Recital

Prayer from Jewish Life

Prayer from Jewish Life is a movement from a piece written by Ernest Bloch in 1924.  The solo was originally composed for cello and piano, but has been transcribed for the bassoon.  Written in E flat minor, a key that seems to encapsulate Jewish prayer very well.  It is sad and haunting in some parts but extremely warm and rich in others.  It captures the struggles that Jews have faced throughout history and the strength and perseverance of survival and celebration.  The entire piece sounds like there is something working against the soloist, like they are trudging through thick mud with great strength.  
I ultimately chose to play this piece for my identity project not despite being unsure about where I stand in my relationship with Judaism but because I have so many conflicting feelings about it.  On one hand, I am scared that claiming to use such a dramatic piece as part of my identity without actually practicing Judaism would be inappropriate or cultural appropriation.  On the other hand, the way the melody meditates on a solemn but beautiful key forces myself to realize that my experiences in Judaism are still real and a part of me despite being in the past.

Elegy for Innocence

Elegy for Innocence was written by Jeff Scott for a famous female bassoonist of color named Monica Ellis.  Monica premiered this piece in 2009 at the International Double Reed Society, and her performance received a standing ovation.  Elegy for Innocence takes the listener on a journey through hope and loss; isolation and companionship.  I chose to play this piece as the opposite of my identity because it calls for very loud and strong playing.  Growing up, I was soft spoken and more introverted.  This translated into my bassoon playing and I am always labeled as the “quiet” type.  Monica Ellis is known for being a powerful bassoonist and I wanted to push myself to be able to emulate her in my performance and in other aspects of my life as well.