Jenni Brandon’s Double Concerto for Oboe and Bassoon with Wind Symphony Performed by the Clarkston, Michigan High School Wind Ensemble

double concerto oboe bassoon

Jenni Brandon’s Double Concerto for Oboe and Bassoon with Wind Symphony is performed by the Clarkston High School Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Mr. Michael Lewis, on December 10, 2019. The soloists for this concert were MaryBeth Minnis, bassoon and Lindabeth Binkley, oboe. Both are professors at Central Michigan University. Jenni arranged this piece specifically for the high school wind ensemble. The school is located in Clarkston, Michigan. The school district has a very active music and fine arts program.

The music program is supported by the Clarkston Schools Instrumental Music Association (CSIMA). CISMA is organized to supply both moral and financial support to the instrumental music programs of Clarkston Schools. CSIMA members serve as a resource to the instructional staff of the Clarkston Schools instrumental music programs by volunteering individual skills and performing the fundraising necessary to enhance the school district’s funding of instrumental music programs.

Jenni’s Double Concerto for Oboe and Bassoon with Wind Symphony 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, the Milky Way, and onto our own arm in the galaxy, the Orion Spur, where we dance the waltz of the Blue Planet. Being pulled toward the Supermassive Black hole, the djembe lends a rhythmic background of mystery to this journey. The bassoon, then joined by the solo oboe, begins to tell us a story of Dark Matter, “…an elementary particle that pervades the universe.” 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.

This work is in one movement and is approximately 18 minutes.

  • The Spiral Galaxy
  • Travelling through the Milky Way
  • The Orion Spur: The Blue Planet Waltz
  • Supermassive Black Hole: Falling into the abyss…
  • Dark Matter: “…an elementary particle that pervades the universe
  • The Orion Nebula: “We are made of star-stuff.”\…Flying through the Spiral Galaxy

It was an honor to write this work for Scott Pool and to have him premiere it with Rogene Russell on oboe and the University of Texas at Arlington Wind Symphony under the direction of Doug Stotter in February 2013. It is a thrill to have the European premiere of this work given by the Banda Simfònica Municipal de Madrid under the direction of Rafael Sanz–Espert with Víctor M. Ánchel, oboe and Enrique Abargues, bassoon.

Double Concerto for Oboe and Bassoon with Wind Symphony is available on Jenni’s website at http://jennibrandon.com/product/double-concerto-for-oboe-and-bassoon-with-wind-symphony-sheet-music/ Version for Oboe, Bassoon, piano, and optional percussion is also available

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