Recorder31 Day 17 | Ensembles Competition

One of the many great joys of playing the recorder is getting to share your music-making with other recorder-loving friends. This week's Recorder31 competition is angled towards your wonderful recorder ensembles and offers the chance for your group to WIN a brand new Kunath Sigo bass recorder.

Making a welcome return to Recorder31, we invite you to gather your ensemble members for this week's competition. We're looking for ensembles of 3+ musicians, featuring two or more recorder players – it could be a full recorder consort, a broken consort or a mixed ensemble. 

There's no set repertoire this week – you choose the music! Just film yourselves performing your chosen piece and send it to us to be considered. (Please keep your videos under five minutes in duration.)

About the Prize

Courtesy of our friends at Kunath, we are delighted to offer a Sigo bass recorder as this week’s competition prize. A bass recorder is a fabulous addition to the collection of any ensemble and by sharing it between the musicians in the winning group, all the players will benefit and be able to expand the sounds they can produce.

While there are recorder models that are played today based on the ideas of historical instrument makers such as Rottenburgh, Denner, Kynseker, Bressan and others, Sigo goes its own way.

The Sigo Bass (in F) is characterised by its unprecedented compactness. The angled headjoint and the folded inner bore make the Sigo Bass particularly ergonomic to play. It can easily be set up on a chair or leg for playing while sitting. The bass can be held with a bass strap if required for playing while standing. The Sigo bass has the same grip width as a normal F-alto recorder. The body is made of RESONA, a material developed by Kunath Instrumentenbau from renewable raw materials.

Thank you to Kunath for their support of Recorder31!

How to Enter

Simply send us your video before entries close on Sunday 23 August. Send your entry via email to recorder31@earlymusicshop.com or upload it to social media using the hashtag #Recorder31. (If entering on social media, we recommend sending us an email with a link, to make sure we don’t miss it!)

Please see the bottom of this blog page for full terms and conditions.

Recorder31 Playlists | Week Three: Beyond Classical

This week's Recorder31 Playlist explores the wonderful range of recorder music beyond the realm of 'classical' or early music repertoire. The playlist encompasses folk, jazz, pop, and film music – and recorder moments by big-name artists including The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and more! Check it out and follow our account on Spotify to make sure you don't miss out on future playlists!

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In today's listening corner we have this week’s fabulous competition prize, the much-awaited Sigo Bass by Kunath! 

Players have been chomping at the bit to get their hands on one, and they’ve been selling out virtually as fast as we can restock them. It’s fair to say its unconventional, ultra-modern look causes a few raised eyebrows at first! But the moment people actually pick it up and play it in the showroom, initial scepticism turns to complete surprise.

Press play below to hear what all the fuss is about!

Listen to how effortlessly the lowest notes speak. The direct windway and modern ergonomic design deliver a punchy, remarkably stable bassline with zero lag. It offers a big, resonant voice with rock-solid intonation that punch well above its weight class.

Listen to this recorder!

Van Eyck Doen Daphne:

Playford King of Poland:

Scale:

Click here to find out more about this recorder.

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Competition Terms & Conditions

• Entries must be submitted by midnight (BST) on Sunday 23 August 2026
• Judging for all Recorder31 competitions will take place in early September 2026 after which winners will be notified and announced on The Early Music Shop’s website and social media.
• Ensembles should contain three or more musicians, of which two (or more) members should be playing recorder. Other instruments may be used alongside the recorders.
• Videos may be submitted by email to recorder31@earlymusicshop.com, or uploaded to social media. If entering via social media, please make sure the account/post is set up for public viewing, and that you tag The Early Music Shop @earlymusicshop using the hashtag #Recorder31 – we recommend sending us the link via email to make sure we don't miss your entry.
• Winning entries may be shared by The Early Music Shop on social media and online at www.earlymusicshop.com
• The prize recorder is available to one winning ensemble only, and it is not able to be exchanged for any cash alternative or replacement prize. The judges decide upon the winner, and their decision is final.

Good luck, and thank you for sharing your talents for this year's Recorder31!