Of Children, Mind and Earth: A multimedia program for oboe with electronic audio/video tracks

This program addresses some topics that I feel strongly about and wanted to express them musically and visually, through the three pieces on the program. All of these works have an electronic soundtrack that the acoustic oboe plays with, and two of them has an accompanying video. One of them uses a digitally delayed sound on the acoustic oboe.

The first piece other offers a vision of children in a world free of cruelty, using art images that were drawn by children. The second work is a piece which explores the topic of schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. The final work is a lively, witty piece that is a fun gathering of nature, with an accompanying video.

A recital featuring new solo and ensemble works featuring solo bassoon with electronics and woodwind quartet.

As “standards” establish themsleves within the canon of our repertoire, many fabulous works subsequently vie for a share of our community consciousness. It is our goal as performers in Jersey Reeds to toe the line between carefully crafted performance of the excellent works commonly known for oboe, bassoon and piano, while spotlighting works by underrepresented individuals, historically underperformed works from bygone eras, and those which resonate with us personally that we’d like to see more of our colleagues tackle!

Although our string counterparts have coined the monicker “piano trio”, we believe the woodwind equivalent combination our ensemble is composed of can challenge the excellence violin, cello and piano have presented over time. These two works by Mathieu Lussier and Oscar Navarro are fantastic examples of the colors, styles, athleticism, lyricality and overall virtuosity that bassoon and oboe exhibit as individuals, and even more potently in this trio format.

We hope this performance can inspire our colleagues to explore more repertoire that challenges us individually in every facet of musicianship and instrumental excellence, while also demonstrating the capabilities that the performers of tomorrow should strive to achieve, and surpass, to grow this fantastic ensemble.

Lilac Trio – Kate Bruns, Katie Eaton, and Emily Hart – present a recital of lesser-known oboe trios and trios for two oboes and English horn by Dirk-Michael Kirsch, Bill Dobbins, and a new arrangement of Clara Schumann’s Romance no. 2 for Violin and Piano. Dirk-Michael Kirsch’s Meeresbilder (“Sea Pictures”, in English) features stunning imagery in a virtuosic work for two oboes and English horn. Movements to be performed are Scherzo: Stormy Day; Notturno: Boats in the Moonlight; and Finale: all’irlandese. Written for three oboes, Meet Me at Dreamland by jazz artist Bill Dobbins was written for Richard Killmer and has a dreamy, blues theme – reminiscent of Duke Ellington. Clara Schumann’s Three Romances for Violin and Piano Op. 22 have become popular among oboists. In this program, the second Romance, “Allegretto” is arranged for two oboes and English horn by Kate Bruns – this performance marks the premiere of this arrangement.

Comprised of Maribel Alonso and Stephanie Patterson, Las Californias is a dynamic bassoon duo that celebrates music by female and underrepresented composers, including improvisation and new arrangements of pieces by composers from present and past centuries. With a passion for bridging cultures through their unique sound, they have performed internationally from Thailand to Argentina, and both sides of the border of the US with Mexico. This concert combines their project of rescuing composers from the past with an arrangement of Barbara Strozzi’s aria “Non c’è più fede” for two bassoons alongside a premiere of a brand new work by Mexican composer Nonis Prado. Their work across borders is highlighted in a final piece inspired by the celebratory Mexican folk tradition “La Guelaguetza”.

“On the Move” is a recital that highlights how contemporary composers explore movement in distinct and imaginative ways. Alyssa Morris’s “Motion” unfolds in four playful and vividly drawn movements: Bike Ride, Stretch, Tip Toe, and Strut. Each movement captures a distinct physical gesture through Morris’s characteristic whimsical style. John Steinmetz’s “Fits and Starts” offers a contrasting perspective, portraying movement as fragmented and unpredictable. Through abrupt pauses and bursts of activity, the piece reveals the charm of irregular momentum. Together, these works showcase the expressive range of the woodwind quartet and the many ways music can embody motion, character, and energy.

Performed by Wild Prairie Winds, a group dedicated to accessible chamber repertoire, the ensemble is known for its imaginative and narrative programming. Both Morris and Steinmetz are leading voices in contemporary chamber music, and this program presents their work in a way that is engaging and vividly theatrical for audiences.

Flirting with Boundaries explores how the Bassoon can emerge out of the traditional context through genre-blending compositions and collaborative improvisations. The topic of electroacoustic and improvisational Bassoon has been increasingly central in modern double reed discourse, and this program offers a focal point within that conversation. Big Sky Collective is a forward-driven ensemble that embraces innovation, expanding both what the Bassoon can bring to an ensemble and how they can collaboratively define themselves. Flirting with Boundaries is a cinematic and cerebral journey through change, exploring the profound feelings of introspection and renewal that arise. This program is essential for double reed players interested in electroacoustics, improvisation, and collaborative composition. Through this work, Big Sky Collective illuminates how creativity and community can pave the way for new sonic identities and innovative new music.

This recital aims to bring the music of the tenoroon to a wider audience. The tenoroon is like a bassoon but is smaller and pitched at a higher tonal level. The instrument being played in this recital is in F (a perfect fourth above the bassoon). With there being very few resources to listen to the modern tenoroon, this recital allows the listener to hear the tenoroon being played at a professional level. This recital features three newly commissioned works for tenoroon in various ensemble configurations: trio for tenoroon, bassoon, and contrabassoon by Andrew Strawn, duet for English horn and tenoroon by Alyssa Morris, as well as tenoroon with piano by Jenni Brandon.

2025 marked the 35-year anniversary of the founding of the OBOHIO, The Double Reed Consort, founded by Robert Sorton in 1990. At the 2025 IDRS conference in Indianapolis, OBOHIO 2.0 emerged. The original members included Robert Sorton (oboe), P. Bailey Sorton (oboe d’amore), Sarah Hamilton (English horn) and Christopher Weait (bassoon). Three members of the newly-formed ensemble, Samantha Zelnik (oboe), Michael Rueda (oboe d’amore), and Hilary Hobbs (English horn), hold degrees from The Ohio State University, where they worked with Robert Sorton and P. Bailey Sorton. Scott Hanratty (bassoon) also holds a connection to Ohio as an alumni of the Cleveland Institute of Music and as the Principal Bassoon of the Worthington Chamber Orchestra. OBOHIO 2.0 honors and hopes to uphold the double reed consort tradition established by the original OBOHIO consort through a recital featuring two lesser-known pieces for double reed quartet to ty raise awareness of these excellent works that double reed players should know. The original OBOHIO, The Double Reed Consort, inspired much music to be written for the less common genre of double reed quartet, and OBOHIO 2.0 hopes to continue this interest in double reed quartet music and gain more repertoire for this instrumentation.