I’m excited to officially announce a new offering that brings together all of the facets of my career, informed by three decades of performing, two decades of teaching, and a decade of professional repair.

To celebrate ten years at the bench, I’m introducing personalized performance & repair consulting sessions. These sessions bridge performance and repair, helping you feel more connected, capable, and confident on your instrument.

Where Mechanics Meet Musicianship

While my repair work often involves detail-oriented adjustments, the overarching theme that matters most to me is helping people feel more at ease when they play. Over the years, I’ve realized that the mechanical and musical sides of an instrument are deeply connected, and everything feels simpler when you have a strong understanding of both.

These consulting sessions aren’t traditional lessons, and they aren’t standard repair appointments. They live somewhere in between!

They’re especially helpful if you’re:

• Preparing for an audition, competition, or major performance
• Feeling stuck despite solid practice
• Curious how setup and repair affect response and ease
• A teacher looking to further deepen students’ understanding of the nuanced ways they interact with their instrument

The Path That Shaped This Work

This work reflects the unique combination of performing, teaching, and professional repair that has shaped my career. I studied at Juilliard with Jon Manasse, have performed with groups such as the Met Opera and NY Philharmonic, taught extensively, was a fellow and later a mentor with Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble ACJW (now Ensemble Connect), completed a full apprenticeship with Mark Jacobi, and have given masterclasses at institutions including Juilliard. Having spent years as a performer refining my own instruments to meet specific musical demands, I now guide others through that same process with clarity and intention.

What to Expect

During these personally tailored consulting sessions, we might play, talk, troubleshoot, or make on-the-spot adjustments when appropriate. Sometimes the result will be small mechanical tweaks that make a big impact. Other times it may be a fingering change, a setup insight, or a new way of approaching the instrument that may save you from unnecessary repair work or major alterations altogether.

The goal is simple:

• Help you find ways to make your instrument feel easier to play
• Help you move past specific technical or musical hurdles
• Give you a clearer edge in performances and auditions
• Make playing feel more enjoyable overall

I’ve finally found a way to bring my experience as a performer, teacher, and repair technician together into one custom offering, and I’m genuinely excited to share it.

If this sounds like something you’ve been missing, you’re probably right!

Book your 75-minute session ($250) or email us at liam@burkewoodwinds.com with any questions.

The post Bridging Performance and Repair appeared first on Burke Woodwinds.

What You Get with a COA: Ten steps for maintenance success

So much goes into a proper COA, well beyond the topical clean, oil, and adjust. I pride myself on being exceptionally thorough and meticulous at every step to return your instrument to you in top condition. When you bring your clarinet to me for a COA, you can expect I will go through the following 10 steps—at a minimum.

1. Complete a Comprehensive Inspection

To see every component of your clarinet, I start by taking it apart. Once it’s all laid out in front of me, I inspect every square millimeter of the keys and instrument.

2. Inspect and Clean All Keys

I start with the C in COA: cleaning. Dirty keys can lead to sluggish performance, so I first clean the keys to prevent limescale buildup. The acidity from your fingers and hands can cause the keys to wear quickly. It’s imperative to use the proper solvent for the metal when cleaning. For instance, if some metals are cleaned with anything harsher than dish soap, they can be harmed. Knowing which solvent to use for each component, and how much, is paramount!

After cleaning the keys, I seal them with Renaissance Wax or another protective coating as needed.

3. Inspect and Clean Springs

While inspecting the springs, I make sure to thoroughly clean them, which helps to prevent rust, and I replace them as needed. Not only is a broken spring a major inconvenience, but it can be debilitating in the middle of a performance!

With experience, I know if a particular spring is too short, too long, too brittle, rusted in hidden places, fitted poorly, etc. If any of those are the case, a spring could fall out of place and cause its key to stop working. Sometimes, even a spring’s diameter is either too thin or too thick within a few thousandths of an inch, resulting in improper mechanical response and reduced kinesthetic capabilities.

