Instruments for sale

In 2013 the EMSQ was granted the stewardship of a large collection of Early Music instruments by the Queensland University of Technology. The collection included a large number of recorders, smaller numbers of viols and violins, capped and uncapped reed instruments, cornettos, lutes, a harpsichord, clavichord and  a miscellany of others. These instruments were originally purchased by the Kelvin Grove Teachers  College in the mid 1970s for use in their teachers’ courses for some years, until fashions in music teaching moved to more modern instruments. The instruments became obsolete and were transferred to QUT when it took over the running of the teachers college in 1990. They continued to languish there in glass cabinets until being handed over to the EMSQ. Since 2013, the EMSQ has made the instruments available for hire to its members, but uptake of this has been minimal. The EMSQ committee has subsequently decided to keep a smaller core collection of instruments for hire and to sell the remainder to raise funds for activities of the society, commencing with the surplus recorders.  

Recorders for sale are all made of wood and nearly all are of quality German brands. For sale are four descants, seven trebles/altos,  four tenors and seven basses. They are all in good working order and have been assessed and given a score out of ten for their condition, tone and intonation, contributing to a total quality score out of thirty. A small number have been chipped over the years but have still been put up for sale as their tone and intonation are still very good. Recorders come supplied with a soft material bag for protection.

The recorders will be available at the EMSQ AGM and members concert for members to see and try out. This will be a chance to pick up a quality recorder that suits your needs at a bargain price. If you have any questions about the recorders before or after the AGM, please contact Michael Yelland by email at m.yelland@griffith.edu.au