Meet the owner
Hi there! My name is Jenny Rickman and I am the owner of Rose Reeds. I am a reed maker and oboe teacher in the Chicagoland area and hold degrees and certificates from the Chicago College of Performing Arts and Northern Illinois University School of Music.
In 2014 I opened Rose Reeds as a side hustle while I worked as a middle school band director and by 2017 I was making more selling reeds than I was teaching. So I quit my teaching job and began working from home while I watched my children. Now I am happily divorced with 3 beautiful children; Calvin age 9, Mae age 7, and Ella age 3.
Since I began teaching, I have been using my oboe reeds for beginning and advanced students because they produce a more stable and consistent tone than the machine made reeds. It is discouraging playing on a poorly made reed, no matter the skill level. This is why Rose Reeds offers a wide range of strengths to tailor fit your needs. Check out our reed buying guide to find your new favorite reed!
My first priority in reed making is to make a reed responsive and easy to play on, even in my professional level reeds. Secondly I make them play in tune. Once both of these elements are achieved, an excellent reed with a wonderful rich and warm tone is born!!
I also differentiate my reeds for beginners, intermediate, and advance/professional level reeds. All level reeds are hand crafted and of high quality. The beginner reed has a slightly thicker tip since many beginning oboe students are prone to breaking reeds in their early years. The intermediate reeds have thinner tips and slightly more resistance to produce a more mature tone. The professional reeds are the same reeds that I play on myself. These reeds are made with higher quality staple, are made with more resistance, and have a more resonant professional tone.
How we make our reeds
Because I was a beginning band director, I have seen what works and what doesn't with students. I directed a band program of over 200 students and I certainly didn’t have time to fiddle with them everyday. My reeds are ready right out of the box.
Why our reeds are different
The reeds just work. These reeds work straight out of the box! There shouldn’t be any need for adjustments for the average player. And for those who want some wiggle room, you can always order a harder strength
Consistency. I have been making reeds for over 20 years and each stage of my reed making is done exactly the same. It makes my job easier and a better reed.
The colors. I mean come on. Who doesn’t love colored thread. Obvs not me. I don’t have anything that one might describe as a “problem”.