4. Clean Body and Bore

The cleaning part of a COA continues with the body and bore, including all wood and metal components: posts, rings, register/thumb tubes, etc. I review the body of the instrument, as well as the tone holes, inside and out, going through dozens of cotton swabs and even several toothpicks during this thorough cleaning. I also use a toothbrush and wood soap to clear the wood of residue from hand acidity/sweat, cork grease, and other substances. Many customers report added resonance to their sound after a COA, which may be in part due to this comprehensive cleaning.

5 Inspect and Clean Tenons

As I inspect and clean the tenons, I ensure there is a proper fit between each joint. Sometimes, a connection between joints can be too tight and possibly cause the clarinet to crack in several places. If the connection is too loose, it can prevent the instrument from sealing properly.

As part of a COA, I include up to two new tenon corks as needed.

6. Oil the Body and Bore

Many clarinetists are told to oil the bore of their clarinets. It wasn’t until my repair maestro taught me how to do it properly that I realized oiling should really come with the disclaimer “Don’t try this at home.” When it comes to the O in a COA, oiling is an extremely specialized process that involves:

• Cleaning the wood properly
• Letting it dry for a specific period
• Applying the correct amount of oil
• Avoiding getting any oil on the metal components of the clarinet body that shouldn’t be removed, such as posts and locking mechanisms

If these steps aren’t followed, the clarinet won’t absorb the oil and you could even damage the wood. If nothing else, you’ll end up with a slippery mess!

Some instructors and clarinetists have extreme opinions on the topic of oiling a clarinet: should you or shouldn’t you? The truth is that both yes and no are the right answers:

• Yes: Your clarinet should be oiled but only by a professional technician with extensive experience.
• No: You should not do this yourself with a store-bought bore oil, dabbing it on willy-nilly.

In my shop, I use different combinations of various types of oils depending on what a particular clarinet needs. These “recipes” were passed down through the generations, stemming from the legendary Hans Moennig. Knowing exactly when a particular piece of wood needs to be oiled – as well as what oil to use – is an acquired skill that is advanced even for the most skilled woodworking professionals. Then there are certain components of oils that work better on certain woods—clarinets can be made from multiple types of wood. Also, pads can be damaged if even a little bit of bore oil gets on them (i.e. by applying bore oil to a swab and pulling it through the instrument when fully assembled.)

7. Replace Pads and Bumpers

If needed, I install replacement pads and include up to four in a standard COA. When I see that preexisting material is falling off or causing other issues that may interfere with your playing, I’ll install custom bumpers. These bumpers help achieve the optimal tactile response for a refined technique. I continue to adjust as needed to ensure the mechanism is ideal.

8. Reassemble the Instrument

Following a full inspection and repair as warranted, I start to put the clarinet back together, oiling the mechanism with different viscosities of key oil as I go. You can prevent rust in the pivot screws and rods by having all the mechanisms in your instrument oiled at least once a year. That’s because the act of using the clarinet—blowing air through it—causes condensation to spread onto the keys. This, along with humidity even when not playing, can cause rust to build up on the springs, keys, screws, posts, thumb tube, thumb rest, and all other metal components. To prevent this rust, I put a special coating on the springs when I reassemble the clarinet.

9. Conduct a Play Test

A visual inspection is a start, but there’s no way I can be sure the instrument is working optimally, and tailored to its owner’s playing style, without actually playing it. I enjoy adjusting the instrument to a client’s particular preferences or comparing it to another one of their instruments, since even one tiny detail can make a huge difference in their individual usage.

During the play test, I run through a specific repertoire that highlights key characteristics of the clarinet and reveals any acoustical flaws the instrument may have. By tapping into my experience as a professional clarinetist and my education at Juilliard, I ensure the response is optimal and that the timbre reflects the client’s aesthetic preferences as closely as possible. I make every instrument play as homogeneously and as effortlessly as I can. I know that there are some typical problem notes that are airy, too dark, or too bright, so I look for those.

