World premiere of CANE: Bassoon Concerto with Reed Quintet
Ithaca, New York
March 8, 2019
Limitless Collective

Co-commissioned by Dr. Christin Schillinger and
the Akropolis Reed Quintet

The first concerto of its kind, Cane: Bassoon Concerto with Reed Quintet by Jenni Brandon,  tells a dramatic story of one bassoon reed’s journey from its origins as raw, organic cane, to the final joy of playing on the finished reed. The colors of the reed quintet and the virtuosic solo bassoon intermingle in this through-composed piece to take the listener through this vivid experience. Rhythm, lyrical lines, extended techniques, Afro-Cuban style music, jazz and fugue join together to remind us that this is an organic process. From making reeds to making music, we come together to create performance. Ever changing and ever evolving, every reed and every performance is unique, and Cane promises to tell this story in a powerful and exciting new way. 

There are several sections in this through-composed work, taking us on a journey that is the life of a bassoon reed:

I. Split: short and percussive, like splitting cane

II. Gouge: Rhythmic, steady and driving. Removing and leaving…

III.   Shape

IV. Profile: Mechanical, with a little bit of mischief

V. Form: The cane becomes a reed (Internal/external sounds of transition)

VI. Scrape: In the style of Afro-Cuban music

VII. Playing the reed: Swing, sassy; thoughtful, reflective; with reverence; the reed plays…

Performed by members of the Limitless Collective:
Christin Schillinger – bassoon soloist
Lindabeth Binkley – oboe
Jana Starling – clarinet
Nicki Roman – saxophone
Elizabeth Crawford – bass clarinet
Marybeth Minnis – bassoon

www.limitlesscollective.com