Like Brandon Jones, Bente Illevold is now a Shires euphonium artist. Bente has recently adopted a Shires Q41 in silver plate sporting a large receiver. Her Mouthpiece is a Doug Elliott Euph 103 H* H9.
In an email this morning, Bente has shared with me her enthusiasm for her new euph, and has given me permission to share her observations on this forum.
While she aptly reminded me that “it`s all about the musician behind the horn. You can`t find a horn that gives you everything, but you can find a horn that handles everything you give&#”, here are Bente Illevold’s observations:
“I love the intonation in the Shires Q41. It’s incredible and the best I ever experienced in an euphonium!
I also love the tone quality. I often think that people on Willson sound the same, sort of your horn is forcing you to sound in a specific way - the sort
Of traditional military band way of playing in my perspective.
So I wanted to get a horn that allows me to sound the way I want, and where I can shape colors the way I want.
I find the Shires amazing that way.
I also love the valves, both easy and clean.
Shires plays really easy, and for me it’s a perfect horn Or, the closest you’ll get to perfect!”
Meantime, Bente is progressively posting her Q41 videos on YouTube. Yesterday she contributed her latest clip: Three Songs by Edvard Grieg. You will find it, together with her wonderful performance of her own transcription for euphonium and piano of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo’ Theme, on her channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/hattifnatt111
Saluti, Guido