Christin Schillinger performed Colored Stones by Jenni Brandon at Hockett Family Recital Hall, Ithaca College, Ithaca, New York at 7:00 PM, March 25, 2021. Schillinger is currently on faculty at Ithaca College in New York. Previously, she has held positions with Miami University, the University of Nevada, and various orchestras throughout the west. Schillinger received her degrees from Northwestern, Michigan State, and Arizona State Universities under the guidance of Robert Barris, Barrick Stees, Michael Kroth, Albie Micklich, and Jeffrey Lyman.
Schillinger works closely with living composers. Her newest solo album, to be released in 2017, highlights works from the 21st Century written in her dedication. Her prior solo albums, Bassoon Transcended (2013) and Bassoon Unbounded (2009), produced for MSR Classics by Swineshead Productions, include world-premiere recordings of new works (Jenni Brandon’s Double Helix). Collaborative composers remark on her “natural interpretation” and “perfect musical choices.”
Colored Stones for solo bassoon tells the story of three stones: smoky quartz, lapis lazuli, and tiger’s eye. Some cultures and spiritual practices believe these stones have powerful qualities such as the ability to heal, protect, and offer spiritual guidance. The bassoon explores these beautiful stones’ unique qualities.
Smoky Quartz – An incredibly grounding stone, this smoky brown stone transforms and diffuses negative energy. The bassoon changes from a sense of grounding to playfulness, exploring this balance of energy. In the end, it always finds its way back to telling the story of the grounding quality of the stone.
Lapis Lazuli – Prized for its colors, this deep blue stone was used by kings and queens in paintings and ceremonial robes. Believed to help foster truthful expression and communication, it supports the immune system and brings peace. The bassoon explores the luxurious blue color, mixing in flashes of gold found in the stone.
Tiger’s Eye – Tiger’s eye, a golden brown to deep red stone, is very grounding and can bring luck and ward off evil. The bassoon is sometimes “protective and seeing,” moving quickly to remove the look of the “evil eye” and other times moving dreamily through an ancient landscape of protective energy.
It was an honor to be chosen as the winner of the 2014 Bassoon Chamber Music Composition Competition and to have this work premiered by Susan Nelson.
Preview of Jenni Brandon’s “Colored Stones” by BCMCC (soundcloud.com)
This work is available for purchase through Imagine Music Publishing.