About us

General

We are a family business based in Armidale, NSW Australia. Orpheus Music began in 1994 running recorder workshops for local students that expanded over the years to become a specialist recorder hub catering for all the needs of the recorder-playing community. Presently, we are a multi-faceted business that aims to promote the recorder in Australia – we offer high quality recorders, recorder repertoire (both historical and contemporary) and hold educational recorder courses for recorder players to learn from both local and international recorder artists annually.    

Sheet Music

We publish new music for the recorder (Orpheus Music Publications) as well as stocking a large range of recorder music from other publishers. The music covers everything from solo, duets, trios, quartets, to large ensembles and recorder Orchestras. We offer music for all musical standards- beginner to highly advanced recorder repertoire. Recorder has one of the oldest repertoires of any instrument, ranging from Medieval music all the way to the present day, and we presently have the largest collection of recorder repertoire in the Southern Hemisphere. We post both locally and internationally. 

Recorders and Accessories

We stock a large range of high quality recorders in different sizes including, sopranino, descant, treble, tenor and bass, from a range of makers including Kung, Mollenhauer, Aulos, Kunath, Zenon, Dolmetsch and Paetzold. We stock a variety of plastic and wooden recorders (plum, cherry, granadilla, and many more!)  to suit the sound that you are looking for in a recorder. 

Repairs

Specialist recorder repairs and advice are available for those looking to mend or fix instrumental related issues.  

Courses

Every year Orpheus Music runs a week long residential recorder course with extra add-on course options. These courses employ top professional recorder players from around Australia and internationally. The courses are held each January in Armidale, with an extensive trade display of sheet music, recorders and accessories. Registration opens in August of every year, with the course running the second or third week of January.  

Our Team

Zana Clarke - Founder and Artistic Director

Peter Biffin - Day-to-day running and recorder repair

Alexandra Bailliet-Joly - Promotions, Courses and Festivals

Ana Biffinstock management

Kees Greyner - dispatch

Benjamin Thorn - Printing and editing

Photos on home page by Pam Rooney