The following is Saxton Rose’s performance and event schedule for the 2009/2010 season. It is subject to change so if you have questions about attending an event, please contact me.
Map to University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

September 12, 13, 15:

Performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony including Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto no. 3 and Suite from Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky.

October 2, 4, 6:

Performances with Piedmont Opera of Hansel and Gretel, More information

October 10:

Performance with the Winston-Salem Symphony and pianist Awadagin Pratt. 7:30 pm Reynolds Auditorium.

October 27, 28:

Solo recital and master class at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Contact Keith Sweger ksweger@bsu.edu for more information.

October 29, 30:

Solo recital and Masterclass at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Contact Timothy McGovern tsmcgove@uiuc.edu for more information.

November 22, 24:

Performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony including Peace Overture for Orchestra by Peck; Schicksalslied (Song of Fate) by Brahms; Requiem by Lloyd Webber

December 5:

Woodwind Day at UNCSA. Bassoon master class, reed making seminar, bassoon ensemble concert and a performance with the UNCSA woodwind faculty including Beethoven’s Duo for Bassoon and Clarinet with Alexander Fiterstein and a solo performance. Download the flyer or contact me for more information.

December 8:

Guest artist recital and master class at UNCSA featuring the bassoon duo Tuple, Rachael Elliott and Lynn Hileman. 4:30pm in Hood Recital Hall. Please contact me for more information.

December 15, 16, 21:

Performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony of Handel’s Messiah

January 16:

Performance of Stravinsky’s Histoire du soldat/The Soldier’s Tale with Oleander Chamber Orchestra in Wilmington, NC.

February 5:

Performance as soloist with UNCSA contemporary music ensemble nu of Philippe Hersant’s Huit pièces pour basson et ensemble instrumental. Ransom Wilson conducting.

February 6, 7 and 9:

Performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony of Shostakovich’s Symphony no. 10 in E minor, op. 93 and Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F Major

February 13:

Performance of Mejunje del fagobongo for bassoon and bongo by Alfonso Fuentes; Latin Love Op. 82 by Miguel del Aguila for wind quintet and piano; El Corazón Delator (The Accusing Heart) by Eduardo Morales-Caso for bassoon, flute and clarinet. Tadeu Coelho, flute; Joseph Robinson, oboe; Alexander Fiterstein, clarinet; David Jolley, horn; John R. Beck, bongo. 7:30 p.m., Watson Chamber Music Hall at UNCSA.

February 15:

Solo recital and Masterclass at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, IN. Contact William Ludwig wludwig@indiana.edu for more information.

February 16:

Solo recital and Masterclass at Butler University in Indianapolis, IN. Contact Douglas Spaniol dspaniol@butler.edu for more information.

February 25:

Keith Sweger, bassoon professor at Ball State University recital and master class at UNCSA. 3:45pm master class in Hood Recital Hall, 8pm recital in Crawford Hall. Please contact me for more information.

March 13, 14, 10:

Performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony including Brandenburg Concerto no. 2 in F Major by Bach, Concerto for Mandolin by Thile

March 27:

Solo recital at UNCSA. “Guided by Voices: Music for Bassoon Inspired by Song” Program includes works by Phillipe Hersant, de Falla, Donizetti and Brahms. With pianist Karen Beres, violist Sheila Browne and soprano Elizabeth Pacheco Rose. 7:30 p.m., Watson Chamber Music Hall at UNCSA

April 9, 11, 13:

Performances with Piedmont Opera of Turandot, More information

April 10:

Performance with the Winston-Salem Symphony and Chris Botti, trumpet

April 15:

Solo recital and master class at Lawrence Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin. Contact Monte Perkins monte.perkins@lawrence.edu for more information.

April 16:

Solo recital and master class at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Contact Marc Vallon vallon@wisc.edu for more information.

April 19:

Solo recital and master class at the University of Minnesota – Duluth. Contact Jefferson Campbell jcampbel@d.umn.edu for more information.

April 26-May 1:

Teaching residency at the Universidad de Costa Rica in San José. Solo recital as part of the ‘Martes por la Noche’ concert series April 27th. Contact Isabel Jeremis at fagotisa@hotmail.com for more information.

