Season 4 Episode 7: Theo Plath

05/20/24 • 36 min

In 2019 Theo was appointed principal of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and he won 3rd Prize at the ARD Competition in Munich.

As a soloist Theo has appeared with the Munich Chamber, Dortmunder Philharmoniker, the Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz and Beethoven Orchester Bonn. Recent highlights include recitals at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, Prinzregententheater in Munich and the Heidelberger-Frühling Festival. An avid chamber musician he has taken part in the Schleswig-Holstein, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Molyvos, Davos and ‘Spannungen’ Heimbach Festivals, collaborating with Lars Vogt, Christian Tetzlaff, Antje Weithaas, Vilde Frang, among many others.

He is a member of the prize-winning Monet Wind Quintet, whose first CD in collaboration with Sudwest Rundfunk will be released by AVI later this year.

In 2018 Theo was appointed principal of the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. He has appeared as guest principal with leading orchestras including the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the WDR Sinfonieorchester and the Hessiche Rundfunk.

Born in Koblenz, Theo completed his Masters at the Hochschule fur Musik Munchen with Professor Dag Jensen. In 2018 he won a prestigious Deutsche Musikwettbewerb prize and in 2019 was selected for representation by Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT).

Other awards include 1st Prize in the Munich Gasteig Competition (2014), Aeolus Wind Competition (2012), Crusell Competition in Finland (2011) and the Hummel Competition in Wurzburg (2011).

During his studies Theo has participated in masterclasses with Klaus Thunemann and Sergio Azzolini, and been the recipient of numerous scholarships including the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben and Mozart Gesellschaft Dortmund awards. Since 2016 he has taken part in the Rhapsody in School project, founded by Lars Vogt, bringing classical music to children throughout Germany.

Show Notes:

Theo Plath, a bassoonist, shares his journey in music and his passion for playing the bassoon. He discusses how he started playing the instrument and his love for all types of music, including string repertoire. Plath also talks about his albums, including 'Lost Times' and 'Balkan Discoveries,' and the inspiration behind them. He shares his experiences working with renowned musicians and his approach to staying motivated and focused. Plath also provides insights into orchestra etiquette, his reed-making process, and his hobbies outside of music.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:12 Discovering the Bassoon

04:09 Exploring String Repertoire on the Bassoon

08:00 Transcribing and Playing Violin Repertoire

11:30 Staying Motivated and Focused in Music

31:14 Creating Vibrating Reeds for a Dark and Robust Sound

33:13 Sewing Clothes and Reed-Making: Similar Hobbies

34:10 Enjoying the Mountains and Bringing a Bassoon

Find out more about Theo Plath here:

https://www.theoplath.de

IG: https://www.instagram.com/theoplathbassoon/

Host: Jo Anne Sukumaran, https://www.joannesukumaran.com IG: / jewelair2.0 Support the show - Buy me a Coffee here: https://buymeacoffee.com/jewelair

Beginning video courtesy Theo Plath:

Niccolò Paganini: Caprice Op.1 No.5 Transcription for bassoon solo Artist photo (c) Marco Borggreve

In 2019 Theo was appointed principal of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and he won 3rd Prize at the ARD Competition in Munich.

He is a member of the prize-winning Monet Wind Quintet, whose first CD in collaboration with Sudwest Rundfunk will be released by AVI later this year.

Other awards include 1st Prize in the Munich Gasteig Competition (2014), Aeolus Wind Competition (2012), Crusell Competition in Finland (2011) and the Hummel Competition in Wurzburg (2011).

Show Notes:

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:12 Discovering the Bassoon

04:09 Exploring String Repertoire on the Bassoon

08:00 Transcribing and Playing Violin Repertoire

11:30 Staying Motivated and Focused in Music

31:14 Creating Vibrating Reeds for a Dark and Robust Sound

33:13 Sewing Clothes and Reed-Making: Similar Hobbies

34:10 Enjoying the Mountains and Bringing a Bassoon

Find out more about Theo Plath here:

https://www.theoplath.de

IG: https://www.instagram.com/theoplathbassoon/

Host: Jo Anne Sukumaran, https://www.joannesukumaran.com IG: / jewelair2.0 Support the show - Buy me a Coffee here: https://buymeacoffee.com/jewelair

Beginning video courtesy Theo Plath:

Niccolò Paganini: Caprice Op.1 No.5 Transcription for bassoon solo Artist photo (c) Marco Borggreve

Previous Episode

Season 4 Episode 6: Amy Harman

A passionate advocate for the bassoon, Amy Harman is much sought after as a soloist, chamber musician, teacher and communicator.

