Austrian Acoustic Engineering & Dutch Workshop Pedigree
Mst. Gerold A. Angerer
Master Woodwind Maker & Acoustic Pioneer • Fritzens, TyrolWith over four decades devoted exclusively to acoustic clarinet physics, Gerold Angerer is widely recognized as one of Europe’s foremost innovators in internal bore tapers and tone-hole undercut design. Working from his alpine workshop in Fritzens, his clarinets are celebrated in premier concert halls from Vienna to Tokyo.
Every piece of tonewood is personally chosen, tested for acoustic wave velocity, and cured for over a decade in dry Tyrolean mountain air before the first turning cut is made.
Artisan Credentials
- Inventor of the Micro-Parabolic Bore & Bell d’Amore geometry
- State Certified Austrian Meisterbrief in Woodwind Making
- Acoustic consultant to Vienna Philharmonic soloists
Sigurd Smit & Daniëlle Kreeft
Concert Repair Specialists & Academy Directors • Velp, NetherlandsSigurd Smit is revered across the Benelux as a preeminent woodwind technician and concert overhaul specialist. Combining extensive professional orchestral performing experience with microscopic mechanical tolerances, Sigurd understands the visceral demands placed on instruments during live symphonic performance.
Together with Daniëlle Kreeft, they founded Hobostudio Velp and the celebrated Hobo Afstelcursus, mentoring hundreds of conservatory students and touring soloists in mechanical self-reliance and precision reed balancing.
Artisan Credentials
- Certified Straubinger Pad Technician & Carbon Pinning Expert
- Creator of the acclaimed Hobo Afstelcursus Method
- Over 30 years supporting European conservatory woodwind faculties
Four Pillars of Atelier Excellence
Every instrument bearing the Gerold & Smit monogram embodies these non-negotiable craftsmanship standards.
10-Year Naturally Seasoned Tonewood
We reject accelerated kiln-drying. Only dense Mozambican Grenadilla cured naturally for a decade in climate-controlled alpine rooms is used, eliminating internal stress fractures.
Micro-Parabolic Acoustic Bore
A proprietary mathematical taper creating instant resonance in the altissimo register, velvety depth in the chalumeau, and a seamless throat-tone transition.
24k Gold Pillars & Solid Silver Keywork
Heavy gold plating on acoustic pillar mounts dampens parasitic high-frequency vibrations while enhancing mechanical durability over generations of concert use.
Calibrated Testing Chambers
Both Fritzens and Velp feature private, acoustically isolated evaluation rooms allowing artists to explore subtle pianissimo and full fortissimo projection in pure acoustic clarity.
Milestones of Woodwind Artistry
Founding of the Alpine Master Workshop in Fritzens
Mst. Gerold Angerer completes master examinations and opens his Tyrolean atelier dedicated to bespoke clarinet voicing and historic bore research.
Introduction of the Solista d’Arte & Bell d’Amore
Breakthrough innovations in low-E resonance mechanisms and the teardrop key touchpieces capture the attention of Vienna and Berlin orchestral artists.
Hobostudio Velp & The Launch of the Afstelcursus
Sigurd Smit and Daniëlle Kreeft establish their specialized Dutch studio, creating the premiere emergency regulation academy for European conservatories.
Uniting Austrian & Dutch Woodwind Mastery
Combining over 70 years of collective artistry, offering bespoke new instruments, Straubinger-certified overhauls, and mentorship across Europe.
Our Core Commitments to Every Artist
Direct Dialogue With the Master
You never speak to a sales intermediary. All consultations, adjustments, and builds are discussed directly with Mst. Gerold Angerer or Sigurd Smit.
Acoustic Suite Play-Testing
No instrument departs our workshop without thorough play-testing across all registers in our isolated testing chambers.
Long-Term Structural Integrity
Our 10-year cured Grenadilla and carbon stabilization techniques give you lasting confidence on stage through every season and hall condition.
Experience Our Workshops in Fritzens & Velp
We invite you to schedule a visit to test our instruments, discuss a bespoke commission, or evaluate an overhaul in person over an espresso.