Launch of Veriam Music Trust

On Saturday 23 March 2023 an exciting new venture in the world of woodwind musical instruments was launched – the Veriam Music Trust.

Based in the premises of Double Reed Ltd., Veriam Music Trust is an independent charity whose aim is the preservation and study of historical woodwind instruments and sheet music.

The Trust currently holds three collections and has the aim of expanding to become one of the UK’s foremost holders of historical woodwind instruments and associated sheet music. These current collections comprise the following:

The Boston Collection

A collection of some 40 instruments, mainly woodwind (including three bassoons) but augmented by a few brass instruments, all dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. The majority of them were made by British makers with others deriving from continental Europe.

The Boston Collection was started by started by Canon Noel Boston (1910-66) and has been privately held by the Boston family until placed with Veriam Music Trust by James Boston in 2023.

The Archibald Camden Collection

A collection of sheet music originally owned by Archibald (Archie) Camden, a renowned 20th century British bassoonist, and latterly his son Kerry Camden. It comprises some early printed works, some manuscript works in the hands of the composers and supplied to Archie (some having been used for premiers the pieces), plus a range of sheet music for bassoon and woodwind ensembles published in the 20th century held and used by Archie for more general purposes.

The Double Reed Collection

A collection of late 18th century and early 19th century double reed instruments (mainly bassoons) by British and continental European makers. On permanent loan from Double Reed Ltd.

The Trust wishes to encourage the viewing of the instruments and music by all interested parties, plus more extensive study and research for those with an academic interest in instruments and music of the periods covered.

The collection is housed in Double Reed Ltd.’s showroom; we warmly welcome visitors by appointment. We also invite involvement in the Trust by anyone with a knowledge of, and interest in, historical woodwind instruments to support our work.

Veriam Music Trust has just launched a website showing nearly all of the instruments held and giving information about them where known. The Archibald Camden Collection will be added in the forthcoming weeks.

If you would like to know more about the Trust and its collections, or would like to visit or get involved, please get in touch.