Arboretum

Arboretum is a set of multiple interconnected solo pieces for bassoon. Each solo piece is connected to a specific species of tree, and the music reflects some characteristic of that tree - for instance, the Flowering Dogwood music is flowing and ornamental; the Tulip Poplar music is vast and monumental. In performance, each bassoonist stands by their tree, with players spread throughout a forest or arboretum. 

The same way that trees in a forest are all interconnected in the same ecosystem (through soil, fungi, relationships with animals), all of the solo pieces are interconnected through harmony. Using stopwatches in performance, each player times their performance to line up harmonically with other solo pieces in different parts of the forest. The result for the listener, walking from player to player, is a slow motion harmonic progression unfolding from all directions - a chorale of the forest. In this performance, bass players sustain chord roots from the forest chorale throughout the piece. A stationary flute solo represents Spanish Moss; and one may encounter more flutists embodying local birds wandering amongst the trees - Pine Warblers, Yellow-throated Warblers, Northern Parulas, and Hermit Thrushes.

Audience members are encouraged to explore the soundscape in whatever way feels best. One can stand next to a single bassoonist to focus on a single tree, or walk from player to player, or pick a spot in which multiple pieces are audible at the same time. The twenty-minute piece will be performed twice, with a break in between, to allow for the experience from multiple angles. 

The trees represented in this performance are:

American Beech 

American Holly

Bald Cypress

Flowering Dogwood

Loblolly Pine

Swamp Tupelo

Sweetgum

Tulip Poplar

White Oak

For details about each tree species and its relationship to the music, please see the "Solos and Tree Species - Listening Guide," below.

Arboretum was premiered in June of 2019 at the Adkins Arboretum , Tuckahoe State Park, Ridgeley, MD as part of the NewBassoon Workshop, led by Rachael Elliott, Michael Harley, Lynn Hileman, and Saxton Rose.  The USC bassoon studio first performed the piece in the Congaree in April of 2021, and we are pleased to bring it back this year! Portions of this version of the work were composed specifically for the Congaree National Park.

Look for the number on the map and species label on the tree near a player (note: to facilitate the immersive sonic experience, not every player may be placed directly next to the species their solo alludes to, though many are); click on the tree name below for more detailed information and pictures of the species. Most species are represented by more than one player in different parts of the forest. If you look and listen carefully, you may also spot a couple bass players laying down the foundation of the harmony that all of these solos share!

1.  American Beech

Familiar and beloved for its perfectly smooth gray bark, there are many beautiful Beech trees in the Congaree forest. The music is varied and wandering, reflecting in microcosm the moods of all the other solo pieces spread through the forest. Performed by Christina French and Peyton Mann.

2.  Swamp Tupelo

One of the most populous trees in the Congaree Forest, the Swamp Tupelo loves the rich, damp soil of the swamp. The music is a long, drawn-out, flowing dance -- a Beethovian Minuet -- that ebbs and flows like the water that laps at the Tupelo's trunk during the rainy season in the swamp. Performed by Ed Senn and Jadon Schuler.

3.  Bald Cypress

Ancient, quasi-mystical, and unmistakeable with thick, fluted roots, the Bald Cypress is a hallmark of the Congaree. Some of these trees could be seven or eight hundred years old, if not older. The music circles around three main figures - a watery cascade of notes, a modal melody in a plainchant style, and a crackling rhythmic groove. Performed by Mike Harley.

4.  American Holly

A ubiquitous tree along the Congaree boardwalk, the American Holly is an iconic and familiar tree with its glossy, green leaves with barbs around the edges. The Congaree Forest hosts some of the largest and most breathtaking Holly trees in the country. The music is a garland of carols, singable tunes in both merry and melancholy affects. Performed by Hampton Stroble and Amanda Cox.

5.  Loblolly Pine

One cannot help but be impressed by the imposing Loblolly Pines scattered throughout the Congaree Swamp, with their incredibly tall trunks and gorgeously patterned red bark. The music is a duet for two bassoons (note the twin trunks of some pines) working together, always striving to reach the highest range of the bassoon, then sinking back to ground level. Performed by Jalyse Iler and Grace Tate.

