for soprano, bassoon and accordion
circa 10 minutes
pictured in photo: bassoonist Gina Cuffari
 
PROGRAM NOTES from the composer:
"Double Reed", on Charles Wyatt’s poem, “To the World’s Bassoonists”, was written for my friend, the incredible singing bassoonist, Gina Cuffari. When I learned of her unique combination of talents, I knew I had to write a piece showcasing them. Around the same time, I had purchased my first accordion and began teaching myself to play. What do you know, there was a “bassoon” reed on it! There, the double-reed (or is it double-read?) inspiration was born. In searching for a suitable text, I stumbled upon “To the World’s Bassoonists”, a wacky poem by Poet Laureate Charles Wyatt, published in 1973 for the International Double Reed Society (IDRS) Conference. Although he had initially forgotten he wrote it, Charles gave me his blessing, and Double Reed was composed in earnest. Fittingly, the work was premiered at the IDRS Conference in 2014 in New York City.
 
VIDEO SAMPLE