Pacific Bassoons

Fantasy Studios

2012-01-31T21:11:00.000-08:00

I have been working on a recording for the past six months at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. Alberto Hernandez has been an incredible engineer for this project-- here he is putting the final touches after a three hour editing session. Next week I go in and record the last work! Not telling what is on the recording yet-- stay tuned.

Auditioning at Pacific

2012-01-31T21:01:00.000-08:00

This prospective student's father caught this photo while we were visiting in my studio last weekend. It is so much fun to be able to meet these young people who are in the process of figuring out where they are going, what path to choose. To be a part of it is exciting. Fun!

Sextet Reading in Studio Class

2012-01-27T17:44:00.000-08:00

A prospective student for composition shared a new sextet the other day. The reading of it was far from perfect, but a great experience for all. Amanda Gieseke did a great job conducting and leading the reading.

Former Student News - Nathan Koch

2012-01-17T16:42:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to my former student, Nathan Koch, who recently completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts and became DR. Nathan Koch. It was amazing to be able to see and hear him again recently at the 2012 MQVC Bassoon Symposium. He performed a very entertaining (and excellent) Papageno/Papagena duet from the Magic Flute with Kristin Wolfe Jensen and Eun-Hye Grace Choi.

His bio:

Nathan J. Koch served as the Teaching Assistant for the bassoon studio of Kristin Wolfe Jensen at the University of Texas at Austin for four years where received his DMA and MM. His freelance work has included bassoon and contrabassoon performances with the Austin Symphony, Austin Lyric Opera, Tulsa Symphony, Victoria Symphony, and the Wichita Grand Opera Orchestra. He has appeared as a featured soloist at the 2008 Kansas Bandmasters Association convention in Wichita, KS, and as a contrabassoon clinician for the online subscription service I Compete in Texas. Festival appearances include the Round Top Music Festival, Texas Music Festival, Pierre Monteux School Orchestra, and the Festival de Música de Santa Catarina in Jaraguá do Sul, Brazil. In addition to performing, Nathan is also an active freelance arranger, specializing in bassoon ensembles. Several of his chamber music arrangements are available through TrevCo Music, including works by Franck, Beethoven, Vivaldi and Debussy. Nathan also received his BM, summa cum laude, from Wichita State University under the guidance of Nicolasa Kuster.

2011 Pacific Bassoon Holiday Studio Party

2011-12-13T09:23:00.000-08:00

Pulled off another dinner for the students. No real theme this year, due to how busy I am with planning the MQVC Symposium. Someday, when Leona is older, I might be coordinated and collected enough to get back to the theme idea.

This year's Holiday Party menu:
Garlic Soup and Fontina Crostini
Glazed ham and mashed potatoes
Candied yams (special request from husband, Bert)
Sauteed chanterelles and green beans
Salad
dessert

The White Elephant gift exchange game was great fun this year. No one cried. The gag gift (a chicken ornament) that got put back in the pile from last year was received with great joy by Bernadette, who actually collects chicken things.

Cane

2011-12-10T14:22:00.000-08:00

Larry has identified the spot to take people for the cane expedition of the MCVC.

Lieurance Woodwind Quintet Music from the Americas

2011-12-10T07:54:00.000-08:00

New Woodwind Quintet CD!

Flute: Frances Shelly; Andrea Banke, oboe; Suzanne Tirk, clarinet; Nicholas Smith, horn.

Bassoon: Nicolasa Kuster on Mucziynski, Wilder and Harbison; Scott Oakes on Pitombeira and Valjean.

The LWQ began recorded those works right before I left Wichita to come to my job at Pacific. The project was completed with bassoonist Scott Oakes, a University of the Pacific graduate who now teaches in Wichita.

To order with free shipping, go to http://lieurancequintet.flyovermedia.net/

Chamber Music Competitions

2011-12-01T11:41:00.001-08:00

There is always so much to try to cram into one semester of coaching. Yes, there are the musical elements, but there are also the elements about the biz. In a recent coaching I mentioned Fischoff and some of the students hadn't heard of it. Here's the link, guys, and also some links to some others.
http://www.fischoff.org/competition/
http://coleman.caltech.edu/competition.shtml
http://www.mya.org/chambercomp.php

There are a ton, and you can Google better than I can. :)

For all my sax playing bassoon students

2011-11-12T11:26:00.001-08:00

Are you checking this blog? Thinking about buying this.

Ryan Simmons

2011-11-12T11:24:00.001-08:00

Hanging out at Ryan Simmon's shop in San Diego. Here he shows off a french buffet bassoon from 1905.

Dave Wells and Dead Elvis

2011-11-08T18:32:00.000-08:00

So I have this amazing colleague here in Stockton. Dave Wells has been working with me on the upcoming Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition and Bassoon Symposium for this past year after moving here from Wisconsin. Don't know what I would do without him, and we have a great time working together. He wasn't so busy back when he took on the MQVC project, but now, I kind of can't believe how many interesting activities he is juggling. I am constantly impressed. He's giving a talk at the American Musicological Society conference in San Francisco this weekend, AND...

performing Michael Daugherty's Dead Elvis tomorrow night at Sacramento State, where he was recently appointed the bassoon instructor.

http://davidawells.com/2011/10/dead-elvis/

I hope he gets a video, because I can't go! I am out of town this week playing Mahler 9 with San Diego Symphony.

Leyla Zamora Master Class

2011-10-19T13:29:00.001-07:00

Leyla Zamora was on campus this week and gave a wonderful master class!

Program:

Amanda Gieseke, Jose Siqueira Three Etudes

Bernadette Wallace, the Vivaldi Concerto in d minor that was for the MQVC

Jacqueline Rocamora, Waterson Concertstuck

Zoie Oberg, Milde Etude

Stockton Symphony Brahms 3

2011-10-16T11:44:00.001-07:00

Former Student News

2011-10-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

Check out two Pacific grads sitting together in an orchestra: http://wsubassoons.blogspot.com/2011/10/wso-classics-i.html
Scott Oakes, Principal of WSO and a graduate of Pacific before my time, and Vanessa Davies, Second Bassoon of WSO, who graduated last year.
Next week here in the Stockton Symphony, I'll be sitting with another Pacific grad, Annalea Milligan. She's going to be coming up to play the set with me and I can't wait!

Leyla Zamora master class

2011-10-10T07:04:00.000-07:00

On October 19, at 12:30pm, Leyla Zamora of the San Diego Symphony will be giving a master class for my students. Leyla is a member of the San Diego Symphony, and traveling up here to Stockton to for rehearsals and a recording session with me that we have been planning for months. This week I really have to carve out the practice time so I can be ready!

Monica Ellis and Imani Winds Activities

2011-10-10T06:59:00.000-07:00

Imani Winds are coming to Stockton soon. They are performing a concert with the Friends of Chamber Music Series, on Sunday October 23, at 2:30pm in Faye Spanos Concert Hall. They are going to do many activities in the area while they are here including: a group class for Pacific students (12:30-2, Instrumental Rehearsal Room), and individual master classes on Monday evening. The bassoon class is Monday evening at 7 in the Choral Room. All are welcome to attend! Looking forward to seeing this group again.

Frank Martin Concerto and the close of week 5.

2011-10-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe we have completed 5 weeks of the semester! Last night I performed the Frank Martin Concerto for 7 Winds with the school orchestra. Always a pleasure to be a part of a student-faculty collaboration. Mary, Celia, and Bernadette made a strong bassoon section for the rest of the concert.

Friday, all three new students performed at studio class. Such a great class! Here's a picture of Britney and Zoie.

Master classes

2011-09-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

I just received this photo from someone who was at the IDRS last summer. It shows Pacific bassoonist Mary Calo on stage at the Ben Kamins master class.

Martinu, La Revue de Cuisine

2011-09-28T20:05:00.001-07:00

Tabitha Tsia, violin; Jordan Lomeli, cello; Becky Morey, piano; John Johnson, trumpet; Bernadette Wallace, bassoon; Ryan Huddelston, clarinet.

One of the greatest features of the performance program here at Pacific is the chamber music feature. At the schools I attended or have taught at, chamber music can be kind of a scramble. Students have to find their groups, find their coaches, add the course on time, figure it all out. A wind player will most likely play in pretty traditional arrangements, like a trio or a quintet. Here, at a meeting of all the coaches, every single person who registers for chamber music gets placed in a group (and students can request particular groups, if they already have a plan and know what they want to do.) It allows for the kind of experience pictured above-- winds, strings, brass, and piano all working together.

Scheduling has been tricky, not because of the instrumentation, but that there are 7 people involved in this project. When we overlapped our schedules using Google Calendar, not a single space was open from 8 to 5. We met last night at 8pm, which only works on evenings that I don't have rehearsals. Other coaching time is Friday at 4:30pm. Good thing the group is great-- these coaching times are not ideal, so it helps that it's a great group!