Amy was a professor at the Royal Academy of Music from 2013 to 2024 and gives masterclasses and coaches internationally. She was appointed professor of bassoon at the Robert Schumann Hochshule Düsseldorf in 2024, the first woman to hold such a position in Germany.

Aged 23 Amy was appointed solo bassoon of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Sought after as guest principal with leading orchestras in Europe including Paavo Järvi’s EFO and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, she is currently principal of Aurora Orchestra. She was selected by YCAT in 2014.

Solo highlights include premiering Roxanna Panufnik’s concerto for bassoon & string orchestra with the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Strauss's Concertino with the English Chamber Orchestra, Mozart’s Concerto at the Festival Suoni dal Golfo in Lerici and appearing as a flying soloist at the world premiere of Stockhausen’s Mittwoch aus Licht. Amy was the first bassoonist to perform a live broadcast solo recital for BBC radio 3. She performs recitals regularly in UK and Germany with her collaborator Tom Poster.

Summary:

Amy Harman shares her journey to becoming a bassoonist, including her early musical inspirations and her transition from playing the cello to the bassoon. She discusses her experiences with the Aurora Orchestra and their memorized performances, as shares some practice tips for listeners.

Amy also talks about the importance of the Young Classical Artist Trust in shaping her career and the significance of being the first female bassoon professor in Germany, at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Dusseldörf. In this conversation, Amy discusses the challenges facing the arts industry, particularly in the UK, and offers words of encouragement to young musicians. She emphasizes the importance of creating art and suggests pursuing a portfolio career, and shares her experience of balancing a busy career with being a mother of three. She also mentions upcoming projects she's excited about, including a performance of Elizabeth MacConkey's concertino and various chamber music festivals.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Amy's Musical Background

07:24 Memorized Performances with the Aurora Orchestra

24:38 The Power of a Portfolio Career

30:35 Finding Inspiration in Different Genres

38:42 The Art of Memorizing Music

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Find out more about Amy here.

Amy's Instagram

Host: Jo Anne Sukumaran, find out more here.

Legends of Reed is sponsored by Barton Cane, enjoy free shipping with coupon code" legendsofreed", on their website.

Opening credits: Concert recording of Amy Harman with Castalian Quartet - Cantator and Amanda (2011), by Roxanna Panufnik - courtesy of Young Classical Artist's Trust.Photo credit: Kaupo Kikas

Next Episode

Season 4 Episode 8:Fredrik Ekdahl

Fredrik Ekdahl is leader of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra’s bassoon section and held the same position in the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. He performs regularly with orchestras including London Symphony Orchestra, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Australian Chamber Orchestra.

He has appeared as soloist with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra. New works have also been composed especially for Ekdahl, such as Jesper Nordin’s bassoon concerto, Vicinities.

Fredrik Ekdahl is a dedicated chamber musician and regularly performs in festivals all over the world. He has collaborated with world-class musicians such as violinist Janine Jansen and clarinettist Martin Fröst. Ekdahl is a Professor at the Hochschule för Musik Trossingen in Germany.

Summary

Fredrik Ekdahl discusses his journey as a bassoonist, his experiences in orchestras, his love for chamber music, and his passion for contemporary music. He shares insights on his early musical inspirations, working with renowned conductors, being well prepared for performances. He enjoys playing in orchestras and chamber music ensembles, finding joy in the direct communication and collaboration with other musicians. He also shares his passion and approach to contemporary pieces, including performing and recording Jesper Nordin’s bassoon concerto “Vicinities”.

Fredrik also talks about his role as a bassoon professor in Trossingen and his hobbies outside of music. As a bassoon professor, Fredrik emphasizes the importance of a supportive and collaborative learning environment for his students.

Find out more about Fredrik’s bassoon studio here:

https://www.hfm-trossingen.de/hochschule/personen/detail/fredrik-ekdahl

Thank you to Tutti Fagotti GmbH for sponsoring this episode.

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hosted by Jo Anne Sukumaran

Chapters

00:00 The Beginning of a Musical Journey

08:24 Collaborating with Conductors

15:05 The Importance of Preparation

28:32 Teaching Bassoon and Fostering a Musical Community

31:54 Finding Balance and Looking Ahead

Opening credits:

Camille Saint-Saëns Bassoon Sonata, courtesy of artist I. Allegretto Moderato, bassoon - Fredrik Ekdahl piano - Stefan Lindgren Recorded in Grünewaldsalen/Stockholms Konserthus in December 2021 as a part of the film series Mankind and Music at Konserthuset Play. Film - David Tarrodi Sound engineer - Håkan Ekman