José Rodrigues Gomes

historical bassoons

I pursued musicology in Lisbon before transitioning to the Netherlands to further my musical studies. However, while I utilize the tools I acquired in musicology, it wasn't my dream or passion to make it my primary profession.
Subsequently, in Den Haag, I delved into the study of the recorder, officially becoming a professional recorder player! Later, I extended my musical journey by studying historical bassoons in Den Haag and Amsterdam, establishing myself as a professional bassoon player.
Over the past decade, I've been dedicated to teaching music at various levels and in different conservatoires. This experience has firmly established me as a professional music teacher!
Subsequently, I pursued various courses on the development of consciousness and life coaching, solidifying my role as a professional life coach!
Later, I began cutting reeds on the edge of my grandfather's orange groves in southern Portugal, skillfully preparing them for crafting bassoon and oboe reeds. Now, I proudly wear the title of a professional 'reed supplier-cum-manufacturer'!
(Phew... that's a lot! I'm still young, so if I update this bio in, say, 10 years' time, I'll probably have added a few more things).
The common threads that weave through all these activities are 'passion,' 'research with an inquisitive mind,' 'connecting the dots,' and 'creating new things.' It's where all my perspectives and knowledge converge in new ways and come together.
That's what I stand for and what I love to support others in doing too: discovering their own personal flavor of inspiration!
Undoubtedly, as a musician and instrument teacher, achieving excellence in playing and being prepared for stage performances is my primary objective in a conservatory setting. However, in my role as a teacher/mentor/coach, I also place significant emphasis on the 'how'—how we look and feel—while working towards attaining that level of excellence.

For me, making music is a journey of personal discovery and, above all, a path to creating well-being and a sense of inspiration. Consequently, my aim is to guide my students in finding these qualities within themselves. This way, we can all share our inspiration, passion, and love of music in a healthy and balanced manner. Moreover, I encourage them to extend these discoveries to the public, ensuring that our music communicates these qualities and inspires others in the same way!

Achievements