6.  Sweetgum

Tall, elegant, and with unique star-shaped leaves in the summer, the music for the Sweetgum is constantly flowing downward in spirals that outline the scales and harmonies that constitute the Forest Chorale that rings through the forest. Performed by Preston Lee and Stephanie Whitson.

7.  Tulip Poplar

A massive tree, the Tulip Poplar is played by the contrabassoon, a deep, dark, woody instrument. The music starts in the highest reaches of the instrument's register and descends to subterranean depths, as though moving one's eyes from the ultra-high branches to the roots beneath the soil. Performed by Bob Evans and Katherine Bloomfield.

8.  White Oak

A widespread tree with a widespread crown, White Oaks can reach mammoth heights and live hundreds of years. The music for the White Oak is entirely improvised, performed by three bassoonists that respond to the overall texture at any given moment by playing melodies based on the current harmony. Performed by Makena Nobles, Feleighta Green, and Reed Hanna.

9.  Flowering Dogwood

 A relatively rare tree in the Congaree Forest, the Flowering Dogwood is best recognized in April and May by its incredibly beautiful boughs, ornamented with elegant and fragrant flowers. A hotspot for springtime insects and birds, the music for this tree is richly adorned with fast moving figures, a bouquet of miniature pieces. Performed by Aaron Nealy and Victoria Donaldson.

Spanish Moss

Also known as 'grandpa's beard', Spanish Moss is neither Spanish nor moss, but a dangling flowering plant that loves Oak, Bald Cypress, and the sun. You'll see it hanging, pale blue-green, from high boughs. The music is ethereal and transparent, and played by a solo flute. Performed by flutist Shelby Miller. (Location TBD).

Birdsong (various species)

You may be lucky enough to spot some lovely bassoon and flute birds today, playing calls and songs along the trail! Species include the pine warbler, yellow wabler, northern parula, yellow-throated warbler, common yellowthroat, and hermit thrush. Performed by Joey Lahoylahoy and Kai Schuster (bassoons) and Bess Bridwell and Olivia Norton (flutes).

Bess Bridwell  (Flute - Birdsong)

Bess Bridwell is a Senior English major with a Certificate in Flute Performance at the University of South Carolina. She will go on to get her J.D. this fall and plans to pursue a career in environmental law. As the Land Sports Manager with USC’s Outdoor Rec department, she’s led a number of day hikes and backpacking trips to Congaree and is excited to perform there for the first time. She is also the President of the Gamecock Rowing Club and spends her free time cycling, hiking, and using Shazam at Columbia Craft’s music bingo. She’s still not sure if this counts as cheating. 

Amanda Cox (American Holly)

Amanda Cox is a senior music education student at the University of South Carolina, where she is a member of the bassoon studio. She plans to teach fourth grade music.

Avea Diamond (Bass - Drones)

Avea Diamond is a double bass performance major. She is currently preparing for graduate school and wants to dive more into composing and chamber music. Other than bass, she enjoys films, running, and reading. 

Victoria Donaldson (Flowering Dogwood)

Victoria Donaldson (she/her) is a bassoonist and educator currently based in Denton, TX. Originally from the Lowcountry, Victoria is thrilled to return to Congaree for her third iteration of Arboretum and to be back among the trees she misses seeing so much. When not bassooning, you can find her hanging out with her cat, Raymond, or chatting with regulars as a barista.

Bob Evans (Contrabassoon - Tulip Poplar)

Bob Evans (he/him) can be recognized by his mustache. He holds a bachelor of music education degree and bassoon performance certificate from USC and a master’s degree from Florida State in Arts Administration with an emphasis in music performance. He loves languages, enjoys cooking and trying new recipes, and has a big cat named Finn. His kindergarten teacher described him as “prone to excessive talking and silliness,” which remains an accurate assessment to this day.

