The instrument can be so much more, though, as prov

Recorder Fun in Sister Bay

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