Maxwell Profiler

2011-09-24T07:55:00.000-07:00

Heard from Dr. Susan Gustavson Maxwell. She is taking her new profiler up a notch and sends the new details below. Different website, different company. Check it out.

www.bassoonprofiler.com
Maxwell Bassoon Reed Profiler $600.00

The Features: Adjustable gauges to alter reed profiler with ease and exact thickness return. No more high-maintence guessing!

Overall profile and individual scrape thickness are fully adjustable with no shims required.

Profile gauges allow adjustments to tip and collar levels in increments of 0.127mm (0.005”).

Scrape adjustment enables users to alter chip or curl thickness with the turn of a screw.

The new blade design provides users with four (4) sharpened sides on a single blade so that spares or sharpening are virtually eliminated. Replacement blades are available in packs of 10. One extra blade is included, the equivalent of 4!

Installation of the new blade is simple with no reset or misalignment issues.

Barrel suits both bassoon and contrabassoon/baroque cane.

Please forward this to anyone you know interested in purchasing a profiler!

We are also on Facebook so become a friend!

Contact me with any questions at any time.

Dr. Susan Gustavson Maxwell
Instructor of Bassoon and
Intro to Music 250 (Online)

Kansas State University
McCain Auditorium, 308
Manhattan, KS 66506
suemax@ksu.edu
(c)816.820.0297

International Alliance of Women in Music Conference

2011-09-14T11:00:00.001-07:00

Heading to Flagstaff to play with composer HyeKyung Lee. Sitting at an airport wishing I could get internet with my computer so I could actually update this blog. Then I remembered I can post with my phone.
Nicolasa Kuster and HyeKyung Lee, 8pm Thursday night in Flagstaff. I am really excited about this. They have a website with more info.

Pacific grads among the highest paid in CA.

2011-08-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

http://www.pacific.edu/General-Information/News/Campus-E-News/Pacific-Graduates-Among-Highest-Paid-in-California.html

http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/best-schools-in-california.asp

Bassoon Shoes

2011-08-15T16:41:00.001-07:00

http://www.zazzle.com/bassoon_keys_shoes-167058061968255101

Marrowstone Festival so far, more to come

2011-07-31T22:48:00.000-07:00

Marrowstone Festival

2011-07-27T11:24:00.001-07:00

It's Wednesday of the first week and this orchestra of fantastic students is doing a great job with Sheherezade.

Pacifc Music Camp Bassoon Camp

2011-07-21T09:16:00.001-07:00

It was a great pleasure this year to work at the Pacific Music Camp here in Stockton. Pacific hosts these amazing summer camps annually on our beautiful campus, and sadly I had to miss them last year! I taught three "master classes" for the 4 bassoonists who were present, all of them from California and all students I had never met before. In three sessions it's my goal to find a way to get in as much information as I can. When I learned that none of the students had ever played the contra, we created sessions of bassoon quartet reading and revolving contra playing. It was a blast! The students, Rene, Kevin, Michael, and Brian soaked the contra up like sponges and we had a great time.

Pacific Music Camp quartet

2011-07-21T09:15:00.001-07:00

Pacific Music Camp quartet

2011-07-21T09:14:00.001-07:00

Pacific Music Camp quartet time

2011-07-21T09:13:00.001-07:00

http://www.musidactica.com/

2011-06-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

If you want to check out woodwind pedagogy in spanish-- go to http://www.musidactica.com/

José Joaquín Aroca Amorós from Spain has set up this exciting new resource for us.

Panama 2011 San Malo Festival

2011-05-22T23:14:00.000-07:00

Heading to Panama in a couple of days for the Alfredo San Malo Festival. Our concert is the evening of the 2nd of June (see the details about the concerts at the website) and the rest of the time I will be coaching and working with the fesitval participants. Below is the intense schedule!

Flutist Mat Krejci and I will be performing the Franciax Sept Impromptus as well as several works with Efrain Castro, a great Panamanian oboist and musician I have known since I was a kid. To say I am excited for this trip is an understatement!

It's been a busy couple of weeks since school let out. Have been working hard on several MQVC planning things, as well as being a cane processing factory! And in general, just trying to dig myself out from under the pile of stuff that piled up during a really wonderful, and really busy year! When I get back from Panama, I'll be in town until I head off to Marrowstone Festival in late July.

ITINERARIO – Orquesta del Festival ASM – ASM Festival Orchestra Schedule

MIERCOLES 25 DE MAYO
Jueves 26 de mayo – Thursday May 26
7:00 – 8:45 Desayuno – Breakfast
9:05-9:30 Translado a Museo del Canal
10:00 – 12:00 Charla de Narcizo Garay – Julieta Alvarado
12:05-12:25 Translado a Monte Alberna – Transfer to Monte Alberna
12:30-1:30 Almuerzo - Lunch
1:35-3:00 Audiciones – Seating Auditions
3:05-5:30 Clases Maestras – Master Classes
5:35-6:05 Reunion de Bienvenida – Welcome Meeting
6:10-7:00 Cena - Dinner
7:05 -7:30 Salida Teatro Nacional – Transfer to National Theater
8:00 – 10:00 Concierto de Inaguracion Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional
10:05 –10:30 Translado Monte Alberna – Transfer to Monte Albernal

Viernes 27 de Mayo – Friday May 27
7:00 – 8:45 Desayuno – Breakfast
9:05- 11:00 Seccionales – Seccional
10:00 – 12:00 Charla de Narcizo Garay – Jaime Ingram – Narcizo Garay Lecture by
Jamime Ingram
11:05 – 12:30 Clases Maestras - Master Class
12:35-1:30 Almuerzo - Lunch
1:35-3:00 Talleres - Workshops
3:05-5:30 Clases Maestras – Master Classes
6:10-7:00 Cena - Dinner
7:05 -7:30 Salida Teatro Nacional – Transfer to National Theater
8:00 – 10:00 Concierto Teatro Nacional – Concert Natinal Thater
10:05 –10:30 Translado Monte Alberna – Transfer to Monte Albernal
10:05 – 12:00 Cena de Gala por Terence Ford (La Cresta) - Dinner party hosted by
Terence Ford (La Cresta)

Sábado 28 de Mayo – Saturday May 28
8:00 – 9:00 Desayuno – Breakfast
9:05- 12:00 Seccionales – Seccional
10:00 – 12:00 Charla de Narcizo Garay – Jaime Ingram – Narcizo Garay Lecture by
Julio Arosemena
12:35-1:30 Almuerzo - Lunch
1:35-3:00 Talleres - Workshops
3:05-6:00 Full Orchestra Rehearsal
6:05-7:00 Cena - Dinner
7:05 -7:30 Salida Teatro Nacional – Transfer to National Theater
8:00 – 10:00 Concierto Teatro Nacional – Concert National Theater
10:05 –10:30 Orquesta Translado Monte Alberna – Orchestra Transfer to Monte
Alberna
Domingo 29 de Mayo – Sunday May 29
8:00 – 9:00 Desayuno – Breakfast
9:05- 12:00 Seccionales - Seccional
12:35-1:30 Almuerzo - Lunch
1:35-3:00 Talleres - Workshops
3:05-6:00 Full Orchestra Rehearsal
6:05-7:00 Cena - Dinner
7:05 -7:30 Salida Teatro Nacional – Transfer to National Theater
8:00 – 10:00 Concierto Teatro Nacional – Concert National Theater
10:05 –10:30 Translado Monte Alberna – Transfer to Monte Albernal

Lunes 30 de Mayo – Monday May 30
8:00 – 9:00 Desayuno – Breakfast
9:05- 12:00 Seccionales - Seccional
12:35-1:30 Almuerzo - Lunch
1:35-3:00 Talleres - Workshops
3:05-6:00 Ensayo de Orquesta - Full Orchestra Rehearsal
6:05-7:00 Cena - Dinner
7:05 -7:30 Translado para Ateneo Ciudad del Saber
Transfer to Ateneo City of Knowledge
8:00 – 10:00 Concierto Teatro Nacional – Concert National Theater
10:05 –10:30 Translado Monte Alberna – Transfer to Monte Alberna

Martes 31 de Mayo – Tuesday May 31
8:00 – 9:00 Desayuno – Breakfast
9:05 - 12:00 Ensayo Orquesta ASM – Full ASM Orchestra Rehearsal
12:35-1:30 Almuerzo - Lunch
1:35-3:00 Talleres - Workshops
3:05-6:00 Enasyo de Orquetsa - Full ASM Orchestra Rehearsal
6:05-7:00 Cena - Dinner
7:05 -7:30 Salida M.A.R.T.A. – Transfer to M.A.R.T.A.
8:00 – 10:00 Concierto Museo M.A.R.T.A. – Concert at Museum M.A.R.T.A.
10:05 –10:30 Translado Monte Alberna – Transfer to Monte Albernal

