Solstsice Reed Quintet plays UB composers at Hallwalls

We are quickly approaching the culmination of yet another collaboration between the UB graduate composers and a professional ensemble! The Solstice Reed Quintet will be in Buffalo on Monday, April 6th as part of the Music Department concert series at Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center. The concert will take place at Hallwalls on Monday, April 6th at 7:30 PM.

Reed quintets are a rather new ensemble in the chamber music scene, and one that is growing in popularity. Distinct from a wind quintet (flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon), the reed quintet consists solely of instruments which have reeds, as the name would suggest, while the wind quintet includes other instrument types. The reed quintet was first developed by the Dutch ensemble, Calefax Reed Quintet as recently as 1985! They did this by bringing together oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, and bass clarinet. As with the birth of any new ensemble, the group is obliged to seek composers and arrangers to create a repertoire of pieces for the ensemble to play. It is impressive how quickly a repertoire has come into being, and likewise how quickly the reed ensemble has become an established ensemble within chamber music more broadly. The Solstice Reed Quintet hails from the University of Southern Mississippi, first coming together in 2022. They are firm champions of the unique ensemble, and in their words, their “mission is to present music that challenges, inspires, and offers fresh perspectives on the unique possibilities of this distinct ensemble.” The ensemble has a strong belief in the power of music to build community, and wish to leave a lasting impression on their diverse audiences. They have won a number of competitions, including first prize at the Mississippi Music Teachers Association competition, and were finalists at the North American Saxophone Alliance Flex Competition. Solstice is building a name for themselves, and has a robust schedule of performances at colleges, universities, festivals, and various music venues. This concert will feature new works by Mark Bogacki, Garrison Bouchard-Ferdon, Andres Bonilla Garcia, Sohwa Lee, Thomas Little, Giovanni Maraboli and Jackson Roush. This group of composers comprises both PhD and Master’s students. It is sure to be a memorable night at Hallwalls, again on Monday, April 6th at 7:30, and it is an exciting opportunity to hear a distinct and recent addition to chamber music ensembles!