Life & Work with Billy Leenheer of Longmont

Today we’d like to introduce you to Billy Leenheer

Hi Billy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
One thing that nearly all bassoon players learn at one point in their career is reed making, and it has fascinated me since I discovered it in college at the University of Delaware. When I learned that I was able to make bassoon reeds that played exactly how I wanted them and could make them in pretty colors, I was totally hooked! I started by making reeds for myself and my friends at the University and continued doing this when I went to grad school at the University of Memphis.

At this point I was selling reeds to my friends back on the east coast and around Tennessee and was encouraged to begin an EtsyShop in 2015. Almost a decade later, Billy’s Bassoon Reeds has been able to send orders to 5 countries as well as to numerous customers around the US.

After living in Tennessee, I moved to Arizona, where my business really had an opportunity to blossom. There I honed my skills in making reeds specifically for higher altitudes and when I moved to Colorado more recently I was able to take those skills and continue to master them at even higher altitudes (literally!).

It has been an incredible journey that would never have been capable of happening without the amazing support I’ve gotten along the way. I will always be grateful for those who’ve encouraged and helped to get Billy’s Bassoon Reeds on the map!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve been lucky to have extremely supportive people in my life in those times that I’ve felt the road wasn’t smooth. Much of my struggles have come from myself; wondering if my reeds are good enough, or if I’m doing something “right,” or just the feeling of not knowing exactly what I’m doing. Through those times I’ve tried to keep my head high, lean on those that support me, and not let me get myself down.

One major struggle of Billy’s Bassoon Reeds was moving around the country. I was always worried that moving to a new place I wouldn’t be able to sell my reeds or they wouldn’t play correctly, or whatever. When I moved to Colorado for example, I was almost done in by the humidity, or lack there of.

In Arizona, it is constantly dry, so I was able to make my reeds with that knowledge and take steps to avoid the cane cracking as it dried. When I moved to Colorado, I didn’t take into account the wildly changing humidity levels from morning to night and lost quite a few batches of blanks (unfinished reeds) to the cracks in the cane. After a few months of experimenting with humidifiers, humidity bags, different reed forming techniques, and really anything I could think of, I have found a solution that helps me finish my reeds with almost no cracking! Even at these high altitudes!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
One thing that sets Billy’s Bassoon Reeds, and my work, apart is my focus on making reeds specifically for the person ordering them. I’ve worked hard to learn how the reeds and cane work at different altitudes and humidity levels, and take that into account as best I can before sending my reeds out into the world. I’m also proud of the connections I’ve made with other bassoonists, businesses, musicians, and professionals in the field. Through these connections I’ve been able to provide my reeds to communities that otherwise might not have access to them.

While I own and operate Billy’s Bassoon Reeds full time. I am also a full time preschool teacher, working with children ages from three to five. Up until this past year I was a music teacher for nearly a decade, but I’ve loved the transition to this new chapter of teaching! Being an educator has always been my dream and working with children at this age group has been an incredible experience. I’m so proud of the work I do with them and for the school community that I am a part of.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up I was quite introverted and quiet, and honestly have only just started to break free of that more. I grew up in New Jersey with my parents and sister, in the rural area of Sussex County. Because of this I was always interested in plants and being outdoors. Where I grew up there were many places to hike, walk, or drive in nature and by the time I had a car that was what I enjoyed doing most of the time. Aside from this, I was hooked on the Kingdom Hearts video game series, reading books, and loved learning about lore from video games and real world religions.

Music was always incredibly important to me and I joined band as soon as it became available to me in fifth grade. From that point forward my time was pretty much always occupied with rehearsals and learning new instruments. By the time I had graduated high school, I had taught myself how to play the flute, piccolo, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, oboe, and tuba. I was part of every band or orchestral opportunity in my area and spent much of my time traveling the state with community bands, marching in parades and performing concerts. When I got a little older, I had the opportunity to perform with other community groups in countries like Italy, France, Germany, Austria, and England. Thinking back on it all, I was the epitome of a “band geek,” with a bit of “history buff” sprinkled on top! (Haha)

Pricing:

• Finished Bassoon Reeds: $25
• Unfinished Bassoon Blanks: $22
• Unfinished Contrabassoon Blanks: $24

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.billysbassoonreeds.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billysbassoonreeds?igsh=eDlwYTE3ejVsbHFn
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BillysBassoonReeds?mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Twitter: https://x.com/BillysReeds?s=09

Image Credits
Billy Leenheer