Miércoles 1 de Junio – Wednesday June 1
8:00 – 9:00 Desayuno – Breakfast
9:05- 12:00 Seccionales - Seccional
12:35-1:30 Almuerzo - Lunch
1:35-3:00 Talleres - Workshops
3:05-6:00 Ensayo de Orquesta - Full Orchestra Rehearsal
6:05-7:00 Cena - Dinner
7:05 -7:30 Translado para Ateneo Ciudad del Saber
Transfer to Ateneo City of Knowledge
8:00 – 10:00 Concierto Teatro Nacional – Concert National Theater
10:05 –10:30 Translado Monte Alberna – Transfer to Monte Alberna

Jueves 2 de Junio – Thursday May 2
8:00 – 9:00 Desayuno – Breakfast
9:05 - 12:00 Ensayo Orquesta ASM – Full ASM Orchestra Rehearsal
12:35-1:30 Almuerzo - Lunch
1:35-3:00 Talleres - Workshops
3:05-6:00 Enasyo de Orquetsa - Full ASM Orchestra Rehearsal
6:05-7:00 Cena - Dinner
7:20 -7:40 Salida Ateneo Ciudad del Saber – Transfer to Ateneo Ciudad del Saber.
8:00 – 10:00 Concierto Ateneo Ciudad del Saber – Concert at Ateneo Ciudad del Saber
10:05 –10:30 Translado Monte Alberna – Transfer to Monte Albernal

Viernes 3 de junio – Friday June 3
8:00 – 9:30 Desayuno – Breakfast
9:35 – 9:50 Translado a Teatro nacional – Transfer to National Theater
10:00 – 12:00 Concierto para ninos – Children Concert
12:35-1:30 Almuerzo - Lunch
1:35-3:00 Talleres - Workshops
3:05-5:00 Ensayo de Orquetsa - Full ASM Orchestra Rehearsal
5:05-5:30 Translado Monte Alberna - Transfer to Monte Alberna
6:00- 7:00 Cena - Dinner
7:20 -7:40 Salida Ateneo Ciudad del Saber – Transfer to Ateneo Ciudad del Saber.
8:00 – 10:00 Concierto Ateneo Ciudad del Saber – Concert at Ateneo Ciudad del Saber
10:05 –10:30 Translado Monte Alberna – Transfer to Monte Albernal

Sabado 4 de junio – Saturday June 4
8:00 – 9:30 Desayuno – Breakfast
9:35 – 9:50 Translado a Teatro nacional – Transfer to National Theater
10:00 – 12:00 Concierto para ninos – Children Concert
12:05-12:30
12:35-1:30 Almuerzo - Lunch
1:30 – 5:00 Dia libre – Free day
5:05-5:30 Translado Monte Alberna - Transfer to Monte Alberna
6:00- 7:00 Cena - Dinner
7:05 -7:30 Salida Teatro Nacional – Transfer to National Theater
8:00 – 10:00 Concierto Teatro Nacional – Concert at Natioan Thater
10:05 –10:30 Translado Monte Alberna – Transfer to Monte Albernal

Domingo 5 de junio – Sunday June 6
8:00 – 9:00 Desayuno – Breakfast
10:05 –10:30 Translado Canal de Panama – Transfer to Panama Canala
10:35 – 12:00 Canal de Panama – Panama Canal
12:05 – 12:30 Translado Monte Alberna – Transfer to Monte Alberna
12:35-1:30 Almuerzo - Lunch
1:35-6:00 Libre
6:05-7:00 Regrigerio - Snack
7:05 -7:30 Salida M.A.R.T.A. – Transfer to M.A.R.T.A.
8:00 – 10:00 Concierto Museo M.A.R.T.A. – Concert at Museum M.A.R.T.A.
10:05 –10:30 Translado para Fiesta – Transfer to Diner Party TBA
1:05 –1:30 Translado para Monte Alberna – Transfer to Monte Alberna

Lunes 6 de Junio – Sunday June 6
Partida - Departure

These summer days of cane prep

2011-05-20T09:03:00.001-07:00

This is my reed desk as I work to get 100 pieces of cane profiled and shaped. Getting there...

Graduation Day

2011-05-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

Lara Levy graduated with a degree in Music Education and Vanessa Davies graduated with a degree in Music Performance. I am going to miss these fantastic women!

Spring 2011 Pacific Bassoon Studio Party

2011-05-07T13:44:00.000-07:00

The theme of this year's studio party was Filipino food. My family and I have become very accustomed to buying Sunday lunch at this amazing Filipino BBQ stand at our favorite Farmer's Market here in Stockton. Note: there is a Farmer's Market pretty much every day of the year within a short distance from our home, but Sunday has become the day that we go as a family in large part to there being really great eggs that don't run out too early, and this Filipino food. We order the food, bring it home, and sit around wondering how they make it taste so good. Bert started asking for the recipes and began a quest to make the identical Filipino chicken BBQ here at home.

I often talk to my student Jacqueline about Filipino food and culture. As bassoonists know, lots of topics come up when you teach reed-making. She told me about halo-halo, a dessert that she loves. One day, she arrived with this dessert at her lesson, having driven across town to get me a sample. I decided that we would create a Filipino meal for the studio party, build around Bert's Filipino BBQ and this halo-halo dessert.

Jacqueline's mom sent me recipes for lumpia, adobo, and halo-halo, and she and her husband drove up from San Jose with a box full of the ingredients for the halo-halo about a week before the event. I bought the pancit from our friends at the Farmer's Market.

Stockton was once the largest community of Filipinos in the country, and still has an enormous community. The history and culture is interesting, and the food is delicious.

Some of my students came by early to help-- preparing a party and watching a 2 year old is quite a juggling act, so I appreciated that. I needed Jacqueline to get there early, mostly because I needed her approval for the lumpia I made from scratch, and I think I got it. Not so much for the chicken adobo, which was a failure. The lumpia, though.... mmmm.

The halo-halo was amazing. We made a rule (I made a rule?) that everyone had to try everything, and they did. You put a bunch of things like gelatin coconut, pickled jack fruit, sweet beans, and yam jelly under a bed of shaved ice, then pour evaporated milk on it. Top it was taro or mango or some other "legit" ice cream (I wasn't advised to get the Haagen Daz mango ice cream, but to get the "legit" kind from the Asian store) and a slice of flan. I loved it. Leona mostly loved the taro (purple) ice cream.

Studio parties in the the Spring aren't supposed to be a lot of work. At Christmas I make a formal sit down meal that wipes me out. In Spring, I throw together a casual bbq and leave it at that... usually. But this was a lot of fun, and I am glad Jacqueline inspired me to try pulling it off.

Iowa Weekend

2011-04-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

I flew to Iowa this weekend to teach a master class at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. The class was a lot of fun-- the students are fantastic. Benjamin Coelho is a wonderful teacher and I am so grateful I get to spend some time with him, picking his brain about everything bassoon.
While in town I also get a chance to see my old friend, Michael Geary from the Spoleto Festival, and Stephanie Patterson, my former student.

For all the years I lived in Wichita, I would drive through Iowa on the way to Hew Hampshire, or Boston, or Minneapolis, or wherever I was headed. Living in Califonia, it's a little harder to do that. It's nice to be back again, but I really wish I could have brought Bert and Leona with me on this trip and it's strange to be away from them on Easter weekend.

Methods class

2011-04-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

Reed making...and an Oberlin grad

2011-04-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

http://www.lawrence.com/news/2011/apr/18/lawrence-musicians-business-making-bassoon-reeds-a/

Leigh Miller Muñoz hunches over a table filled with supplies.

Wood, Duco cement, an X-Acto knife and crochet thread are all laid out. Metal instruments with pointed pricks sit on shelves above her. The room is 70 degrees, at precisely 30 percent humidity. Reruns play on the flatscreen television next to the table.

She’s not building a model or completing a sewing project. No, she’s operating her business — Muñoz makes bassoon and contrabassoon reeds.

“It’s sort of a combination of chemistry, following instructions and arts and crafts,” she said.

Muñoz, a professional bassoonist based in Lawrence, travels around the area and freelances her performance skills, also attending Kansas University for her doctorate of performance arts. And Muñoz, 33, teaches area students how to play bassoon. Her reed-making business sprang up after she started making reeds for students, and she sells them from www.gobassoon.com.

“It spread. It’s crazy word of mouth,” she said. “The business appeared out of nowhere.”

Muñoz started playing bassoon in seventh grade, when her music director suggested she try it. By high school, she knew she wanted to play professionally, and auditioned for conservatories. At Oberlin College in Ohio, she was assigned to play the contrabassoon, an instrument twice the length of the 8-foot-long bassoon and much lower.