Christina French (American Beech)

Christina is a graduate certificate student studying Bassoon Performance at University of South Carolina. She holds a Bachelor of Music from James Madison University, and a Masters in Music from University of South Carolina. Christina performed Arboretum as a part of the NewBassoon Institute in Michigan (as birdsong), and will now perform as a tree at Congaree National Park. 

Feleighta Green (White Oak)

Feleighta has a bachelor degree from Shenandoah Music Conservatory and a Masters degree from University of Cincinnati Music Conservatory. She teaches music lessons privately and performs in several orchestras and ensembles professionally. Feleighta enjoys playing and listening to jazz music. She is an avid Carolina Gamecock Fan!!! 

Joshua Groscost (Bass - Drones)

Joshua Groscost is an undergraduate double bass Music Education major at the University of South Carolina. He greatly enjoys playing and teaching music to others as well as learning unaccompanied solo works for the double bass. Joshua is currently a Sophomore at USC and wants to further explore traditional Americana and folk music.

Reed Hanna (White Oak)

Reed Hanna (he/him) earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts in bassoon performance from USC in 2015, and since then has enjoyed a thriving musical career in the midlands. He is the principal bassoonist of the Augusta Symphony and performs regularly with the Greenville Symphony and other orchestras in SC and GA. He is also the Director of Bands at Coker University and the Artistic Director of the South Carolina Philharmonic’s Youth Orchestra Program, where he conducts the Youth Philharmonic. 

Michael Harley (Bald Cypress)

Michael Harley teaches bassoon and chamber music and directs the Southern Exposure New Music Series at the University of South Carolina. He is a founding member of the chamber ensembles Alarm Will Sound, Dark in the Song, and the Rushes Ensemble. In addition to teaching and performing, his passions include reading and being outside, and is always delighted when his loves of nature and music converge.

Jalyse Iler (Loblolly Pine)

Jalyse Iler is a biological sciences major also pursing a certificate in bassoon performance at the University of South Carolina. She is on a pre-med track with the plan of becoming a dermatologist, in hopes of owning her own clinic one day. When she is not in a lab or playing bassoon, you will see her working out at Strom, binge watching Love is Blind, or trying different restaurants with her friends. 

Joey Lahoylahoy (Birdsong)

Joey Lahoylahoy (He/Him) is a Sophomore Biological Sciences Major at the University of South Carolina. He plans to finish his Undergraduate at the University and pursue going to Medical School. When he is not practicing, he enjoys using his free time listening to music, relaxing on the horseshoe, or spending time with his friends. 

Preston Lee (Sweetgum)

Preston Lee is a senior physics major and a bassoon performance certificate student. After graduating, he will begin his PhD in astrophysics at a currently unknown university in the fall.  Preston’s research interests include star formation, supernovae, the interstellar medium, and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). When not involved in bassoon or physics, he enjoys activities such as disc golf, playing video and board games, and striving to best his fiancée, Rachel, in anything even remotely competitive. 

Peyton Mann (American Beech)

Peyton Mann is a bassoonist and composer. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Composition and a Performance Certificate in bassoon. He hopes to go on to study abroad to receive a Master’s Degree in Conducting. 

Shelby Miller (Flute - Spanish Moss)

Shelby Miller is a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the University of South Carolina for Flute Performance. Being an advocate for new music, Shelby strives to work with composers and the community to bring new music to audiences, being especially grateful and excited to perform Arboretum. 

Aaron Nealy (Flowering Dogwood)

Aaron Nealy is a senior bassoon performance major. After graduation, Aaron will perform at Spoleto USA, return for his 2nd summer with the National Repertory Orchestra, and begin pursuing his Master of Music degree in the fall at a currently-unknown institution. This summer, Aaron will perform a newly-commissioned concerto for yo-yo and orchestra with the NRO. While not playing the bassoon, he enjoys learning to cook new dishes, spending time outside, and playing Uno with friends.

