The bassoon is a hidden gem - Q&A with Daria Phillips

The bassoon is a hidden gem - Q&A with Daria Phillips

In June we will be joined by the wonderful Daria Phillips - showcasing the ‘hidden gem’ that is the bassoon!

Daria is a testament to youth music projects in the UK, starting lessons on the mini-bassoon aged 7, on a project run by the local council. She progressed through various ensembles in her borough before joining Junior Guildhall as a bassoon scholar.

Daria has performed with Chineke! on numerous concert tours and recordings, was a junior artist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (2016-17) and has most recently won the Bassoon Prize at Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 2022, where she is finishing her masters very soon!

- Our head of marketing (and fellow woodwind player) Hannah catches up with Daria ahead of the upcoming June #secretconcert series.

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Q & A

Daria - we are so excited to have you join us! As a woodwind player I spend a lot of time around the bassoon, but for most people it’s quite an unusual and lesser heard instrument - particularly in a solo capacity! Can you tell us what to expect from the repertoire you have chosen to play at our #secretconcert series?

The bassoon is a hidden gem! For the concerts, I felt that a programme that sang was only natural, so you can expect a lot of little tunes with strong themes and characters, that possess a rather reflective essence. I picked them because I like it (and think the audience will too!).

Almost unintentionally, I have created a programme surrounding the voice. My chosen voice as a musician is the bassoon, and in these concerts I look to express the themes of nature, people & connection. I hope that the audience joins me in reflecting on these closely connected motifs.

It is not often that I get to perform a duet with a singer, so I jumped at the opportunity to do so! The duet that I will be performing with Lizzie is by Lori Laitman (a living female American composer). The poetry set in this song cycle comes from a very painful place, and so it has been an honour to remember these children and share their words that have been so thoughtfully set to music.

You’re doing amazing things at the moment, including winning the Bassoon prize at Guildhall last year - what exciting things do you have coming up?

I’ve got a recital coming up with my darling friend Rebecca Rouch, bringing you some flute and bassoon duet fun! Friday 21st July, 1:30pm @ St Vedast Alias Foster Church, EC2V 6HH.

Before that I have my last project as a student at Guildhall playing the Beethoven Piano Quintet alongside professors and fellow students at this years Chamber Music Festival. Friday 7th July, 7pm @ Milton Court Concert Hall, EC27 9BH.

These wonderful shots are by photographer Olivia Da Costa

Can you tell us about your favourite performing experience (if you had to pick one)?

Ooh that’s very tricky! I absolutely loved performing alongside the Calefax Reed Quintet in February 2020 during a side-by-side as an Erasmus Student at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. Calefax are a phenomenal group of reed players from the Netherlands who invented the quintet combination of oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone & bass clarinet - 35 years ago! Lots of woodwind does equal lots of fun! We had soprano saxophones and oboes, alongside the contrabassoon & even the contrabass clarinet. The whole experience was one of joyous collaboration resulting in inspired music making.

When you are not playing the bassoon - how do you enjoy spending your time?

I enjoy reading, going to concerts, running & hanging out with my friends and family.

Daria will be performing at our June #secretconcert series - 15th June at Brunel Museum & 24th June at Shoreditch Treehouse. Grab your tickets today!

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