I’ll play the instrument with several barrels and bells when I think a clarinetist will benefit from an accessory change or upgrade.

10. Complete Adjustments and Customization

The overarching component of a COA is the A: adjust. I am constantly adjusting the instrument throughout the entire process.

While play testing the clarinet (both before and after the COA), I take note of modifications that can create a sound that’s as close to perfect (in the performer’s ear) as possible, and then I consult with the customer about whether they would like such changes done.  This may include reshaping tone holes for better venting and using a technique called undercutting. This improves homogeneity, response, intonation, and timbre. I also create custom tools to bevel pads and shape them to their keys to ensure they are venting properly.

I’ll also regulate the spring tensions. Oftentimes, clarinets have very heavy spring tensions as a shortcut to improperly make the instrument’s pads seal. However, this can pose a serious risk of carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive stress injuries. Springs also run the risk of being too light, which can cause problems with the seal of the clarinet among other issues such as uneven technique.

There are a lot of keys on a clarinet, and it’s easy to hit the wrong one so, when possible, I make sure the mechanism is well aligned to minimize these errors in playing.

You shouldn’t have to adjust to your instrument. Instead, I can adjust the instrument to you!

Why a COA and Regular Maintenance of Your Clarinet Are So Important

Unfortunately, many clarinetists are unclear about what a COA is or why it’s so valuable. It’s important to remember that your instrument is an investment, and as with anything that you invest in (your car, home, etc.), you must keep it maintained. Other wind instrumentalists such as flutists use the term COA regularly, but it’s less common among clarinet players.  If you value your instrument and your ability to play to your full potential, whether professionally or in a school band, it’s time to prioritize your investment and sign up for a COA.

The post What’s Included in a COA? appeared first on Burke Woodwinds.

I started my career in music as a performer, and I trained for years at Juilliard before going on to play in numerous orchestras and symphonies throughout the city. In fact, I still do, which is why when you look in the pit some nights you might see the flash of a screwdriver as the resident Performer-Repairman fixes a colleague’s wind instrument between acts. But even if you aren’t in the pit with me, I still take that intimate understanding and experience of the clarinet in action to your instrument.

Understand the Subtleties of Playing

Having played in various high-caliber orchestras and symphonies, as well as in notable Broadway productions, I understand the subtleties and nuances of how instruments work. Once I play a clarinet, or an auxiliary instrument, I know what tweaks are needed to get the most out of it. Being a performer and doing repairs infinitely helps me dial in quickly and diagnose—and then know how to fix—any problems.

Keen Ear for How Instruments Should Sound

Each instrument has its own sound. In fact, even wind instruments of the same make/model can have varied acoustical characteristics, If you’re not working with a musician for your instrument maintenance and repairs, you lose this important benefit of having your work done by a performer plus repair technician in one.

Quick Adjustments in a Pinch

Liam Burke fixing Met Opera Oboist Susan Specter’s instrument between acts.

On more than one occasion, I’ve been known to provide repairs for colleagues in between performances or rehearsals, or even between acts at the Metropolitan Opera. I play in numerous ensembles with other clarinetists and can gauge what will help others in quick fixes and even equipment upgrades. Plus, because of my experience performing with some of the most renowned woodwind sections, I can listen to someone play and notice if they would benefit from repairs. If it’s something minor, I’m happy to take care of it during a break. Just another benefit of being a performer and doing repairs!

Know the Difference Between Maintenance and Repair

When it comes to instruments, there’s regular maintenance, and then there’s repair. Consider having a Clean, Oil, Adjust done for your instrument every 6 months (or risk having to come for an emergency repair). With ongoing, regular maintenance, I’m likely to find problems quicker and often avoid major repair issues. It’s best to have your instrument looked at regularly before it needs to be repaired. Most issues that plague instruments and performers result from regular usage of the instrument. And as a performer, I can preemptively fix those issues when you visit me for routine maintenance. I’ll help you achieve and maintain the acoustical and technical aspects that you are aiming for so that you can sound (and feel) your best when performing.