“I’ve had a love-hate relationship with it,” she said.

Muñoz hopped all over the country while getting her education, working at a boarding school at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, getting her master’s degree at Ohio University and working in Boston and earning a performance degree there before landing in Kansas. This much time spent at school is common for professional musicians.

“We invest as much time into our education as doctors do,” she said.

While in school, Muñoz learned how to make the reeds that eventually would go with both her 1953 Heckel bassoon and her much newer contrabassoon. Muñoz began making reeds for students after they couldn’t play well on machine-made reeds.

“It really determines how much they’re going to learn,” she said.

Muñoz said all bassoonists have different methods for making reeds.

She starts with raw bamboo reeds, generally from France, Germany, Argentina and, sometimes, China. An interesting point: Muñoz said good cane usually grows where good wine grapes grow.

Muñoz uses a metal instrument, called a profiler, to scrape the reed down to a certain thickness. At this time, the reed is still one flat piece, so she scrapes it from thinner in the middle to thicker at the edges. Consistency is key. “It’s just like bowling,” she said. “You want to keep everything the same every time.”

Muñoz bends the reed in half and uses a shaper to give it the signature triangular shape. She uses an X-Acto knife to shave off excess wood, which can get a little messy. “A good vacuum is what you need,” she said.

She scores the base of the reed so it can be bent more easily, and ties it around a round form. From there, it will soak in water.

Muñoz wraps the base of the reed with three 22-gauge brass wires, which won’t rust in water. Then she uses color-coded crochet thread — green for Argentinean reed, purple for German — to cover the wires. She seals it with cement used in model-making. “I have to make it pretty. It’s something you see every day,” she said.

Then she officially makes it a reed by cutting the opening at the top, careful to make it symmetrical. She will scrape it thinner again and test the reed for intonation, resistance, smoothness of sound and other qualities.

The reeds must rest, and a typical one takes three weeks to make. Muñoz said she makes about 500 a year, 200 of which are for herself. She will only use 20, but she has to find the ones that make the best sound for auditions. “You have to have something that’s so perfect,” she said.

Muñoz is happy her business has taken off, and she’s sent reeds as far away as Israel. But she’s happy to be doing anything related to her passion.

“As long as it has to do with bassoon, I’m not going to be picky,” she said.

Koechlin Trio at Chamber Music Concert

2011-04-18T21:42:00.000-07:00

As we near the end of the semester, we tie up the students chamber music experience with final concerts. My trio, made up of Dana Carey on flute, Sean Widger on clarinet, and Mary Calo on bassoon, played beautifully last night. I was particularly proud of how the students have developed their ability to listen and to blend.

Cute Art from Lara's poster

2011-04-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

Lara Levy's Senior Recital

2011-04-17T12:31:00.001-07:00

Lara Levy, bassoon (Senior Music Education)
Dashiel Reed, piano

Concerto in a minor, F VIII, No. 7, P 72 Antonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741)

I. Allegro molto
II. Andante molto
III. Allegro

Sonata in F Major William Hurlstone (1876 - 1906)

II. Ballade – Moderato, ma sempre a piacere
I. Vivace

Pause

Concerto in Bb Major, K. 191 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)

I. Allegro
II. Andante ma adagio
III. Rondo, tempo di menuetto

Bassoon Band: Attic Asylum

2011-04-15T09:24:00.001-07:00

I am now a fan of bassoonist Darcy Izard. Nice!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jrT6ezjci4&feature=related

update

2011-04-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

A note I sent out today:
Just a couple of updates for you current students and bassoon studio grads out there!
Congratulations to Vanessa Davies for getting the Wichita State University grad position and the Second Bassoon in the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. This is a nice step forward for Vanessa! She played a gorgeous senior recital last weekend.

Congratulations to Mary Calo. She's heading to her first summer festival this summer in Sienna, Italy, but ALSO just found out she's been accepted to perform on the Ben Kamin's masterclass at the IDRS conference this summer in Arizona. By the way, if anyone wants to go to it, the early bird registration fee is still good till the 17th.

Lara Levy's senior recital is coming up this SUNDAY at noon. This is a very exciting event and I hope you grads can come back for it!

The Bassoon Studio Party is scheduled for SUNDAY evening May, 1st. Grads are also welcome to attend.
Grads, send me news of your musical activities. I want to know.

NK

Congratulations to Vanessa!

2011-04-11T14:06:00.000-07:00

I just heard that graduating Pacific bassoonist, Vanessa Davies, is headed to Wichita next year. She was offered the assistantship at Wichita State that includes performing professionally as 2nd bassoon in the Wichita Symphony. This is a position that is near and dear to my heart because I was the Principal Bassoonist there for 8 years. In those 8 years I worked with some amazing young bassoonists in training and know that the experience they gain in the position is extremely valuable and unique. She will work with Scott Oakes, who is a graduate of Pacific. Small world.

Vanessa's recital yesterday was stellar. Her concept of tone is quite something, and she has developed so much in her ability to communicate effectively and powerfully with it. I have really enjoyed teaching Vanessa and we will miss her! Congratulations, Vanessa!

Vanessa Davies recital

2011-04-10T17:06:00.001-07:00

Vanessa dress rehearsal!

2011-04-08T13:51:00.001-07:00

Swab factory

2011-04-01T21:17:00.000-07:00

Just made these pretty swabs for the methods bassoon that needed them sorely.

Watch this!

2011-03-22T22:36:00.001-07:00

http://pappano.iwebcasting.it/racconti
Nice concert. You can hear Sofia Almanza-Saavedra on 2nd bassoon.

Duets with Leyla

2011-03-21T20:42:00.000-07:00

Early morning duets in San Diego.

Congratulations to Mary Calo

2011-03-17T21:48:00.000-07:00

Sophomore Performance Major Mary Calo got an acceptance letter to Siena Summer Music 2011.
Wow. To spend the summer playing music in Italy... congratulations, Mary!

Lady gaga duet

2011-03-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

News from Janelle Ott

2011-03-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

Some history making news from my former graduate student, Janelle Ott (master's degree from WSU):
On Wednesday, March 9th at 8pm, Janelle Ott, winner of the UNT concerto competition, will be performing the first movement of the Weber Concerto for Bassoon with the University of North Texas Symphony Orchestra. She is the first bassoonist to ever win the concerto competition at UNT.
It can be watched live via : recording.music.unt.edu/index.php/live ustream.tv/channel/winspear/ (or is it youstream?)
The concert will take place in Winspear Hall of the Murchison Performing Arts Center, a building she says looks like either a tortoise or an armadillo, and is visible from the interstate in Denton, TX.
Congratulations, Janelle!

Knife Sharpening Insight

2011-03-02T10:35:00.000-08:00

Got back late last night from a fantastic trip to Boston where I taught some master classes and performed at Berklee. I lived in Boston from 1996-98, a couple of very formative years for my life and my career. I was able to connect with some friends from those years-- one of them, Nancy Dimock, a fabulous oboe player. She turned me on to a tool for reed knife sharpening. Check it out.

http://www.rogermillerrom4oboe.com/RogerMillerROMTOOLS.html

It's the burnishing steel "deep cut" about halfway down the page.

Berklee Double Reed Recital

2011-02-28T16:17:00.001-08:00

Nicolasa Kuster and Margaret Phillips performing at the David Friend Recital Hall at Berklee School of Music, Feb 28, 2011.

Orchestra concert!

2011-02-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

Pacific Wind Ensemble concert

2011-02-06T15:15:00.001-08:00

Foot Tapping and Beating

2011-02-06T13:19:00.000-08:00

In my chamber music coachings, I have been talking a lot about breaking the habit of foot tapping and physical beating in chamber music. Here's a video that shows some great musical communication without those things present: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY9baGZRil0

Updated Spring and Summer Travel Schedule

2011-02-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

February 25-March 1: Boston, performing with Margaret Phillips at the Berkelee School of Music on 2/28/11, Master class on the 2/25/11 and other events in the Boston area

April 21-25 University of Iowa master class. Details TBD

May 25-June 6 Panama City, Panama; The Alfredo San Malo Festival

July 18-20 Pacific Music Camp

July 24-August 7 Marrowstone Festival, Bellingham Washington

August 28 CLASSES BEGIN at University of the Pacific

Online Metronome?

2011-02-01T12:18:00.000-08:00

PAWQ is working up a piece by Roque Cordero and I need access to a programable metronome. I have been using this: http://a.bestmetronome.com/ since I just have a regular metronome-- it clicks fast and does the trick for the most part, but it would be nice to be able to program in the 10/8's and the 13/8's, especially as they change groupings. Anyone know of a FREE online tool that will do this?

