Good news if you’re trying to make a living selling brand new wind instruments – sharing creates a toxic health threat.

A recent study published in the March/April issue of journal General Dentistry has revealed that used woodwind and brass instruments could be contaminated with enough bacteria or fungi to bring on anything from food poisoning to brain abscesses.

A team of researchers gathered samples from 13 high school band instruments, all from a town in Oklahoma, US, which led to some surprising results.

“We swabbed the instruments from the mouthpiece end all the way to the bell and we also collected what was expelled from the bell and looked at the instrument cases and we were absolutely shocked by the results,” said Dr. Tom Glass, professor of forensic sciences, pathology and dental medicine at Oklahoma State University Centre for Health Sciences in Tulsa.

442 different species of bacteria were taken from 117 different sites on the instruments, which consisted of two clarinets, two oboes, two saxophones, two mellophones, two trombones, two trumpets, and one cornet.

Many of the bacteria were species of Staphylococcus, which can cause staph infections. 58 moulds and 19 yeasts were also identified.

“We found that the instrument was basically acting as a reservoir for these germs and had the potential to infect the individual who was playing it,” he says

“What was also disturbing is that some of the instruments hadn’t been played for several months but they had the same group of germs. These germs have a very long shelf life.”

One of the most commonly found types of bacteria was Brevibacterium, which can cause corneal infections, food poisoning and endophthalmitis (an inflammation of the internal coats of the eye which can cause loss of vision).

Taking apart the instrument and wiping its surfaces once a week can cut back on the germs, but it only decreases the number of germs to an “acceptable level,” says Glass. To ensure complete safety he recommends that the instrument is sterilised in a bath of ethylene oxide.

“There are good germs and bad germs, but many of these have the potential to be bad,” stated Glass. “They have the potential to produce infectious diseases as well as respiratory diseases such as asthma.”

According to Glass, many used brass and woodwind instruments are basically carriers, passing germs from one person to the next.

Unfortunately, the kids who play these borrowed instruments are especially vulnerable, because, he says, “their immune systems aren’t as well-developed as adults.”

On Saturday March 12^th 2011 from 10am til 5pm. Your chance to come and try some very interesting instruments all in one shop!

Take a look at the following:

Renaissance brass:        Silver plated 4500 cornet

                                                 Silver plated 8500 trumpet

                                                 Silver plated 5500 baritone

                                                Gold lacquer 7550 Bb euphonium

 SR saxes:                        Gold lacquer alto sax

                                             Bronze alto sax

                                            Silver plated tenor sax

                                           Gold lacquer curved sop

 Flutes:          Silver plated bass flute with silver lip & riser

                         Black nickel alto flute

Bring your instruments along and have a FREE check by Peter Pollard.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Peter learnt his trade by studying acoustics, metal and woodworking whilst working under the watchful eyes of the worlds leading technicians. Since then he has designed instruments for major instrument manufacturers such as Jupiter and artists in the UK and Canada. Peter also worked for retailers, managing product ranges and developing their marketing campaigns. Colleges have also taken advantage of Peter’s expertise asking him to write and examine repair courses in the UK and Norway.

Peter is a member of the NAPBIRT and the Yamaha Technicians Guild and has regularly been seen at all the worldwide major music shows including NAMM, MIAC and the Frankfurt Musik Messe.

Finally Peter has returned to his true love, designing and making brass and woodwind instruments and is currently working on student instruments for JHS and also custom instruments for individual artists.
]]> http://musicpartsuk.wordpress.com/2010/10/06/the-purpose-of-music-is-to-inspire-to-entertain-to-lift-the-soul-2/feed/ 0 pollardtrumpets http://musicpartsuk.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/%e2%80%9codyssey-brasswind-consultant%e2%80%9d-peter-pollard/ http://musicpartsuk.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/%e2%80%9codyssey-brasswind-consultant%e2%80%9d-peter-pollard/#comments Mon, 04 Oct 2010 10:39:56 +0000 pollardtrumpets http://musicpartsuk.wordpress.com/?p=453 Continue reading →]]>

Of particular note this year was the launch of the new Odyssey brass and woodwind range, newly designed and targeting the student/beginner market with the sort of quality normally the claim of far more expensive models.

“I have always believed that students should be given the best possible instruments to learn on,” said the range’s designer, Peter Pollard, an instrument technician to many big names in the brass and woodwind world. “We’ve spent a lot of time designing and tweaking the prototypes and putting them in the hands of professionals to get their take on them. We’re satisfied now that we have products that will easily take players up to Grade 6 – a couple of them beyond that.”

A couple of the new brass instruments stood out, with a ‘baby’ French horn with adjustable hand rest for younger hands and a soprano sax in Bb, shaped like an alto, again, giving younger children the opportunity to take up the instrument regardless of size and weight issues.

Through their commitment to maintaining high standards of customer care,product quality and presentation,the management and staff of this establishment demonstrate their dedication to quality and service.

This is to certify that;

MUSIC PARTS UK

has sastifactorily fulfilled the requirments for recognition by THE GUILD OF MASTERCRAFSTMEN. This establishment has agreed to uphold at all times the aims and objectives of the Guild,to abide by the terms and conditions of membership and to continue to serve the public and fellow members with skill and integrity.

Yamaha have long prided themselves on long-term relationships with world-class artists and organisations, and the Leyland Band partnership takes this philosophy to a new level. Yamaha’s international support via its European subsidiaries will help promote the Leyland Band concert and performance schedule to new audiences. Yamaha will also be supporting the band by supplying a range of student instruments for educational events and will be promoting have-a-go sessions at concerts.

Ian Frankland is Yamaha’s Brass and Woodwind Marketing Manager and was key to forging the partnership. He comments, “This is not a standard sponsorship arrangement as has traditionally been the case between industry and banding; it’s much more creative. At its heart is a joint desire to reach out beyond the current brass band audiences and to introduce more people to the genre and to the joy of playing brass instruments.”

A spokesperson for Leyland Band says, “We already enjoy a strong relationship with Yamaha on the instrument side of things and it seemed a logical step to develop this into a more dynamic international arrangement to promote brass banding in general. It also means we will have access to Yamaha’s specialist technical team and will be able to integrate Yamaha into our ‘Training Days’, our ‘Big Blow’ events and our ‘Leyland Band in the Community’ events.”

The announcement follows the recent relationship announced between Leyland Band and the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), the UK’s fourth-largest university.

 http://uk.yamaha.com/en/news_events/about_yamaha/2010/leyland_band/