On May 20th I performed Mozart’s Concerto for Bassoon with the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá. The concert coincided with the ‘Encuentro Nacional de Fagotistas’ sponsored by the National Symphony of Colombia. As the featured guest artist, I taught master classes with bassoon students from across Colombia and judged the national bassoon competition. These events were expertly organized by Zulma Bautista, bassoonist in the National Symphony. I was enamored by the country and its people and thrilled at the talent of the bassoon students.

Rehearsing with the symphony:

On May 24th I performed a Vivaldi bassoon concerto as soloist with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Caldas in Manizales, Colombia. Additionally I taught master classes as part of the Batuta system, a national youth orchestra program modeled after El Sistema music education program in Venezuela.

A promotional advertisement for the concert: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsqvLBfpVOU

Dark in the Song is Rachael Elliott, Mike Harley, Peter Kolkay, Lynn Hileman and Saxton Rose

From April 26th to May 1st I performed and taught at the Universidad de Costa Rica in San José, Costa Rica. I performed a solo recital as part of the ‘Martes por la Noche’ concert series April 27th, taught master classes, reed making seminars and private lessons working with the fabulously talented bassoon studio of maestra Isabel Jeremías.

From April 15th to the 20th I performed solo recitals and taught master classes at Lawrence Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin; University of Wisconsin – Madison; and University of Minnesota – Duluth. What a great privilege to work with and get to know professors Marc Vallon, Jefferson Campbell and Monte Perkins and to work with their students.

On March 27th I will perform a solo recital as part of the Watson Hall Recital Series at UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, NC. If you’re in there area, I hope you can make it. Here’s the information:

“Guided by Voices: Music for Bassoon Inspired by Song”
Music of Brahms, de Falla, Luigi Orselli and Philippe Hersant. With UNCSA faculty members Sheila Browne, viola and Karen Beres, piano along with guests Elizabeth Pacheco Rose, soprano and Rebecca Pacheco Mordo, piano.

• Philippe Hersant: Hopi for solo bassoon
• Brahms: Zwei Gesänge, Op.91
• Luigi Orselli: Reminiscenze su “La Traviata” di G. Verdi
• Philippe Hersant: Duo Sephardim
• Manuel de Falla: Suite Populaire Espagnol

Mar. 27, 7:30 p.m. at Watson Chamber Music Hall
$12 adults / $10 seniors and students

Watson Hall (UNCSA Campus) Box Office:
Noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday-Friday
Phone Number: (336) 734-2872 or (336) 721-1945

I’m excited to have learned that I will be performing at the International Double Reed Society Conference again this summer with our newly formed bassoon ensemble. The recital (Tuesday, June 22 at 4pm in Sharp Concert Hall) is entitled ‘Music for Bassoons and Ghetto Blaster’ and will feature new music and new arrangements for amplified bassoon and amplified bassoon ensemble with prepared tape and onstage video projection. Our as yet unnamed group is Rachael Elliott, Michael Harley, Lynn Hileman, Peter Kolkay and myself.

Here’s the program:

Music for Bassoons and Ghetto Blaster

• 21 Miles to Coolville (2009) *World Premiere, by David Smooke for solo bassoon and three accompanying bassoons with video projection.
  Michael Harley with Rachael Elliott, Peter Kolkay and Lynn Hileman
• Billie (2003) by Jacob Ter Veldhuis for bassoon and ghetto blaster (prepared tape).
  Arranged for bassoon and performed by Saxton Rose
• Tetrishead (2004) by Zoe Keating. Arranged for four bassoons by Lynn Hileman.
  Rachael Elliott, Michael Harley, Lynn Hileman and Saxton Rose
• Press Release (1991) by David Lang for solo amplified bassoon.
  Performed by Rachael Elliott
• Pitch Black (1998) by Jacob Ter Veldhuis for bassoon ensemble and ghetto blaster (prepared tape). Arranged for bassoons by Saxton Rose.
  Rachael Elliott, Michael Harley, Lynn Hileman, Peter Kolkay and Saxton Rose

Keith Sweger, professor of bassoon at Ball State University in Indiana presented a master class and recital at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts on February 25th.

The program included Gernot Wolfgang’s Three Short Stories for bassoon and viola, Libby Larsen’s Jazz Variations for solo bassoon, Weber’s Concerto for Bassoon and ‘Una voce poco fa’ from The Barber of Seville for two bassoons with Prof. Sweger and myself. Robert Rocco played piano and Prof. Sweger was joined by Ball State violist Philip Tietze.

On February 15th I gave a lecture-recital on extended bassoon techniques at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, IN. A focal point of the talk was using the International Phonetic Alphabet to describe and explain various internally generated extended techniques such as flutter-tongue, multi-phonics and harmonics. I used as examples, Sequenza XII of Berio and Huit pièces pour basson et ensemble instrumental by Philippe Hersant, among other works. Thank you to Professors William Ludwig and Kathleen Mclean for having me as a guest.

On February 16th I presented a master class and solo recital at Butler University in Indianapolist, IN. I had a terrific time working with the students there and performing with bassoon professor Doug Spaniol.

I recently performed on a UNCSA faculty chamber music concert in Watson Hall entitled Latin Love. The program featured the music of Miguel del Aguila, Jack Delano, Villa-Lobos, Paquito D’Rivera, Eduardo Gamboa and Piazzolla. I performed the woodwind quintets of D’Rivera and del Aguila with Tadeu Coelho, flute; Joe Robinson, oboe; Alexander Fiterstein, clarinet and David Jolley, horn along with Jack Delano’s duet for bassoon and clarinet, Tres Payasadas. My wife Elizabeth also performed on this concert as soloist in the Bachiana Brasileira No. 5 of Heitor Villa-Lobos.
Here’s a review.