I am not great with fancy metronomes, as they tend to fall a lot and break over time. Can't tell you how many I have managed to kill. Hence, looking for something on line.

Sax ensemble in sax master class

2011-01-31T18:05:00.001-08:00

Walked in on this class and wish I could have taken a picture of the sound. Wow!

Reed class!

2011-01-28T11:59:00.000-08:00

Vanessa is wrapping, Amanda is shaping, Jacqueline is giving the thumbs up after a successful first scrape, Celia is testing.

Conservatory Honors Recital

2011-01-27T09:27:00.000-08:00

Last night I was a judge for the Honor Recital. The level was amazing this year, and it was a very, very difficult task to winnow it down to 8 students. Each Fall, three students are chosen from each division at jury time and the competition occurs early in the following spring.

Congratulations to the winners (listed alphabetically) of this year’s Conservatory Honor’s Recital Auditions:

Yelena Dyachek
Chris Hewitt
Isaac Lopez
Hannah Ludwig
Bethany Mamola
Leander Tipsey
Erik Urbina
Linli Wang

The Honor’s Recital will take place on Wednesday, March 2nd at 7:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall. A reception will follow in the President’s Room.

Violin master class by Michael Gilbert

2011-01-26T12:43:00.000-08:00

Bassoon students, I want you to go to this:
Public Masterclass with Renowned Violinist Michael Gilbert

Going to a master class on an instrument not your own can be VERY informative. As you know from your lessons, I use string talk all the time, as one of the primary influences on my musical development was a violinist. Go to this master class and see for yourself how we can learn from the ways string players work. Can't wait to talk to you about it.
from the Pacific web site: "Michael Gilbert, a long-time member of the New York Philharmonic, will hold a public masterclass on Thursday, Feb. 17, at 5 p.m., in the Instrumental Rehearsal Hall as a guest of the Conservatory of Music. It is free and open to the public.
Gilbert began his career as concertmaster of the American Symphony Orchestra with Leopold Stokowski, and later as concertmaster of the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra. A renowned violinist, with a career spanning 25 years with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Gilbert played with Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, Kurt Masur and Pierre Boulez.
He has conducted in New York, Boston, Spain, Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan, and at the Juilliard and Manhattan Schools of Music. He is also Music Director of the Music Masters Course in Kazusa, Japan. His daughter, Jennifer, is concertmaster of the National Orchestra in Lyon, France. His son, Alan, is Music Director of the New York Philharmonic."

Bassoon lesson

2011-01-24T22:41:00.000-08:00

My niece, Lucia, has taken up the bassoon. This Tia is very happy about it!

Campus walk

2011-01-23T16:12:00.000-08:00

Bassoon duets

2011-01-23T14:44:00.000-08:00

My husband recently found this picture of me and our Winfield friend playing duets in Fall 2010 at the Walnut Valley Festival (Fall 2010).

He then found this picture of her from before bassoon was in her life (Fall 2007 or 8?).

The story goes like this: She heard me rehearsing with my buddies in the next camp over. It was an instant connection with the sound of the bassoon. When her band director back at school asked her what she wanted to play, of course she picked bassoon! Each year she gets better and better and we enjoy playing together at each opportunity. She's got a great handle on improvisation and has a really nice tone!

Marrowstone Music Festival, July 24-August 7 2011

2011-01-23T13:55:00.000-08:00

News:
Nicolasa Kuster will be serving as the bassoon artist-faculty member for the 2011 Marrowstone Music Festival in Bellingham, Washington from July 24-August 7.

Some info I got about it from Stephen Rogers Radcliffe, the Music Director of the Seattle Youth Symphony and of Marrowstone:

"Since 1943 the Marrowstone Music Festival has provided outstanding musical training to thousands of young musicians in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the country. As the region’s premiere orchestral training program, Marrowstone has helped shaped the lives of countless young artists by fostering a positive and nurturing environment for young people to explore the rich beauty of the classical symphonic and chamber music repertoires.
Marrowstone faculty hail from all over the USA, Canada and Europe. Our instructors serve on the faculties of major American conservatories and Music Schools; and as principals and section players of major orchestras and chamber music ensembles including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Seattle and Boston Symphonies and the Empire Brass to name a few. In addition, Marrowstone Festival alumni play in every major orchestra and opera company in the United States, including those of Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and New York, as well as in the leading ensembles of London, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong and Tokyo, among many, many others."

I will be leading bassoon sections, presenting a master class, performing on faculty chamber music concerts, coaching, and teaching. Very much looking forward to this.

Vanessa Davies rehearses her concerto

2011-01-21T16:41:00.000-08:00

Pianist Sonia Leong and bassoonist David A. Wells: Recital Collaborators

2011-01-18T08:20:00.000-08:00

Pianist Sonia Leong has performed in Canada, the United States, England, Romania, Switzerland, and Hong Kong. She has appeared with the Filarmonica de Stat Dinu Lipatti in Satu Mare, Romania, the Banff Festival Chamber Orchestra, the Stockton Symphony, the St. John Chamber Orchestra, and has performed live on Radio Suisse Romande in Geneva. She was a prizewinner at the Concours Piano 80, in Switzerland, and a finalist at the Concorso Pianistico Nazionale "Città de Cesenatico" in Italy.

Dr. Leong studied at the University of British Columbia, the Peabody Conservatory, and the Université de Montréal, and spent a year at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London on a Commonwealth Scholarship. Her principal teachers include Robert Silverman, Julian Martin, and Marc Durand. She has participated in festivals at the Banff Centre; Orford, Quebec; Scotia Festival; Ladevie, France; and Ernen Switzerland (with György Sebök).

The St. Galler Tagblatt wrote of Dr. Leong’s " richly colorful and tender playing", saying "she balances intelligence and sensitivity, revealing the depths of each score". The San Francisco Classical Voice described her "sensitive and accomplished touch" and wrote, “Leong…played the brilliant piano part effortlessly and with a great deal of flair”. Dr. Leong currently teaches at the University of the Pacific, where she is a member of the in-residence piano trio, the New Pacific Trio. The trio performs widely in the US, and has commissioned several new works, including a new piano trio from the noted composer Chen Yi, through a grant from the Barlow Endowment.

David A. Wells is a freelance bassoonist and teacher based in Stockton, CA. He is currently principal bassoonist with the Townsend Opera Players, has held positions in the Tallahassee and Mobile Symphony Orchestras, and has played with a number of other orchestras in California, Florida, Alabama, Iowa, and Wisconsin. His other recent performance activities have been widely varied, ranging from period
instrument performance on baroque and classical bassoons to small combo jazz with the UW-Madison Little Big Band to electric bassoon with the experimental/new music ensemble Downbeat Means Attack. David recently earned the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; his dissertation was a history and discography of the bassoon in jazz. In addition to degrees in bassoon
performance from Arizona State University and Florida State University, he also holds a Master of Arts in musicology from UW-Madison. David’s primary bassoon teachers are Jeffrey Lyman, Jeff Keesecker, and Marc Vallon.

January 20, 2011 Recital Program

2011-01-14T15:06:00.000-08:00

January 20th 2011

Resident Artist Series Recital
University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music
Nicolasa Kuster, bassoon
      with Sonia Leong, piano
     David A. Wells, bassoon

Récit, Sicilienne et Rondo ...............Eugène Bozza (1905-1991)

Three Myths for Solo Bassoon (2008) ........David Carpenter (1972-)

      Narcissus - liesurely
      Sisyphus - laboriously
      Apollo and Daphne – fleeting

Sonata for Bassoon and Piano (1947) ...........Romeo Cascarino (1922-2002)

      Allegretto Moderato
      Andante Cantabile
      Allegretto Giocoso

Break

Sonatine pour duex Bassons .................Pierre Max Dubois (1930-1995)
Dave Wells, bassoon

       Prélude – Andantino
       Intermezzo – Allegretto
       Air Triste –Adagio Recitativo
       Perpetuum Mobile – Allegro vivo

Sonata for Bassoon and Piano (1998) ............Willard S. Elliot (1927-2000)

     I.
     II.

Notes for David Carpenter’s Three Myths for Solo Bassoon

Narcissus

The handsome youth Narcissus saw his own image in a pool of water, and fell in love with himself. He was so enamored that he forgot to eat or drink, and eventually faded away, leaving behind a beautiful flower. The nymph Echo, who had loved him from afar, grieved his death until she too faded away, with only her voice remaining, forever repeating the words of others.

Sysyphus

Sysyphus, king of Corinth, having frustrated the god Zeus in his pursuit of Aegina, daughter of Asopus, and tricking Hades into letting him return to the world of the living, was finally condemned to push a boulder to the top of a hill, only to see if fall down on the other side. He would push the boulder up the hill again, and see it fall, continuing his labor for eternity.