May 16, 17:

Performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony of Mahler’s Symphony no. 5

May 20:

Performance of the Mozart Concerto for Bassoon with the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá

May 18-22:

Judge for the Bassoon Competition in Bogotá, Colombia as part of the ‘Encuentro Nacional de Fagotistas’ sponsored by the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia. Master classes May 17, 18, 19, 20, 2010

May 23-26:

Performance of Vivaldi Bassoon Concerto with Orquesta Sinfónica de Caldas in Manizales, Colombia. Teaching residency, solo recital.

June 16:

Performance with Dark in the Song, a new bassoon ensemble at The White Mule, a music bar in Columbia, SC. The performance will feature adventurous new music for amplified bassoon ensemble by Jacob Ter Veldhuis, David Lang, David Smooke and Zoe Keating.

June 22:

Performance with Dark in the Song, a new bassoon ensemble at the International Double Reed Society Conference in Norman, OK. The group is Peter Kolkay, Michael Harley, Rachael Elliott, Lynn Hileman and myself. The recital will feature works by Jacob Ter Veldhuis, David Lang, David Smooke and Zoe Keating.

July 18-23:

Faculty teaching residency and performances as principal bassoon at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Summer Music Festival. Music of Wagner, Mahler, Strauss with Lawrence Renes, conductor. More information

July 24-31:

Performances and teaching residency at the Quartz Mountain Music Festival and Orchestra Academy. More information

2008/2009

September 18, 20, 21 and 22:

Performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony of Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben.

October 11:

Performance with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra of Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major, Roberto Sierra’s Fandangos and Beethoven’s Symphony no. 3; José Ramos Santana, piano; Maximiano Valdés, conducting. 8pm Centro de Bellas Artes, San Juan, Puerto Rico

October 21:

Performance of Gubaidulina’s Duo Sonata with UNCSA faculty member Taimur Sullivan on baritone saxophone. 7:30 p.m., Watson Chamber Music Hall at UNCSA

November 22:

Performance with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra of Smetana’s Overture to The Bartered Bride, Debussy’s La Mer and Brahms’ Violin Concerto with Sarah Chang, violin; Luis Biava, conducting. 8pm Centro de Bellas Artes, San Juan, Puerto Rico

December 6:

Woodwind Day at UNCSA. Bassoon master class, reed making seminar, bassoon ensemble concert and a performance with the UNCSA woodwind faculty including André Previn’s Sonata for Bassoon and Piano and Mendelssohn’s Concertpiece No. 2 with clarinetist Igor Belgelman and pianist Alex Maynegre.

December 18, 19:

Performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony of Handel’s Messiah

January 19:

Performance with Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos conducting the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra of a program including Stravinsky’s The Firebird and Respighi’s Fountains of Rome. 8pm Centro de Bellas Artes, San Juan, Puerto Rico

January 24:

Performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf

January 27:

Performance with UNCSA faculty of Mozart’s Quintet in E flat major for Piano and Winds. 7:30pm in Watson Chamber Music Hall

January 29:

Bassoonist Charles McCracken recital and master class at UNCSA.

February 7, 8 and 10:

Performance as soloist with the Winston-Salem Symphony of Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante, K 297b; Robert Moody, conductor. Also on the program is Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra. More information

February 14:

Performance of Gubaidulina’s Quasi Hoquetus for viola, bassoon and piano with UNCSA faculty members, Sheila Browne and Karen Beres. 7:30 p.m., Watson Chamber Music Hall at UNCSA

February 16:

Recital and master class at the University of South Carolina hosted by Professor Peter Kolkay. For more information, email Peter Kolkay at pkolkay@mozart.sc.edu

February 19:

William Ludwig, professor of bassoon at Indiana University – Bloomington, will present a master class and recital at UNCSA. The master class will take place from 2:00-4:00pm and the recital is in Watson Hall at 6:00pm. More information.

March 6, 8, 10:

Performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony and JoAnn Falletta of Schumann’s Manfred Overture and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major. More information

March 31:

Performance of Elliott Carter’s Au Quai for viola and bassoon with UNCSA faculty member Sheila Browne. 7:30 p.m., Watson Chamber Music Hall at UNCSA

April 3, 5, 7:

Performances with Piedmont Opera of The Marriage of Figaro, More information

April 4:

Chamber music concert with UNCSA flutist, Tadeu Coelho, harpsichordist Eric Larsen including Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No.6 for flute and bassoon. 7:30 p.m., Watson Chamber Music Hall at UNCSA

April 18, 19, 21:

Performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony of Ravel’s Bolero and music of Turina, de Falla and Rodrigo. More information.

