PSO Bassoonist Brad Balliet Hosts Reed-Making Demonstration Tonight

Tonight, May 6 at 7 pm, Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) principal bassoonist Brad Balliett will give a presentation on reed making for wind instruments, giving patrons a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of the facets of the lives of double-reed wind players. The free event is offered by the PSO in partnership with the Princeton Public Library, and will be held in the library's community room.

A bassoon is a woodwind instrument with a double reed, two pieces of cane that vibrate against each other when air is blown between them. The double reed has a large effect on a bassoon's overall sound and pitch.

Mr. Balliett will explain how to manipulate sound by adjusting variables like shape, cane width, and raw materials. He'll also demonstrate several stages of reed-making using his own extensive collection of tools created just for this purpose. The final stage of the presentation covers how to wrap the two sections of prepared reed together, creating a finished, vital piece of equipment for any bassoonist. Fans of the bassoon, oboe, clarinet, and saxophone will appreciate the detail and skill necessary to achieve the desired result.

Mr. Balliett graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University in 2005, and holds a Master of Music degree from Rice University. He can be heard performing with new music ensembles including Metropolis, Signal, Argento, Decoda and the band The Oracle Hysterical. He's also a composer who's comfortable taking risks creating cross-over music. Formerly principal of the Hartford Symphony, he has appeared as principal bassoonist with the Houston Symphony and American Ballet Theater, and performed with the New York City Ballet Orchestra, International Contemporary Ensemble, Anthony Braxton, Zakir Hussain, and Miguel Zenon. An active composer, he is an alumnus of Carnegie Hall's The Academy, and is a founding member of Decoda, the Deviant Septet, and DZ4. In 2011 he was both composer-in-residence for New York City's Chelsea Music Festival and a Spotlight Artist in composition at the Lucerne Festival.

Free and open to the public; refreshments will be served.

This PSO Soundtracks presentation is a prelude to the May 17 PSO Classical Series Concert Viva Verdi which will feature excerpts from Verdi operas, displaying the vocal talents of Michelle Johnson, soprano; Margaret Lattimore, mezzo; Zach Borichevsky, tenor; and Hugh Russell, baritone.

The PSO Soundtracks Series is presented in partnership with The Princeton Public Library. It explores music and related topics, including behind the scenes at the PSO, Princeton's only professional orchestra.