2025 Brooke Valley Bassoon Days

Otty Lake, near Perth, Ontario, Canada

International Bassoon Retreat for Players of All Abilities

Welcome to BVBD 2025!

This is our fourth year at Camp Shomria, and as you know if you were with us last year, our location has everything we need—an open dock and lakefront included! (Speaking of swimming, are you lifeguard certified? We’re hiring!)

Last year, 2024, saw another great session at Camp Shomria—our biggest yet—including the exciting inauguration of our historical bassoon program. It all got high praise: the facility, the staff, and our wonderful faculty. As always, Shomria means plenty of room to make a racket, rehearse the Rackett, or even bat around a racquet during recreation if that’s your thing.

Once again, we’ll have the whole place to ourselves for the week. And, like in 2024, we’ll go from a Monday to a Sunday, with our final concert on August 17th at 11 am.

Typical hybrid Brooke Valley Bassoon Days includes:

• small group scales, warm ups and fundamental sessions with a coach
• guided yoga and mindfulness sessions
• masterclasses daily
• private lessons
• webinars with outstanding Canadian and international bassoonists on a wide variety of bassoon related topics
• Let’s make reeds together!
• hybrid virtual and in-person “Rackett of Bassoons”
• faculty concert

All activities will be available for full participation online except the following, which will be in person only:

• small ensemble rehearsals with a coach
• recreation (swimming, hiking, boating, bonfires etc)
• socializing over great meals
• stargazing