May 16, 17, 19:

Performances with the Winston-Salem Symphony of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor

May 29:

Performance with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra of Ravel’s Rapsodia española and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Shéhérazade. Maximiano Valdés, conducting. 8pm Centro de Bellas Artes, San Juan, Puerto Rico

June 21 – July 4:

Teaching at the UNCSA Summer music program. Learn more

July 12, 13:

Performances as part of the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival in Highlands and Cashiers North Carolina. Solo and chamber music concerts including the Villa-Lobos and Francaix trios for oboe, clarinet and bassoon with Laura Ardan, clarinet and John Dee, oboe; and TBD solo repertoire. More information

July 21-25:

Solo and chamber music recitals as invited guest at the International Double Reed Society Conference in Birmingham, England. Solo recital to include music of Jacob Ter Veldhuis, Brian Ebert and Telemann.

From July 19-26 I visited Birmingham, England to attend the International Double Reed Conference. The IDRS conference is held during the summer once a year, each time in a different location throughout the world. This year’s event in Birmingham marked the first conference in the UK for 20 years and was a terrific success. In addition to performing at this year’s conference, I assisted in the videography of performances and master classes for publication on IDRS.org, the website of the International Double Reed Society for which I serve as assistant editor. Look for the new videos soon at http://www.idrs.org/multimedia/.

On July 12th and 13th I performed as part of the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival in the beautiful mountains of southwestern North Carolina. The festival, in its 28th season, is a terrific music festival with top-notch performers in a gorgeous setting. Along with Laura Ardan (principal clarinetist of the Atlanta Symphony), oboist John Dee (professor at University of Illinois) and pianist Will Ransom (director of the festival), I performed the Villa-Lobos trio for oboe, clarinet and bassoon; Poulenc’s trio for oboe, bassoon and piano; and a set of solo Fantasie by Telemann.

On May 29 I performed as principal bassoonist with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra on the final concert of the 2008/2009 season. The program included Ginastera’s Estancia: Cuatro danzas, Op. 8; Ravel’s Rapsodia española and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Shéhérazade. Maximiano Valdés, the music director of the PRSO conducted. The concert took place in Sala Festivales at Centro de Bellas Artes in what hopefully will be the last season concert in the old symphony hall. Performances are scheduled to begin next season in the newly inaugurated La Sala Sinfónica Pablo Casals.

On May 16, 17 and 18 I performed Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 as principal bassoonist with the Winston-Salem Symphony. The concert also included Barber’s Adagio for Strings. The concerts took place at the Stevens Center in Winston-Salem with Bob Moody conducting; Lisa Saffer, soprano; Rita Litchfield, mezzo-soprano; Tony Stevenson, tenor; Patrick Carfizzi, baritone.

Over this last weekend I performed concerts as principal bassoonist with the Winston-Salem Symphony that included de Falla’s El sombrero de tres picos (The Three-Cornered Hat), Rodrigo’s Concierto Andaluz, Turina’s Danzas fantásticas, op. 22 and Ravel’s Boléro. The soloists in the Rodrigo were Joe Pecoraro, Colin Fullerton, Ryan Layton, and Andrew Motten. Bob Moody conducted. The concerts took place April 17, 19, and 21st at the Stevens Center in Winston-Salem.
See the review

MUSICA PICCOLA: June 21 – July 4, 2009 at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, NC.

Musica Piccola is a highly popular and fast-paced, two-week program for all of the orchestral and band instruments. Bassoon students in Musica Piccola take part in orchestra, chamber music, master classes and receive private lessons with me. The program culminates with an orchestra concert at the beautiful Stevens Center located in downtown Winston-Salem, and solo and chamber music performances in UNCSA’s Watson Chamber Music Hall. Scholarships are available.

More information: http://www.summermusicprogram.org/

Downloadable brochure: http://www.ncarts.edu/summersession/SSApplication.pdf

Tuition & housing fees, required forms, and application information:
http://www.ncarts.edu/summersession/musicPIC.htm

I recently performed Bachianas Brasileiras No. 6 For Flute and Bassoon by Heitor Villa-Lobos with flutist Tadeu Coelho. This beautiful and challenging work was a joy to rehearse and perform with my colleague Tadeu. The performance was part of professor Coelho’s recital on the campus of UNCSA in Watson Recital Hall. Also on the program was a Vivaldi sonata for flute performed by myself playing basso continuo with David Winkelman on harpsichord.