Makena Nobles (White Oak)

Makena is a sophomore Visual Communications Major working on a Bassoon Performance Certificate and a minor in studio art. Makena is a local to Columbia and lives in the city with her roommate who has 3 cats. Makena plans on getting her masters in Visual Communications and move upstate when she graduates. She has been to Congaree many times to hike but this is the first time she will be performing there.

Elizabeth Runion (Flute - Birdsong)

Elizabeth Runion is a freshman at the University of South Carolina, where she studies flute with Jennifer Parker-Harley. Back home, she participated in several regional ensembles and youth ensembles. At USC, she is a member of the USC Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra. She hopes to become an orchestral flutist and teach in the future.

Hampton Stroble  (American Holly)

Hampton Stroble is a senior music composition at the University of South Carolina, where he is also a member of the bassoon studio.

Jadon Schuler (Swamp Tupelo)

Jadon Schuler earned his B.S. in computer science at UofSC (2022), and M.S. in computer science at UIUC (2024). Jadon earned his bassoon performance certificate with Dr. Harley while at UofSC, and played in the premier orchestras of both universities. Jadon played in the world premier of Arboretum, and this is Jadon’s second time performing it at the Congaree National Park!

Kai Schuster (Birdsong)

Kai Schuster is a bassoonist that studied at the University of South Carolina. He is an engineer technician working at Pure Power technologies. He has played with the Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra and is a member of the Palmetto Chamber Orchestra.

Ed Senn (Swamp Tupelo)

Ed (they/them) is a Doctor of Musical Arts Candidate in bassoon performance. They teach bassoon and general music courses at South Carolina State University. Their research focuses on expanding the repertoire featuring the bassoon by transgender composers. When not playing the bassoon, you can see them caring for their two cats Spammy & Poppyseed and all of the feral cats in their neighborhood.

Grace Tate (Loblolly Pine)

Grace Tate is a sophomore at the University of South Carolina, majoring in Biological Science with a minor in Spanish. When she is not practicing the bassoon for lessons and rehearsal, she enjoys watching and commentating on sci-fi movies. 

Katherine Vaz (Contrabassoon - Tulip Poplar)

Katherine Vaz (she/her) is a musician and educator based in Columbia, SC. She currently serves as the Director of Bands at White Knoll Middle School in Lexington, SC. She earned her bachelor of music education and undergraduate performance certificate in bassoon in 2021 from the University of South Carolina. Katherine is also the female vocalist in the Carolina Jazz Xperience, a local big band whose mission is to bring free jazz to the Midlands. Katherine is excited to be a part of Arboretum for the second time!

Ashleigh Wallace (Flute - Birdsong)

Ashleigh Wallace is currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Flute Performance at The University of South Carolina studying under Dr. Jennifer Parker-Harley. As an active educator, Ashleigh teaches students privately in her own studio, and has experience working with flute ensembles and teaching masterclasses in various schools throughout South Carolina and Florida. Outside of music, Ashleigh enjoys baking, painting, taking walks, and listening to podcasts.

Stephanie Whitson (Sweetgum)

Stephanie Whitson is in her 30th year as a member of the South Carolina Philharmonic and is an active teacher and freelance performer.  She studied at the Conservatory of Music at the Universithy of the Pacific with Dr. Don DaGrade, and received her Master of Music from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied with Richard Lottridge. Ms. Whitson resides in Columbia, SC.

Brad Balliett enjoys being a musical omnivore, focusing equal parts of his career on composing, playing bassoon, and teaching artistry. 

Brad is Artistic Director of Decoda (Affiliate Ensemble of Carnegie Hall), a chamber music collective dedicated to community engagement through creative projects. He is a member of Signal and Metropolis Ensemble, the composer-collective band Oracle Hysterical, and on faculty at The Peabody Institute, The Juilliard School, and Musicambia.

As a teaching artist, Brad regularly leads composition and song-writing workshops in prisons, schools, hospitals, and homeless shelters. His work with Musicambia has given him the opportunity to guide aspiring composers and performers at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, Allendale Correctional Facility, Brooklyn Detention Center, and San Quentin State Prison. With Project: Music Heals Us, Brad has led music history and composition workshops at Radgowski-Corrigan and Bain Correctional Center. With Decoda, Brad has participated in workshops for over six years at Lee Correctional Institute.

