Notebook

The Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music has purchased two new Fox Renard bassoons for use by the students of the university and preparatory programs of the conservatory. Along with the purchase of a profiling machine, the support of a Bassoon Day, Double Reed Day and various guest artists, the conservatory has shown great support of the bassoon studio while I have been its bassoon professor. If you are interested in studying at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music please see the teaching page.

Double Reed Day 2006, hosted by Professor David Bourns and myself, with the support of the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, took place on the campus of the conservatory in Hato Rey January 22nd, 2006. The day’s events included master classes, a concert by invited guests Jeffrey Lyman and Mark Weiger, a double reed ensemble and myself as well as a display of new Fox bassoons and oboes for trial.

Pictures of the event are on the photos page.

Schedule

Sunday, January 22nd. Sala Sanromá

• 8:30-10:30am
  Oboe Master Class with Professor Mark Weiger
• 10:30-12:00pm
  Rehearsal for the double reed ensemble with conductor Brian Cole.
• 12:00-1:00pm
  Lunch Break - Pizza Provided
• 1:00-3:00pm
  Bassoon Master Class with Professor Jeffrey Lyman

Sala María Esther

• 3:00-4:00pm
  Display of new Fox bassoons and oboes for trial

Sala Sanromá

• 4:00pm
  Concert with Mark Weiger, Jeffrey Lyman, Saxton Rose, Brian Cole, Diana Figueroa and the Double Reed Day Ensemble.

Concert Program

• Fantasie on Flotow’s “Martha”, Op. 23 by Casimer Theophile Lalliet (1837 - 1892)
  Mark Weiger, oboe and Diana Figueroa, piano
• Partita for Bassoon and Piano by Bill Douglas (b. 1944)
  I. Bebop Cantando
  II. Mirage
  III. Caribbean Jig
  Jeffrey Lyman, bassoon and Diana Figueroa, piano
• Sonate Brillant by Christian Frederik Barth (1787 - 1861)
  I. Adagio sostenudo
  II. Rondo - Scherzando
  Mark Weiger, oboe and Diana Figueroa, piano
• Hora Staccato by Grigoras Dinicu (1889 - 1948) / Heifetz
  I. Adagio sostenudo
  II. Rondo - Scherzando
  Mark Weiger, oboe and Diana Figueroa, piano
• Sonata for Two bassoons by Francisco Mignone (1897-1986)
  I. Allegro
  II. Modinha
  III. Rondo - Chorinho
  Jeffrey Lyman and Saxton Rose, bassoons
• Acueducto “Danza” by Jose I. Quinton (1881-1925), arr. David Bourns
• Suite From the Royal Water Music by George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759), arr. Alan Hawkins
• Sabre Dance by Aram Khatchaturian (1903 - 1968), arr. Marc Vallon
  The Puerto Rico Double Reed Day Ensemble

Guest Artists

Jeffrey Lyman

Dr. Jeffrey Lyman, Associate Professor of Bassoon at Arizona State University, is dedicated to changing your impressions about the bassoon. His dynamic recitals of well-known and unknown repertoire have distinguished him throughout the double reed world. Whether dressed as Elvis in Moscow, in a dashiki in Paris, or white tie and tails in New York, he is not your run-of-the-mill bassoon soloist.

As an orchestral player and chamber musician he has appeared often on the international festival circuit, most notably at the Moscow Autumn Festival, the Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Moscow), the Bellingham Music Festival, Le Festival d’Ainay-le-Vieil (Berry, France), the Festival dei Due Mondi (Spoleto, Italy), the Academie Européene d’Été de Musique (Tournon-sur-Rhone, France), the Colorado Music Festival, Vermont Mozart Festival and the Saint Bart’s Music Festival (French West Indies). He has held positions with orchestras across the US, including the Savannah Symphony, the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus, the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Opera Company of Philadelphia and the Michigan Opera Theater.

