The first concerto of its kind, Cane tells a dramatic story of one bassoon reed's journey from its origins as raw, organic cane, to the final joy of playing on the finished reed.  The colors of the reed quintet and the virtuosic solo bassoon intermingle in this through-composed piece to take the listener through this vivid experience. Rhythm, lyrical lines, extended techniques, Afro-Cuban style music, jazz and fugue join together to remind us that this is an organic process. From making reeds to making music, we come together to create performance. Ever changing and ever evolving, every reed and every performance is unique, and Cane promises to tell this story in a powerful and exciting new way.  

There are several sections in this through-composed work, taking us on a journey that is the life of a bassoon reed:

 I. Split: short and percussive, like splitting cane 

 II. Gouge: Rhythmic, steady and driving. Removing and leaving… 

III. Shape  

IV. Profile: Mechanical, with a little bit of mischief  

V. Form: The cane becomes a reed (Internal/external sounds of transition)  

VI. Scrape: In the style of Afro-Cuban music 

VII. Playing the reed: Swing, sassy; thoughtful, reflective; with reverence; the reed plays…

This work was co-commissioned by Dr. Christin Schillinger, bassoon, and the Akropolis Reed Quintet.