Bognor date sees bassoon “play for its survival”
The bassoon, an “endangered” instrument, “plays for its survival” in the studio room of the Regis Centre in Bognor Regis on Friday, May 6 at 7.30pm as part of the 60 Minutes of Classical Music concert series (tickets £6.50; or under-25s £3.50).
Organiser and musician Roger Clayden is a man on a mission to save the bassoon before it is too late.
“In recent years the bassoon’s survival has been placed under pressure by such forces as school’s chiselling out bassoon teachers to save money and classing the instrument as old- fashioned; also the pop industry’s total blindness to the instrument despite the fact it was one of Mozart’s favourites; the rising cost of wood to make the bassoon which has to be carried forward to any new owners and can reach £6,500 .....
“These circumstances have caused a lack of young people taking the instrument up and a shortage of teachers.”
Roger is determined to turn the tide.
“We are delighted to welcome a counter force in the form of Daniel Emsonjukes, a Welsh bassoonist who studied at the Guildhall School of Music with Graham Sheen, Meyrick Alexander and Robin O’neil.
“Since leaving he has performed with orchestras such as BBC Symphony Orchestra.
“Daniel had the pleasure of performing Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto with the Welsh Philharmonic Orchestra and gave the opening concert for the ISO Spring festival in Malta in 2015.”
Daniel is joined by Jonathan Strange (violin), Jonathan Welch (viola), Roger Clayden (cello) to play: Mozart Quartet K370 in Bb arranged for bassoon by Mordechail Rechtmann, Danzi Quartet in Bb, Frances Devienne Quartet Opus 73 No 3 in G minor. www.alexandratheatre. co.uk or www.60minutesofclassicalmusic.co.uk