The post The Benefit of Being a Performer and Doing Repairs: How They Overlap appeared first on Burke Woodwinds.

What can you do to get the most out of your repair technician? The best advice is to find someone trustworthy. You’ll want to read reviews, ask colleagues for recommendations, and ensure you’ve chosen a talented and passionate technician. Additionally, here are some suggestions to have the best experience possible.

Avoid Self-diagnosing Your Instrument’s Issues

Calling your repair technician to say, “I know exactly what the issue is and just need a quick fix” is a good way to not get the most out of your repair technician. You may think you know what the problem is and have an idea as to how long the fix will take, but you may or may not be on the right track. And sometimes, your self-diagnosis can set the technician along an incorrect path—especially if you are adamant about having a particular procedure done that isn’t necessary—which may often result in an insufficient repair or one that doesn’t truly address the problem (not to mention the extra time and money this may waste!).

By taking time to dig in and determine what’s really happening, I can find the source, fix the instrument entirely, and preemptively fix related issues. Plus, more time allows for a better experience overall.

Give Your Technician Time to Diagnose and Repair

One of the best ways to get the most out of your repair technician is to give them enough time to correctly diagnose the issue and complete the needed repairs. Share what you’re experiencing and then let the technician translate this input into their repair. Personally, I like to spend a lot of time with each instrument so I get to know it and understand why it functions the way it does. I thrive on being able to memorize the tendencies of a given instrument and to understand how these tendencies affect the player (either in a good way or in a bad way).

Players also have tendencies themselves and instrument repair is not one size fits all. Therefore, I offer subscription services for ongoing repair and maintenance. I can observe a performer’s technical habits and aesthetic approaches to playing by watching and listening and then I can adjust an instrument accordingly. I can also track how their instrument breaks in and responds to them over time.

Ensure that you are providing enough time for your technician to get your instrument in top condition. There are rarely “quick repairs”; the world of instrument repair should be viewed as an art. In many instances, you may even want to plan for a technician to have your instrument for several days.

Have a Backup Set of Instruments

Whether you are a professional or student, you cannot go long without your instrument—especially if you have a performance coming up! But what if you find a flaw in your main instrument and it needs to go in for a repair?

In this situation, the best solution is to always have a good backup instrument (or in the case of clarinets, a good backup set of instruments). These should be well maintained and ready to jump into first position in the case of an emergency. Don’t bank on the fact that you’ll be able to get the most out of your repair technician by waiting until your instrument breaks to bring it in for repair. Instead, give yourself peace of mind by planning ahead and being prepared.

Treat Your Instruments Well

There’s no doubt you treasure your instruments and intend to treat them well. But it might not be a priority to take good care of your instruments when you are busy performing or doing other things outside of music. Consider, though, that the better care you take of your instrument, the longer it will last and the fewer repairs it will need overall.

Additionally, be sure to schedule routine maintenance for your instrument. Having it cleaned, inspected, and adjusted on an ongoing basis will make the instrument less susceptible to costly, time-consuming repairs and will help you get the most out of your repair technician. Staying on top of your instrument repair and maintenance is also a professional thing to do.

How much should you expect to spend on repairs and maintenance? A good rule of thumb for professionals is to set aside 2.5% of your performance income. To provide a round number, if you make $100,000 a year from playing, expect to spend $2,500 on repairs and maintenance, even if your instrument is brand new.

Get the Most Out of Your Repair Technician at Burke Woodwinds

When you purchase your instruments at Burke Woodwinds, your maintenance and repair calls go to the front of the queue. I always set aside time to work on my clients’ instruments because I value our relationship and know that you want to get back up and running as soon as possible. And if you need a backup instrument, I can help with that too.

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