Apollo and Daphne

Apollo, the dog of music, fell in love with the nymph Daphne and chased her through a forest. Terrified, she sought to escape from him, and called out to her father, the river-god Ladon, who transformed her into a beautiful laurel tree. Having lost Daphne, Apollo took some twigs from the tree and made a crown for himself, so as to remember the nymph he loved.

(Text freely adapted by David Carpenter from Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths.)

My cousin, Max Judelston, on Ten Rules for Street Musicians

2011-01-12T12:12:00.000-08:00

Ah, the days of playing in the street. My limited experience with this was in Aspen, Chicago, London, and Boston. I think I played once for fun in Graz, too. I don't remember exactly which stops I would play at, but I remember how playing with a Bulgarian oboist was the most lucrative, even though we had to split the money. Read my cousin Max's entertaining advice at:

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/01/11/ten-rules-for-street-musicians/#

Pacific Concerto Competition

2011-01-12T09:06:00.000-08:00

On January 23rd, two of my students are competing in the Concerto Competition. Annalea Milligan will perform the Walter Mays, Rhapsody for Bassoon and Vanessa Davies, the Mozart Bassoon Concerto. Good luck!

La Boheme with Stockton Opera

2011-01-10T09:58:00.000-08:00

This week I am back in the pit with the Stockton Opera working on La Boheme. I don't get tired of playing this opera! Strange things happen to me during the famous arias, though. For the tenor ones, I only hear Pavarotti in my head. Can't help it-- his voice is stuck in there and I am not complaining. I was trying to count how many times I performed these arias with him and I think it's four sets of performances. Between Spoleto and his farewell tour, it's in that area. I also have very clear memories of some of the conductors, but I can't remember their names anymore. Here's a video with him talking about the significance of La Boheme for him, and a clip of Que gelida manina.

The first time I played a Pavarotti concert, I was an extremely green player. All the rubati, I was swimming! Especially with the P man-- he would pace it his own way, regardless of what was on the page. It got easier for me, more natural, as the years progressed and more operas were under my belt. I really liked playing all those aria concerts... and there was always so much drama around whether or not the man would even show up! I miss him. The other night I happened upon a three tenors show on PBS and had to watch it, just to hear him.

Video O suoave fanciulla

Busy Bassoonists

2011-01-07T21:48:00.000-08:00

School starts on Monday, but the Wind Ensemble has been back a week early to prepare for and go on a tour. Here's a shot I stole from FB of Celia and Jacqueline in a sectional rehearsal. They look so happy.

My break

2011-01-03T14:26:00.001-08:00

My goal was to make 50 blanks over this break. I am almost at 30, once I get today's batch wrapped up... I might make it to 40 if I can be as organized a I need to be this week. Having lofty reed making plans has been a habit for every Holiday break since I can remember.

Bassoonists in Chamber Music from Fall 2010

2010-12-28T16:12:00.000-08:00

Bassoon Christmas Party Portraits

2010-12-16T10:58:00.000-08:00

Jacqueline Rocamora took these pictures at our Bassoon Studio Christmas Party.

This was the 10th year that I have made a formal dinner for college students. When I made the first dinner, back at Wichita State in December of 2000, the students were not as excited about the food as I thought they ought to be. My colleagues said, when I told them, that college students just want pizza! They wondered, why waste time making great food?

I stuck to my guns, though, and over the years have come to realize that the students DO really like the Holiday meal, they just don't always express it the way I expect sometimes. I really like it, too. It's the busiest time of the whole semester, but spending those hours preparing gives me a certain satisfaction. I always to try to include dishes that are unfamiliar for the students. This year I opened with beet soup, for example, and finished with persimmon cookies.

The gift exchange game was a riot this year, as usual. Each student brings a wrapped unmarked gift for a White Elphant exchange game. Some joke gifts return, and this year was no exception.

Lauren Kasper '10

2010-12-16T10:03:00.000-08:00

University of the Pacific Bassoonist Lauren Kasper graduated in 2010 with a degree in Music Managment. She reports that she has landed a new job in Berkely at MOG.com. MOG.com is a subscription music service; Her duties include being the catalog manager, label relations, and research. Congrats on the job, Lauren. Always good to hear about Pacific grads out there working in the field of music.

Burbank Competition

2010-12-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

The Burbank Philharmonic Hennings-Fischer Young Artists'

Competition scheduled for February, 2011. This is the 10th annual

competition and is open to all orchestral instrumentalists (except

piano). The competition is also open to all opera singers. There is an

age limit of 30 for both the instrumental and opera categories. The

winners will perform at a subscription concert during our next season

(2011-2012) and will receive an honorarium. The Burbank Philharmonic

Orchestra is an all-professional orchestra and in it's 20th year of

performing the best in classical music for the greater Southland

Community. If you have any questions,please visit the website at

www.burbankphilharmonic.com or call (818)771-7888.

Instruments

2010-12-11T17:37:00.001-08:00

I am in San Diego right now playing Mahler 2 with the Symphony. Today I stopped by Ryan Simmons' shop and played some really nice bassoons.

Katherine Young, bassoonist

2010-11-16T11:07:00.000-08:00

http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2010/11/15/131321526/covering-arthur-russell-on-bassoon

I spent a semester teaching at Oberlin where I encountered this delightful young woman in the bassoon studio, Katherine Young. Working on her senior recital was a treat-- I learned a lot from teaching her that semester. Check out the vimeo recording at the link-- she's doing some really cool stuff.

Studio Decorating Tradition

2010-10-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

Well, the 10th year in a row of bassoon studio decoration was pretty amazing. I still don't know how the students got in this year. The Bubblewrap walkway was a nice touch, guys! Brilliant, actually.

Thanks goes out to my students for making my birthday a memorable day.

Insprired despite it being the busiest time at Pacific

2010-10-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

On these two busiest weeks of the Fall semester, moments occur that point out how truly fortunate I am to be where I am right now, in this particular learning environment of Pacific. I am not just talking about my student Ross showing up to his 8:15am coaching this morning with a cup of coffee and an APPLE FRITTER (my favorite) for me. That was certainly great!

It's the moments where I really get to notice how the students are growing, applying and absorbing the concepts that we work on so diligently. When they pick up the instrument, begin to play, and sound comes out that moves and inspires me. When they play in a way that I know that they "get" it, when the effort dissapears for a while.

Last week it was Annalea at a coaching of the Strauss Duo Concertino, blowing me away with how her sound and technique have clicked into a new level. This week, Lara playing the Dunhill Lyric Suite with a new ease of gesture in her approach. Ross's recital preview yesterday, where he performed the Mozart Concerto like he was owning it, creating each phrase simply and masterfully, conquering issues that have been persistently dogging him. And seeing that he is now aware of how to take it to the next level. Mary having a huge "A HA!" moment with reed making, and the look on her face when she saw what the insight was going to be able to open up.

These are just some of the moments that are occurring to make me feel like I am part of something special. It's a busy time. Preparing the Jolivet concerto and the upcoming Pacific Arts Woodwind Quintet concert, having a lot of administrative duties, and the fact that it is Fall Advising time makes it so. Fortunately, it's all worth it.

Jolivet Concerto and Pacific Orchestra Day

2010-10-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

We are gearing up for Pacific Orchestra Day on Nov. 6. The Orchestra Concert on which I am playing the Jolivet Bassoon Concerto, will be at 6:30pm, not the usual 7:30pm.

I am really enjoying preparing the concerto again, after learning it the first time in my mid 20's. I love the old Maurice Allard recordings, and I recently listened to Popov play it.

Suzan Tarwater

2010-09-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

On August 23, bassoonist and educator Suzan Tarwater lost her two year battle with cancer. Obituary 1 ; Obituary II .

I met Suzan in KS when she came to my studio and asked for bassoon lessons. She was in her later 40s at the time, teaching music in schools and playing in a woodwind quintet in her town of Garden City, interested in improving her bassoon skills. She had studied with Alan Hawkins at KU years before. Our lessons were something I looked forward to every week, as she was so much fun to work with and to talk to. At the time, I needed a wise woman in my life and she fit that spot perfectly. She had incredible energy and a huge passion for music and for teaching. I remember so many great conversations, as we worked on reeds, or just hung out in these long, long lessons. She drove 4 hours for these sessions, and they could last for hours! I helped her to find and buy a great Fox 201, and she sold her Fox Renard to a student of hers in Garden City who ended up coming to study with me. Her name was Melissa Leiker, now a dedicated educator herself.

Suzan ended up getting hired by the American Boy's Choir School in Princeton, NJ and she and her huband, Mark, moved out there. It was no surprise that the ABCS recruited her and enticed them of both out there. For those of you who know my studio, the bocal on my papier mache bassoon was made by Mark! It continues to fake people out. It looks quite real... from far away!