On March 30th I performed Elliott Carter’s Au Quai for Bassoon and Viola with my colleague Sheila Browne, viola teacher at UNCSA. Carter wrote this about the piece’s origin:

The title of this piece was suggested by Arnold Schoenberg’s short story “To the Wharfs” in which he describes the mounting anxiety of the members of a French fishing village as the boats and the sea-bound fisherman failed to appear after a storm and several days’ absence. When they were suddenly sighted all shouted “to the wharfs, aux quais, O.K!”

Au quai (’to the quay’) was supposedly used by French-speaking cotton pickers around New Orleans to signal that the cotton was packed and ready to send down to the docks for transport.

There is certainly no conclusion as to the origin of the phrase OK. There is no shortage however of explanations, some more likely than others.

• The oldest written references to ‘OK’ result from its adoption as a slogan by the Democratic party during the American Presidential election of 1840. Their candidate, President Martin Van Buren, was nicknamed ‘Old Kinderhook’ (after his birthplace in New York State), and his supporters formed the ‘OK Club’.
• During the American Civil War, soldiers relied on a biscuit called Orrin Kendall for rations and a port in Haiti called Aux Cayes was famous among American soldiers for its rum, known as ‘OK rum’.
• There lived a popular native American chief called Old Keokuk who signed all his treaties by using only his initials.
• It derives from the Scots expression ‘och aye’, the Greek ola kala (’it is good’), the Choctaw Indian oke or okeh (’it is so’), the French aux Cayes (’from Cayes’, a port in Haiti with a reputation for good rum), or the initials of a railway freight agent called Obediah Kelly who is said to have written them on lading documents he had checked.
• When box cars would be loaded and locked up, the shift boss would then write on the side of the car: OK, signifying it had been checked and was correct. But in fact, when that custom first began, the guy who wrote the letters couldn’t spell and thought the words were spelled Oll Korrect. Legend has it he was german and the words reflected what ‘all correct’ would have been in that language.
• It was a telegraphic signal meaning “open key,” that is, ready to receive. Others say OK was used for “all right” because A and R had already been appropriated for other purposes. Big problem with this theory: the first telegraph message was transmitted in 1844, five years after OK appeared
• It stands for O. Kendall & Sons, a supplier of army biscuits that stamped its initials on its product.

The UNCSA Bassoon Quartet performed as part of the emerging artist series at Watson Chamber Music Hall Feb. 24 on the campus of University of North Carolina Bassoon School of the Arts. UNCSA students Kristen Goguen, Sebastian Castellanos, K.C. Chai, and Juliana Mesa performed Le Phénix quartet for bassoons by Michel Corrette. Above is a photo taken during rehearsal.

For more information on Corrette’s Le Phénix, please see Ronald N. Bukoff’s article in the IDRS journal: Boismortier, Corrette, and Le Phénix: music for the French Baroque bassoon
Here is an excerpt:

Corrette’s great work for the bassoon, and the outstanding example of French Baroque bassoon music is Le phénix. Concerto pour quatre violoncelles, violes ou bassons… (1738 ). The scoring is not as outlandish as it first appears, for Le phénix shows great kinship with Boismortier’s concertos for five flutes. In both chamber concertos, the lowest voice is supplied with a figured bass, suggesting the possibility of employing a harpsichord. In neither case is the keyboard an absolute must. The title page to Le phénix also adds: “… ce concerto se peut jouer en trio, en obmettant le 3e violoncello.” (”this concerto can be played as a trio, omitting the 3rd violoncello.”) If this alternative is followed (not a recommended choice), a harpsichord must be added to fill out the missing chord tones.

Le phénix was published as a concerto for four bassoons (or violoncellos) but it should rightfully be regarded as a solo concerto for bassoon, aided by three additional bassoons. All of the melodic interest is written into the first part, while the second bassoon is treated as the continuo line which accompanies the soloist. The third and fourth bassoons (and harpsichord) function in lieu of the orchestra tutti. Echoes of the works of Vivaldi, which were popular in Paris, can be heard in Le phénix. Stylistic devices common to the Italian master are prevalent, both in this concerto and throughout the music of the newly-developing French concerto school. These characteristics (unison lines, rushing scales, arpeggios) are abundant in Le phénix.