As a bassoonist, Brad has performed with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Metropolitan Opera, Houston Symphony, New York City Ballet, and the International Contemporary Ensemble, and at the Marlboro, Tanglewood, Stellenbosch, Newport Jazz, and Lucerne Festivals. He has performed as a soloist with the Houston Symphony and Johannesburg Symphony Orchestras.

As a composer, Brad has written orchestral, chamber, choral, operatic, and incidental music. Recent commissions have come from Carnegie Hall, Cecelia Chorus, Metropolis Ensemble, and the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra Wind Ensemble.

Brad is a member of the band/composer-collective Oracle Hysterical, with whom he has released several critically acclaimed albums and produced several evening-length works, including a song cycle with the string orchestra A Far Cry and an opera premiered at the Lucerne Festival. With his brother, Doug Balliett, Brad teaches history courses at Juilliard, gives lectures for Carnegie Hall, and has developed a series of Interactive Shakespeare Reading Parties.

Raised in Westborough, Massachusetts, Brad graduated summa cum laude from Harvard University in 2005, where he studied composition with John Harbison, and holds an MM from Rice University. Brad spends as much time as possible outside, observing birds and trees.

Members of the University of South Carolina Bassoon Studio are active, engaged participants in the musical life of the Columbia region. The studio strives to assist in the development of well-rounded, community-minded musicians and informed music advocates, with special ongoing research related to  diversity, community engagement, pedagogy, reed-making, instruments, music and technology, and cutting-edge performance. In addition to pursuing and implementing collective and individual musical projects, students prepare innovative performances (such as this one!), work with and play for some of the world's leading bassoonists as guest artists (such as Brad Balliett!), and explore relevent books together (most recently: Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird, Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit, Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Burton Kaplan's Practicing for Artistic Success, and Daniel Coyle's The Talent Code). The studio's "Bassoons in Schools" program pays members to teach applied bassoon to Richland One district middle and high school students who might not otherwise be able to afford private lessons. 

UofSC bassoon students have gone on to hold graduate school scholarships and assistantships at some of the country's most prestigious conservatories, and earned teaching posts in elementary, middle, and high schools, colleges and universities; started thriving private studios; and found positions in music therapy, professional orchestras, and the music industry. 

Visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/USCbassoons/, and follow us on instagram: @UofSCDoubleReeds. More information about the studio philosophy and bassoon at USC can also be found on the teaching page  of Prof. Michael Harley's website.

The Congaree National Park's Forest Wellness Program was started in 2018 to provide individuals and families with unique and meaningful experiences with the natural world. Through immersive and engaging activities, the Forest Wellness Program provides opportunities for visitors to improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being during their visit to Congaree National Park.

The UofSC bassoon studio would like to thank the following people for making this event possible:

Composer Brad Balliett - for his time, generosity and creativity.  Brad drove all the way here and back from NYC back in 2021 to scout the park and work with the bassoon studio and other USC music students, and wrote several brand-new solos based on distinctive Congaree trees and fauna especially for performancs here at CNP. 

Gregory Hauburger (CNP Superintendant), Jon Manchester (CNP Chief of Visitor Services), and Gabrielle Alban (CNP Volunteer Program Manager) - for graciously making it possible for us to present Arboretum again in the Congaree, and for their work behind the scenes including sign and map development and logistical details.

John Cely, Congaree Legend - for tree identification and selection, and for sharing some of his extraordinary breadth of knowledge of the park and its inhabitants.  One of the founding fathers of the Congaree, John has spent more than 40 years exploring the park, and it has been a privilege to walk the trails with him.

Eric Frey, Naturalist and Outdoor Recreation Planner, Shenandoah National Park, for helping this piece first come to life at the Congaree in 2021.

All the friends / guest musicians who have joined us in this program - bassoonists, flutists and bassists. What a great way to spend an afternoon in the woods!