Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Bassoonist John Heard Plays Music of William Grant Still at Appalachian State Univ. Sept. 11



[Afro-American Symphony; William Grant Still; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Karl Kruger, conductor; Bridge 9086 (1999)]

University News
Appalachian State University
Posted August 26, 2008 at 2:21 pm · By ASU News
Boone, North Carolina — Bassoonist John Heard presents a guest recital Sept. 11 at Appalachian State University’s Hayes School of Music. Susan Slingland will provide piano accompaniment. His performance begins at 8 p.m. in Broyhill Music Center’s Recital Hall. Admission is free. Heard will perform works by Giovanni Antonio Bertoli, Francois Devienne, William Grant Still and Bentsion Eliezer. Heard is a former professor and chairman of the Department of Music at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Heard has been a featured soloist with symphony orchestras in North and South America, Europe and Asia. He founded the Miami Wind Quintet and was the ensemble’s bassoonist for 22 years. He has recordings on the Kleos, IMP Carlton Classics, ProNova, Mastersound, Antes and Irida labels. An American Record Guide review of one of his recordings stated, “John Heard hails from the faculty of Miami University in Ohio, but judging from this recording he should be hailing from the Vienna Philharmonic. This is quality bassoon playing by any standard: lustrous tone, unfaltering technique, and intense communicative skill.” [The African American composer William Grant Still (1895-1978) is profiled at AfriClassical.com]






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