NewsRelease

International Double Reed Society Conference Comes to UNCG June 17-21

GREENSBORO – Between 800 and 1,000 bassoon, English horn and oboe players will descend upon the School of Music at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro for the 32nd annual International Double Reed Society Conference, Tuesday through Saturday, June 17-21. A total of 58 performances will be held in 5 days.

Drawn from the ranks of top professional and academic ensembles worldwide, conference participants will offer public concerts that showcase the best in double reed musicianship. Featured performers will include principal players from orchestras such as the Philharmonia in London, the Tokyo Philharmonic, the Shanghai Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra and Chicago Symphony. Teachers from the Paris Conservatoire, the Guildhall School in London, the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne and assorted American universities will also perform. During the day, conference participants will attend master classes, performances and lectures.

The International Double Reed Society has a membership of approximately 4,000. Last year’s conference was held in Banff, Canada, and the 2004 conference will take place in Melbourne, Australia. The UNCG School of Music bid on hosting the conference two years ago and was evaluated on the merits of its facilities and reputation in order to sponsor the event.

“The hope is that when people come here and see the facilities and hear the concerts, we are put on the international map,” said Dr. Michael Burns, associate professor of bassoon at UNCG, a conference performer and co-host.

Music by Brahms, Vivaldi, Bach, Puccini and various contemporary composers is slated for the week. The public performances will be held in Aycock Auditorium at 8 every night. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets are available by calling (336) 256-0464. A complete schedule is available at http://www.uncg.edu/mus/idrs03.

Thursday through Saturday nights at 10 p.m., the music will head downtown, when Michael Rabinowitz and Paul Hanson play jazz at the Marriott.

Wednesday night, an octet featuring Arthur Grossman on heckelphone will perform music by Hans Mielenz. The heckelphone debuted in 1904 by Wilhelm Heckel in Germany. The rare, conically-bored instrument is pitched an octave lower than a traditional oboe.

The conference will culminate in two special performances Saturday evening. First, the U.S. Army Orchestra will perform concertos with select soloists, including the winner of the Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox competition. The competition alternates yearly between oboe and bassoon. A $5,000 prize will go to this year’s best oboist.

The music Saturday night continues with as many double reed players as can fit on stage. They will perform “Three Jazz Parodies,” a selection of “jazzed up” Baroque pieces. The double reed orchestra will accompany UNCG graduate student Arthur White and “Parodies” composer Andrew White, both on saxophone.

In addition to international musicians, the conference will feature faculty and graduate students at UNCG. Participating are: Dr. Michael Burns and David Bryant (bassoon), Dr. John Fadial (violin), Dr. Andrew Harley, Dr. John Salmon and Dr. Joseph DiPiazza (piano), Dr. Ashley Barret, Anna Lampidis and Melanie Hoffner (oboe), Steve Haines (bass) and Tom Taylor (drums). Alumna Dr. Stephanie Caulder (oboe) and former associate dean James Prodan (oboe d’amore) will also perform. On Friday, Dr. John Locke will conduct an ensemble selected from UNCG School of Music students. This group will accompany a variety of double reed soloists.
 
 

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