In addition to traditional bassoon playing, Lyman also plays the 7-keyed classical bassoon and had his debut on this instrument in 2004 at the Connecticut Early Music Festival. Non-traditional also describes the venues in which he performs: for example, Lyman recently provided music for an outdoor parade of costumes created by artists Karen McVay-Butch and Martha Enzmann. The costumes were first displayed at the Mona Bismarck Foundation in Paris, and then brought outside for a parade in front of the Centre Pompidou.

Other multi-disciplinary projects that Dr. Lyman has directed include a bi-lingual production of Stravinsky’s Histoire du Soldat in the French West Indies, and an exploration of the history of electro-acoustic music through a project called Hopping the Electric Fence. During the summer, he is the Valade Fellow in Bassoon at the Interochen Arts Camp in Interlochen, Michigan.

Lyman is also known as an advocate of new music, and has many publications and commissions to his credit. These range from a chamber concerto by the Russian Yuri Kasparov to settings of cowboy tunes by John Steinmetz and John Allemeier. Other notable commissions include Kuta Muela by David Gompper, a work for bassoon, chamber ensemble and video based upon traditional Yaqui music, and the Choro for Helen by jazz vibraphonist Ben Thomas, composed to celebrate the great American wine maker Helen Turley. Dr. Lyman was co-host of the 1998 conference of the International Double Reed Society, was associate editor for the IDRS publications and is a frequent recitalist at the society’s conferences around the world. He appears on Summit, Le Chant du Monde, New World, Brasswell and Koch International recordings.
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Mark Weiger

Mark Weiger (oboe, oboe d’amore, English horn, piccolo oboe), is Professor of Oboe at the University of Iowa. Since coming to Iowa in 1988 he has performed as a soloist throughout the United States, Canada, England, Mexico, Austria, France and Italy, presented two Carnegie Hall recitals, been a finalist in nine international competitions, was the Second Prize winner in the New York International Oboe Competition, and was the First Prize winner in the Queens Philharmonic Concerto Competition (NY).

He has performed double concertos with Chicago’s former principal oboist, Ray Still, and presented solo recitals with such notables as Ronald Roseman, Marc Fink, and Bert Lucarelli. In 1996-97, Weiger became the first oboist to serve as an Artistic Ambassador. As such, he has performed recitals in Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, India, Greece, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. He currently has 4 solo CD’s out: Oboe on the Road on the Centaur Label, The Grand Sonatas, The Romantic Road, and Oboe Wizardry on Crystal Records.

Weiger is a founding member of the double reed quartet WiZARDS! which has released three CDs to critical acclaim, toured 18 states, and has done educational residency programs in Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Illinois, and Evanston, Wyoming. His research into ensemble repertoire is available online. He has also been a member of the New Hampshire Music Festival, Yellow Barn Festival (VT), Iowa Woodwind Quintet, Ensemble da Camera (IA), the Bear Lake Music Festival (UT),the Britt Festival (OR), and the Great Music West Festival (ID/WY). Weiger is published through Schirmer Press, Simon & Schuster, The Double Reed Journal, Band Director’s Guide, Bocal Music, and Connors Publications. His publication in Teaching Woodwinds has been reviewed as “a most significant contribution to the world of oboe playing and teaching.”

Mr. Weiger received his degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music and the Juilliard School. His principal teachers include Ronald Roseman, Laurence Thorstenberg, Frederic Cohen, Elaine Douvas, William Criss, and Neil Boyer. He has been principal oboist with the Albany Symphony (NY), Empire State Institute for the Performing Arts (NY), Ohio Light Opera Company, Portland Symphony (ME), Maine Opera Orchestra (ME); and English hornist with the Portland (ME), Charlotte (NC), New Hampshire, and Vermont Symphony Orchestras. Since his tenure began at the University of Iowa he has served as principal oboe with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, and the Illinois Symphony and Chamber Orchestras.
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The Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music presented a concert in memory of Amaury Veray at the conservatory November 12th at 8pm. On the program was Jolgorio en la Jacana by Veray, a piece for piano, bassoon, violin, cello, clarinet, oboe, trumpet and trombone in which I played.