When Suzan found out she had cancer, she decided to sell her Fox 201, and I was able to help her find the perfect person for it: Chloe Maiz, a high school student of mine who now is a sophomore at St. Olaf College. Chloe's playing grew by leaps and bounds when she got that instrument. I have been very sad about the loss of such a wonderful person in my life, but I keep thinking about how that beautiful bassoon Suzan enjoyed so much is in the hands of another great bassoonist and that gives me a nice feeling.

Suzan, you are missed. You were a planet changer, a person who made a difference and left this world a much better place. Thank you.

Melissa (Leiker) Cane

2010-09-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

Remember Melissa (Leiker) Cane? Here she is in some press from her town of Kansas City. She reports that she is almost done with her master's degree in Administration. She's been teaching music at Holy Cross, the school in the video, since she graduated.

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/education/school-competes-for-nfl-award-by-pumping-up-their-annual-chiefs-rally

Good news about Katherine Evans

2010-09-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

My former student, Katherine Evans, sent the good news that she won an audition! She was offered a one year position as Second Bassoon with the St. Louis Symphony. Got to chat with her briefly about it. Super proud of her!

Katherine was a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra from 2006-2008, and since then has been active as a freelance musician in and around the Chicago area, performing with the Elgin Symphony, Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra, and the Ann Arbor Symphony, as well as with the Chicago Symphony with whom she played on their 2009 tour of Asia. She received a Master of Music degree from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Music degree from Wichita State University. Her principal teachers include William Buchman, Robert Barris, and Nicolasa Kuster.

Ben Cameron: The True Power of the Performing Arts on Ted.com

2010-09-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/ben_cameron_tedxyyc.html

Making reeds, listening and watching a Ted.com talk. This one is good!

Sept 29th Nina Flyer Recital

2010-09-08T21:24:00.000-07:00

New Bassoon

2010-09-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

Mary bought a new bassoon, new bassoon, new bassoon.
Mary bought a new bassoon, it is a 601.

Just curious to see if Mary ever looks at this blog. At any rate, it's truly a thrill when a student finds the instrument they have been searching for. Congratulations, Mary!

Bassoon Chmaber Music Composition Competition Results

2010-08-28T14:40:00.000-07:00

This, from Paula Brusky, PhDFounding Director, BCMCC

The Bassoon Chamber Music Composition Competition (BCMCC) is pleased to announce the winning compositions for the 2010 BCMCC. The following four compositions, in alphabetical order, have been selected out of a strong pool of applications as the winning works:

Concertino for Bassoon, Piano and Three Strings by Jonathan Bartz for Violin, Viola, Cello, Bassoon and Piano
8 Minatures for Chamber Ensemble by Stefan Cwik for Flute, Violin, Bassoon and Piano
American Nights by Arthur Gottschalk for Violin, Bassoon and Piano
What about you? by Lewis Nielson for Violin, Cello and Bassoon

There were numerous exciting works submitted covering a diverse instrumentation and style. As a result the BCMCC would also like to extend honorable mention to:

Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano by Jonathan Graybill
Journey Music (for bassoon, violin, cello, bass, and percussion) by Dylan Mattingly
Ghost Orchid by Stephen Yip for Flute, Bassoon and Piano

Details for the world premiere concert are underway and will be forthcoming.

The BCMCC has partnered with Prizm Ensemble to have a second concert of the winning works performed at their 2011 summer festival. Look for the CD, released on MSR Classics, and scores, published by TrevCo, of the winning compositions in May 2011.

The BCMCC would not have been possible without the support from our judges Benjamin Coelho, Kristin Wolfe Jensen, Benjamin Kamins, Nicolasa Kuster, Jeffrey Lyman, Christopher Millard, and Steven Paulson.

Thank you to all the composers who shared their work with us. Your submission made the BCMCC a competitive and exciting competition.

Almanza-Saavedra update

2010-08-24T20:30:00.000-07:00

Sofia will be living in Rome for a year playing with L'Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, conducted by Antonio Pappano. I was able to spend quality time with her in Panama-- our visits overlapped by sheer coincidence!

Celebration in Panama

2010-08-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

http://www.conciertospanama.org/musica/

In January of 1988 I attended the second Campamento Musical in El Valle de Anton, Panama. It was the pivotal experience that inspired me to set the course for a life in music. I am back in Panama right now celebrating the 25th year of the campamentos and of the many years of collaboration with Oberlin. In 1990, while I was a student at Oberlin, I traveled to Panama with a group of other Conservatory students. We became "faculty" at the camp; 20 years later, Oberlin students are still traveling to work at the camp. I so look forward to this week.

Two concerts are planned for this celebration. One chamber at the MARTA and one orchestral at the Teatro Nacional. Eight Oberlin grads are here to perform along with Panamanian ex-campistas.

Check the link for details.

Obies in attendance:

Kana Kimura - violin

David Filner - viola

Lara Turner - cello

Sara Fierer - cello

Jason Gresl -clarinet

Jessica Pearlman - oboe

Michael Reavey - trumpet

Kathryn Denney - horn

Tim Weiss and Joann Erwin, Oberlin faculty

Others we are playing chamber music with on the Collage Concert

Oliver Klein - violin (USA)

Graciela Nunez -violin (Panama)

Mario Rodriguez -violin (Costa Rica)

Oriana Racines - viola (Panama)

Dafne Guevara - flute (Panama)

Efrain Castro - oboe (Panama)

Luis Batista - cello (Panama)

Nestor Ibara - violin (Panama)

Brass Choir: René Rivera Rodríguez, Jossué Acevedo Castro, Roberto Ortega, Dayana Morales S., Ahmet Delgado, Erick De Léon, Joel Lara, Carlos A Ramírez H., Rubén Vallarino, Wiward Guerra, Higinio Flores, Avenicio Nuñez, Fernando Flores, Efraín Pascual, Jonathon Sandoval, Jaime Moralez R.

Bay Area Bassoon Blog

2010-08-06T15:43:00.000-07:00

Just found a new blog as I was zooming around the internet as a break in my reed making. Yes, I am calmly, yet urgently, getting some reeds ready to take to Panama on Tuesday. I have been playing through my reeds like crazy with all this time I am having these day to practice. Summer. It's so nice to have time to practice! I suddenly realized I was in a bad place though, and I certainly don't want to spend precious Panama time sitting with reeds.

The new blog is: Bassoontalk.blogspot.com It hasn't had many recent posts, but it's got some nice things to peruse.
Enjoy!

Bassoon Chamber Music Composition Competition BCMCC

2010-08-06T12:53:00.000-07:00

Now that my part of judging the Bassoon Chamber Music Composition Competition BCMCC is complete, we sit back and wait to see the results. I heard some really interesting and creative compositions. One in particular absolutely blew my mind. I'll tell you more about it after the competition is complete.

New Hampshire Music Festival 2010 and next Panama trip

2010-07-29T14:46:00.000-07:00

Just got back from an amazing three weeks playing with the New Hampshire Music Festival. I took Leona and a student of mine, Annalea, to be her nanny. It worked out perfectly. Performing three weeks with the festival was not enough, but I had to try out being there with the baby and didn't want to be away from home for too long. In addition to that good reason for only doing three weeks, I had already accepted other gigs before I was sure NHMF was going to actually happen.

My next trip is to Panama again, this time to celebrate with the Panama National Concert Association the 25th anniversary of the Campamento Musical and the Oberlin in Panana project that began while I was a student at Oberlin. There will be two performances: a Collage chamber music on August 15 and the orchestra on August 16. The orchestra rep is Brahms Academic Festival Overture, Vivaldi Concerti for Violin and Cello, and Dvorak Symphony #8.

Will update on both these things as I get a chance.

IDRS 2010

2010-06-30T14:14:00.001-07:00

IDRS recital photos. They look small because I got them off Facebook. Xie Fei, one of the finalists for the Gillet competition, took them. Which makes me have to brag about his performance on the last Friday of the conference. He sounded magnificent.

He played elegantly, fluidly, and with a deliciously sweet tone.

Go Fei.

May and June 2010 Activities

2010-06-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

I sit here, with one week at home, and look back at the last month or so. So much has been going on, it's a travel whirlwind! I jam packed the summer with musical activities. At the end of the school semester, I had to miss Commencement because I traveled to perform as third bassoon on Rite of Spring and Alpine Symphony with the San Diego Symphony. Being with the bassoon section was a blast. Pictured are Valentin Martchev, Leyla Zamora, my daughter Leona, me, and Ryan Simmons. Missing in the photo is Rob Schmittke.

I got back from San Diego went back to Wichita for a visit. Actually, my step-son was graduating from high school, so that was the star event.

