Dr. Christin Schillinger performed on Monday night in the Dudley Recital Hall. She is a bassoon professor at the University of Miami and has performed in a number of reputable symphonies throughout the United States and Europe. | Jack Wehman/The Daily Cougar
With the numerous recitals that take place around Moores School of Music, talented musicians are not hard to come by. Students, faculty and guests are invited to participate in public performances to better educate the Moores community on the repertoire of their instrument.
However, it isn’t often enough that we have the pleasure of enjoying the music of women composers. Thankfully, bassoon professor of Miami University (of Ohio) Christin Schillinger, put on a performance exclusively showcasing compositions written by women.
As a strong advocate for the progression of contemporary literature, Schillinger has devoted much of her time after her master’s degree to performing new compositions for bassoon.
Her interest in female composers began at a seminar entitled “Women in Music,” where she was attending as a member of the panel. Schillinger was approached by an enraged famous performer complaining about the lack of bassoon repertoire written by females. Out of embarrassment and curiosity, Schillinger started researching the subject, only to find plenty of compositions that fit the genre.
The program, consisting of several avant-garde pieces, started with a jazzy, cyclical tone in “Circadia.” Following was a conceptual piece based on the study of fractal geometry. Schillinger showed her skill in the extremities of bassoon technique with large intervallic leaps, sporadic rhythms, and the display of the full spectrum of dynamics.
Possibly the most impressive piece was also the closest to atonality, acting as a “musical play in seven movements.” Entitled “The Lunch Counter,” this theatrical tune set a scene in a diner at lunchtime from the perspective of a waitress named Lorraine. The seven movements followed each character individually, whether it was their thoughts or actions, and concluded with Lorraine’s own movement, recapping all the represented patrons.
When performing this twenty-four minute unaccompanied solo, it is impossible to convey the dramatic writing without a performance to match the intensity. Schillinger achieved this theatrical setting with her musical talent, but more importantly, her movement across the stage and her facial expressions.
After the performance, the audience was unanimously pleased with the work Schillinger had done in researching and performing pieces by women composers. Her technical skills, along with her amazing stage presence, made this recital an experience that transcended the usual performances.