Amaury Veray Torregrosa, was born in Yauco, Puerto Rico in 1922 and died in 1995. Together with Héctor Campos Parsi and Jack Delano, he is considered one of the founders of the nationalistic movement in Puerto Rican music. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1943 from the University of Puerto Rico and a Bachelor of Music degree from New England Conservatory in 1949, where he specialized in music theory. He was professor of music at the Escuela Superior de Ponce, chorus director at Universidad Católica and assistant in the education division of the community music program. In 1956 he studied at the Academia de Santa Cecilia in Rome thanks to the Pablo Casals scholarship administered by the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña. Upon his return to Puerto Rico he founded the Archive of National Music. He taught history of music of Puerto Rico and was the head of the Theory and Composition Department at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music.
More about Amaury Veray

I leave with the orchestra August 31st for a series of concerts in La Coruña, Spain. The first concert will be with G. Figueroa at El Palacio Opera del la Coruña on Saturday, September 3rd. The program, tentative as always is Rosenkavalier Suite by R. Strauss, Fandangos by Roberto Sierra and Beethoven’s 7th Symphony. Thursday the 8th we begin rehearsals with L. F. Malheiro of the opera La Traviata with performances on the 10th, 12th, 13th and 15th.

La Coruña lies at the extreme north west of Spain and forms part of the autonomous community of Galicia. Pablo Picasso lived in La Coruña for four years. Directly on the Atlantic it has beaches, a giant open fish market each morning. It should be fun.

I’ve added two new features and some slight enhancements to the IDRS website. In addition to the Upcoming Events and News sections, Vacancy/Audition and Competition Listings have recently been added. I hope these features will improve the site as a resource for the double reed community. I’ve also embellished some of the graphics including the heading backgrounds and the top logo header. I hope you will find these changes useful.

Yoshi Ishikawa, Professor of Bassoon at the University of Colorado, presented a master class at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music March 16th, 2006 at 2:30pm in Sala Pepito Figueroa.
Photos of the event are available here.
Yoshiyuki Ishikawa is active as a soloist, chamber musician and pedagogue. He has performed and presented master classes in the most reputable conservatories of the world, including St. Petersburg Conservatory in Russia, Royal Northern Conservatory of Music in England, Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois, and Northwestern University. He attended The University of Michigan, where he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Bassoon Performance, and Northwestern University, where he earned both Master of Music in Bassoon Performance and Bachelor of Music Education degrees.

The first Puerto Rico Bassoon Day took place February 20th, 2005 and was a terrific success. Guest artist Stefano Canuti gave master class to 4 bassoon students at the PR Conservatory of Music demonstrating his wealth of knowledge and unique perspective. Alan Fox then demonstrated 9 new Fox bassoons. Finally a performance of Canuti, Saxton Rose and the Puerto Rico Bassoon Quartet. Photos of the event are available here.

On the program was:

• Mignone, Fancisco (1897-1986)
  Quatro Pecas Brasileiras
• Schickele, Peter (1935- )
  Last Tango in Bayreuth
• Miranda, Luis
  Danza Impromptu, arr. by Saxton Rose
• Verdi, Giuseppe (1813-1901)
  Capriccioso per Fagotto, Stefano Canuti, bassoon
• von Weber, Carl Maria (1786-1826)
  Andante e Rondo ungarese, Stefano Canuti, bassoon
• Vanhal, Johann Baptist (1739-1813)
  Concerto in F major for 2 Bassoons and Orchestra, Stefano Canuti & Saxton Rose, bassoons

Camerata Caribe performance of Canción callada (2004) for bassoon, oboe and piano can now be found online. This work by José R. Alvira was written for Camerata Caribe and premiered in September, 2004. The recording is of that premiere performance at the Puerto Rico Conservatory.

Saxton recently helped design the new IDRS home page and is responsible for its daily maintanence. The International Double Reed Society (IDRS) is a world-wide organization of double reed (oboe and bassoon family) players, instrument manufacturers and enthusiasts which has over 4,400 members from 56 countries.

While on tour with the PR Symphony I presented a master class for the bassoon students in Santo Domingo at the National Theater of the Dominican Republic. The tour included performances of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5.