Notebook - Latest news and performance history

First Performances with Zéphyros Winds

 Last weekend I had the immense honor of performing my first concerts with Zéphyros Winds, a wind quintet based in New York City I joined last December. I can’t adequately describe what a joy it is to play with this…

Performances with Ventus Wind Quintet

 From January 25-27 I performed three concerts as part of the American Music Festival Concert Series with Ventus Wind Quintet, the resident wind chamber group at UNCSA. Music of Ibert, Debussy, Poulenc, Milhaud, and Dukas with Tadeu Coelho, flute; David…

Performances and master classes in Chengdu, China

 From December 3-7 I traveled to Chengdu, China to perform as part of an exchange between Puerto Rican composer Alfonso Fuentes and the composition staff at the Sichuan Conservatory. I performed Fuentes’ piece Mejunje de Fagobongo for bassoon and bongo…

Mejunje del Fagobongo Recording Released

 Just in time for Christmas: A new CD of works by contemporary Puerto Rican composers has recently been released entitled Obras Puertorriquenas Contemporaneas Vol. 1. On it is a recording of percussionist Andrew Lázaro and myself playing Alfonso Fuentes’ Bassoon/Bongo…

European Tour of Michael Gordon’s Rushes

 From November 8-16 I performed with the Rushes Ensemble throughout The Netherlands and Belgium performing Michael Gordon’s new hour-long work for seven bassoons. The piece is a result of the New Music Bassoon Commissioning Fund spearheaded by Dana Jessen. The…

UNCSA Contemporary Music Ensemble

 On October 27 I conducted the UNCSA contemporary music ensemble, called nu, in a concert in Watson Hall. I’m the music director of the group which has been enormously challenging and rewarding. The program was as follows: Wolfgang Rihm: Will…

World Premiere of Michael Gordon’s Rushes

 On September 15th I had the pleasure of performing the world premiere of Rushes, a piece for seven bassoons by Bang on a Can composer Michael Gordon. The new work is a 60+ minute tour-de-force that takes some inspiration from…

Tchaikovsky 5 with Winston-Salem Symphony

 Performances October 13, 14, 16 with the Winston-Salem Symphony of Tchaikovsky’s Sym No. 5, Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with pianist Antonio Pompa-Baldi, and Zhou Tian’s A Thousand Years of Good Prayers.