June 30, 2009
Pat O’Scannell
I would like to give my most heartfelt endorsement of Ronaldo Reyburn’s penny whistles. Although it surprises me to say it, his most recent whistles are an improvement over an instrument that I thought couldn’t really be bettered. Leave it to Ronaldo to continue to make tiny adjustments in the voicing, creating even better evenness of tone throughout the whole range, excellent intonation and little adjustment of breath pressure going from the low to high range, and a wonderful tone and timbre, suitable for many settings. The instruments are accessible for the beginner, in that they are an easy blow, and don’t require much ‘micro managing’ to play in tune, but also are excellent for the seasoned and professional player. I myself now have three Reyburn low whistles and the soprano D/C set, and have used them for live performances and studio work, as well as session playing. It is good to know that Ronaldo will customize your whistle, to allow for the most specialized voicings and configurations. His high whistles are also state of the art, and should be considered by all serious players wanting to upgrade to a real instrument. Playing Reyburn whistles is a joy!
Pat O’Scannell was a performer and music director at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for ten years, and is a virtuosic whistle player. Her style is influenced by Padraig O’Reilly, Mary Bergin, and other whistle players of the West of Ireland, and her style reflects its wildness and pristine technique respectively. She has appeared in live performances and/or recordings with the following:
James Kiegher, Kevin Carr, Men of Worth, Thomaseen Foley, Michael Beglan, Christy Deleney, Mark Nelson, Noel McTeirnon, Brian Freeman, Janet Naylor, and many others. Her band: CRIONA toured the West Coast for over ten years. She has self produced over ten recordings, and released two recordings with the audiophile label DORIAN. Her award winning band ‘The Terra Nova Consort’ has played throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Germany, and has been heard on ‘St. Paul Sunday’, ‘West Coast Live’, ‘Harmonia’, National Public Radio throughout the U.S. and internationally, and many other radio shows.
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“WOW, TERRIFIC.
The Reyburn D whistle I received recently is a charmer. It has a warm, full-bodied tone with a wistful, whispery timbre, yet still cleanly articulated at every pitch throughout its two-octave compass and it is very nicely in tune. Beginners will appreciate the sleekly-styled, light-weight, tunable body; advanced players will appreciate its consistency and find it loud enough to be heard in a typical session fray, never becoming screechy or coarse no matter how hard it’s pushed.
Ronaldo has been creating a range of excellent, high-quality whistles for some time, and this latest model is a worthy addition to any player’s active arsenal.”
L.E. McCullough
Author, Composer, Performer
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5/12/04
Kevin Carr
“These instruments by Ronaldo Reyburn are exquisitely made, by a craftsman who clearly puts his soul into his work. And the results of his tireless quest for the perfect sound are evident in the pure, strong ,singing tone of his whistles. Played alone they are responsive, rich and nuanced, satisfying the desire of a player for an instrument that will go where the imagination dictates. In a session they are quite loud, but never shrill, always very present, but with a whole, round tone full of character. These instruments are a superb choice for a player who takes music seriously. ”
Kevin Carr
Counselor, Musician
Kevin Carr has been a piper and whistle player for over twenty five years, and has played pipes, whistle, and fiddle in such bands as Wake the Dead, Hillbillies from Mars, and Tetes de Violon. He has performed at numerous music and dance festivals across the country, and appeared as a guest artist on scores of recordings.
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“I love my Reyburn Standard Bore Low D whistle. It has a resonant and beautiful tone and it is easy to play… It’s a delightful whistle.
When Ronaldo announced that he was coming out with a high D whistle, I was excited, and purchased a “Less Breathy” model. (High D-LB)
The tuning is fine. The fipple is totally innovative. It is fascinating to me that such a simple construction can create such a pleasing and reliable tone. The tuning slide is graceful, a perfect fit.
The tone of the whistle falls perfectly… between breathy and pure. It is airy enough to sound like a whistle (instead of a recorder) and it is pure enough to be totally pleasing to my ears and lungs. It sings easily and the volume is perfectly balanced between octaves.
The NEW Reyburn high D whistle (High D-LB) is unpretentious, attractive and successful, and I recommend it highly.”
Jessie Kislin
Musician, Silversmith
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“The Reyburn Low D is a sleek, robust panther of a whistle. It has subtlety and power and a wide range of tone colors along with a very gentle blow. When I play it, I hear echoes of shakuhachi, nai, Native American flute, all blending with embracing and enhancing the melodies of my jigs and reels and slow airs. I haven’t used a Low D in my concerts, but I will now.”
L.E. McCullough
Author, Composer, Performer
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5/10/99
Patricia Maureen O’Scannell
“It is my personal pleasure to recommend the octave whistles of Ronaldo Reyburn. Having experimented with the whistles of other builders for a number of years now, I am delighted with Mr. Reyburn’s instruments. In addition to being voiced very well to facilitate playing smoothly from low to high register, a must when playing Irish repetoire, the instruments have a wonderful tone, making them ideal for playing airs and slower pieces. I have been playing the whistle professionally for over twenty years now, and am currently music director and co-artistic director of the Terra Nova Consort, ensemble in residence at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and have served in that capacity for ten years, after ten years as a musician there.”
Patricia Maureen O’Scannell
Co-Artistic Director, The Terra Nova Consort