From Wichita, I flew with Leona to Panama, where the Pacific Arts Woodwind Quintet would stay for 10 days, working as guest artists at the Alfredo San Malo Festival. We worked as coaches to the festival orchesta-- kids participated from Costa Rica, Mexico, Uruguay, etc-- and this experience was very rewarding. We also gave masterclasses, and I enjoyed working closely with the Bassoon Professor, Daniel Agudo. His students sound amazing; he's a great teacher! The PAWQ performed a recital which was very well received. Traveling and performing together can really develop the teamwork of an ensemble, and I do believe the group really grew closer.

Patti Shands and I also got to perform Stravinsky's Soldier's Tale as a wonderful collaboration with Panamanian musicians, other US musicians, and the National Ballet of Panama. Playing on the stage of the National Theater, a theater I attended a great deal as a kid growing up in Panama, was exciting.

The PAWQ really enjoyed the time in Panama. In addition to the work, we went to the zoo, saw the canal, spent a day on Isla Taboga, and ate great food.

A week after I got back from Panama, I took a little local audition. Yes, there was an opening in the San Francisco Opera for second bassoon and I thought I was ready to dive back in and try my hand at an audition. When the opening was publicized, I thought it would be a great experience for my older performance majors. As they began to work on the list, I realized that I ought to do it to practice what I preach. My numbers are iffy, I wasn't paying that much attention to who was there. I think about 75 people showed up and maybe 8ish passed. I am glad I passed a round (they didn't hire anyone) because as a teacher of young musicians, I want to be able to keep myself aware of what it really takes to take an audition. Not that this is an excuse for not advancing more, but I got really sick after the Monday of the first round, and Bert says it's because was pushing everything too hard, all the traveling, and living large. He is perhaps right! At any rate, taking the audition was a great experience.

A week after I got back from Panama, and a day or two after I did the audition, with the sniffles and gunk, I got on the plane with my family, Bert and Leona, to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniverary in Minnesota with the larger extended family (pictured: mom and dad and their 6 kids.)

Right after those 4 days of festivities, I flew by myself to Norman, OK for the International Double Reed Society conference. At some point I ought to write down all the thoughts I have on the experience of traveling with and without Leona to my professional engagements! At IDRS I enjoyed seeing so many friends (like Kristin Wolfe Jensen and Nathan Koch-- in the picture I am listening to his latest recital on his computer) and colleagues from around the world, heard great concerts, and performed a recital on Thursday, June 24th. I played a new work, Three Myths by David Carpenter, which was really well received, alongside two older works by Cascarino and Bozza. The last night, I drove up to Wichita and rehearsed with Lucky Me. It always feels funny to call it a rehearsal, as we basically hang out and play music. We started with our familiar tunes, but then dove into the new songs that I needed to hear and to start to learn. Each time I play with Lucky Me I feel so lucky. Hence the name, I guess. We all feel that way about each other and the opportunity to play together.

Now I am back in Stockton, catching up. Next week I head, with Leona, to the New Hampshire Music Festival for three weeks. Really looking forward to some great orchestral time.

NEW Maxwell-Deegan Profiler

2010-06-28T15:31:00.000-07:00

Dr. Susan Gustavson Maxwell, a former student of mine, has gotten in touch about a new product she has developed.

The Maxwell-Deegan profiler is now for sale! Go to www.mdreedproducts.com for more information and pictures.
A few features:
- at only $599.00, it is accessible for student and professional bassoonists!
-Adjustable-- With side gauges 1-8 for the tip and back, you can adjust your settings with just a click.
-Linear ball bearings make the process easier on the hand and wrist.
-Large diameter barrel and 2 blades included

Panama

2010-05-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

We perform at the Museo Antropológico Reina Torres de Araúz (MARTA) Panama City, Panama. 7:30pm tomorrow. More when I return from this 10 day trip to Panama.

Lauren Kasper is the Cat's Meow!

2010-05-07T09:55:00.000-07:00

Lauren Kasper was in the Stockton Record today about a great Music Management project she's been working on and that I have been hearing about for a while. She is graduating this semester and we will really miss her in the Pacific Bassoon Studio. Working with her has been so much fun. It's going to be interesting to watch her path. Brava, Lauren!

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100506/A_ENTERTAIN1001/5060330/-1/NEWSMAP
By Tony Sauro
Record Staff Writer
May 06, 2010 12:00 AM

CORRECTION: May 6, 2010Village on Yarn was incorrectly identified in the print and initial online versions of this article. The error has been corrected.
Being independent still requires lots of cooperation and coordination.
'Nine Lives, Nine Tracks'
• "The Birdsong" by Village on Yarn
• "Skinny Hands" by Avon Union
• "Exultate! (Theme to the End of the World)" by Blaupunktd
• "Destination, Home" by Sledding With Tigers
• "Monarchs Can't Dance Like the Punks Can" by Grim Luck!
• "Animal" by Sick Boy
• "The First Time" by Sugar Water Purple
• "Life Is Very Short" by Village on Yarn
• "I Wanna Take You to CoCo's" by Sledding With Tigers

Information: rightmeow
records.tumblr.com

That's one helpful - if slightly counterintuitive - lesson that 12 University of the Pacific music-management students have learned.
"It takes 11 other people before something gets approved," said Dan Faughnder, a 20-year-old junior from San Diego. "It's definitely a different experience that's, maybe, a little more challenging."
"I definitely learned about communicating and working in teams," said Lauren Kasper, 24, a senior from Long Beach. "I also liked the amount of detail that you need to keep track of when doing these sorts of things. You're always working with the end in mind."
That would be "Nine Lives, Nine Tracks," a compilation CD conceived, designed, manufactured and released by students in Pacific's Running an Independent Record Label course.
Pacific's only independent label now is Right Meow Records - Faughnder was instrumental in that bit of playfulness - and the CD contains nine songs recorded by musicians and submitted to the students.
"From soul to ska to acoustic folk, here are some local indie artists we love. We think they are the cat's meow," Kasper's liner notes say.
The students, working in three teams - art-graphics-packaging, artists and repertoire (A&R) and business-legal - had 150 CDs manufactured in San Francisco for $550 on April 26. They sold 30 copies at a campus concert on April 27.
Kasper said their 36-minute "product" - as corporate record-biz types like to call it - deserves an "A."
"A-plus," Faughnder said.
The second-semester course was returned to the Conservatory of Music's schedule after a four-year absence.
"It took a bit of an effort to get the class revived," said Gabrielle Beatrice, the course's instructor, who owns Berkeley-based Perfect Pitch, a marketing and advertising business that works with independent musicians and labels. "That's why students are so proud of the work they've done."
Some practical knowledge was imparted.
"It's always more work than it appears to be from the outside," said Beatrice, a native of Framingham, Mass., and University of New Haven (Conn.) graduate who teaches a similar course at Sacramento City College. "Anything in media and entertainment is likely to be demanding of a lot of hours.
"The music business is different than the making of music. On a project team, there are gonna be deadlines. You have to move at a certain pace, and benchmarks need to be met."
That won't dissuade Kasper, also an accomplished bassoon player.
After graduation, she returns to Long Beach with plans to start her own independent label. She hopes to supplement her Pacific apprenticeship with indie-label internships.
"I'll take whatever job I can get," Kasper said. "You just work your way around. This experience actually was really good. I saw it's not impossible to put out a record. It takes a lot of work, but it's within my means to do it on my own."
Faughnder, a singer-songwriter and guitar player whose band, Sledding With Tigers, has two songs on the CD ("Destination, Home" and "I Wanna Take You to CoCo's"), won't take the indie-label course as a senior, but foresees a career in producing and engineering recordings.
He and Nicholas Chang, who recorded two of the CD's tunes ("The Birdsong" and "Life Is Very Short") as Village on Yarn, mastered the CD at Pacific's Owen Hall.
Faughnder also enjoys graphics - Kasper helped craft the CD's label design - and made a cat sound at just the right juncture. The students were trying to incorporate Pacific's mascot (Tigers) into their label's name and design. Tastefully and tactfully, of course.
"It's one of those things, at the beginning of class, where we had one exercise about coming up with names," Faughnder said. "I just kind of off-the-cuff said, 'right meow.' Everyone was saying, 'Oh, I like that.' But we didn't want it to be cheesy - like the 'wild tigers' or something - and tried to make it somewhat subtle. We all decided we didn't want it to be orange-and-black (Pacific's colors).
"Also, in (the 2001 movie) 'Super Troopers,' two police officers pull over a car and, between them, try to see how many times they can replace the word 'now' with 'meow'."
Or, as Faughnder and Kasper characterize their independent collaboration: It's their cat's meow.
Contact reporter Tony Sauro at (209) 546-8267 or tsauro@recordnet.com. Visit his blog at recordnet.com/lensblog.
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