The Orion Concerto: Double Concerto for Oboe and Bassoon with Wind Symphony (8:15 version)

The  Brigham Young University-Idaho Symphony Band performs Jenni Brandon’s The Orion Concerto on December 5, 2023 at 7:30 pm(MDT).

Ruth H. Barrus Concert Hall

Dr. Davied Faires – Conductor
Elizabeth Nelson – Oboe
Elizabeth Crawford – Bassoon

Livestream: Watch Live (byui.edu)

About the work

This piece tells the story of our Galaxy, of the great unknown and what lies beyond, and where we belong within this vastness of space.  The soloists and the ensemble paint a picture of this great mystery of the universe, taking us on a journey through the Spiral Galaxy and the Milky Way.  Being pulled toward the Supermassive Black hole, the djembe lends a rhythmic background of mystery to this journey.  We then travel to the place where stars are born in “The Orion Nebula,” quoting Carl Sagen from his book Cosmos that, “we are made of star-stuff.”  Finally, we begin to leave the orion nebula to continue our journey again through the spiral galaxy, exploring the vastness of space as thematic material returns to carry us on this ever-continuing journey of exploration.

Originally premiered as Double Concerto for Oboe and Bassoon with Wind Symphony, the Orion Concerto is a shortened version of this work.  It was arranged at the request of Jonathan Hinkle, Director of Bands at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado for performance during the Colorado Music Educators Association conference in January 2023. The original version Double Concerto was written for Scott Pool – bassoon, and it was an honor to have him and Rogene Russell on oboe premiere it at the University of Texas at Arlington Wind Symphony under the direction of Doug Stotter in February 2013.  The European premiere of this work was given by the Banda Simfònica Municipal de Madrid under the direction of Rafael Sanz–Espert with Víctor M. Ánchel, oboe and Enrique Abargues, bassoon.

This work is in one movement with several sections:

The Spiral Galaxy
Travelling through the Milky Way
Supermassive Black Hole: Falling into the abyss…
The Orion Nebula: “We are made of star-stuff.”
…Flying through the Spiral Galaxy

Duration approximately 8:15