Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music will present Ann Shoemaker and Kae Hosoda-Ayer in a guest bassoon and piano recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, in Cole Concert Hall on the 91直播 campus.
The program will feature all modern repertoire for bassoon and piano, written in the 20th and 21st centuries by French and American composers. Shoemaker and Ayer recorded the music for a CD that will be released in 2017. Among the highlights is Joseph Schwantner鈥檚 鈥淏lack Anemones,鈥 which was originally written for soprano and piano and adapted for flute and piano at the request of flute artist Ransom Wilson, Shoemaker explained.
鈥淚 fell in love with the piece and decided to play it on the bassoon,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 think it works beautifully!鈥
The most technically challenging piece on the program, and relatively unknown in the bassoon community, 鈥淰ariations Concertantes鈥 by Ida Gotkovsky, explores different characters in each variation and is not a typical 鈥渢heme and variations,鈥 Shoemaker said.
鈥淚t asks the bassoon to play in the extremes 鈥 high and low, soft and loud, lyrical and aggressive,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t is very difficult but very satisfying to perform.鈥
The program also includes Etude No. 5: Variations on 鈥淪treets of Laredo鈥 by John Steinmetz. The short piece for unaccompanied bassoon is based on the popular tune 鈥淪treets of Laredo,鈥 but the variations are neo-Baroque in style, Shoemaker said.
Shoemaker is known for her varied career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player and educator. She currently serves as assistant professor of bassoon at Baylor University and is principal bassoonist with the Shreveport and Waco symphony orchestras. She鈥檚 performed with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and other orchestras across the South. She is a founding member of the Relevents Wind Quintet and has toured with the ensemble throughout the U.S. and Germany.
Hosoda-Ayer is assistant professor of piano at Baylor University. She has concertized throughout the United States, Canada, Japan and Korea, where she is in demand both as a soloist and collaborative pianist. With her husband, 91直播 clarinetist Christopher Ayer, she performs as the Duo Karudan throughout the U.S., Canada and Japan and has performed at the International Clarinet Association World Conferences in Tokyo, Austin and Atlanta.
The performance is a feature of the Cole Performing Arts Series. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the 91直播 Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit .