The bassoon is about to have a big moment in Calgary! Principal Bassoon Antoine St-Onge will bring his instrument into the spotlight for an evening of bassoon music, Brilliant Bassoon, with the ever-brilliant Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert, taking place May 10 and 11, features Carl Maria Von Weber’s theatrical concerto and William Walton’s Symphony No. 1. St-Onge joined us to share some insight on this brilliant instrument and all the things it can do.
The bassoon is a wonderful and yet sometimes underappreciated instrument. How do you feel about it having its moment of glory in these performances?
You are right by mentioning that the bassoon is a wonderful instrument that is usually shining in the background. Its main function has been to support harmonically and melodically the orchestra since the 17th century, so it is no wonder the bassoon is often forgotten for its soloistic capability. Although I love to support my orchestra colleagues with the rich “honey-like” tone of my instrument, it is very exciting and inspiring to be a soloist and to have the opportunity to showcase the expressive qualities and virtuosity of the bassoon, demonstrated in Carl Maria von Weber’s brilliant writing.
You started out as a violinist. What drew you to the bassoon?
I find myself fortunate to have been surrounded by caring parents who were music lovers. My father was a man of many talents; he was a nurse who also taught piano and was a choir director. He dedicated time and patience to help me achieve a good understanding and appreciation of classical music via the violin when I was only five years old, which I will be forever grateful for. In junior high school, I was enrolled in a music program and fell in love with the sound of the bassoon when some older students came to our class to showcase all the instruments of the wind band. I was lucky enough to be selected to play the bassoon!
You were 23 when you became Principal Bassoon of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in 2018. What was that first year like for you?
Being appointed Principal Bassoon was truly a dream that became reality. I first fell in love with the Rocky Mountains when I was part of summer music programs at the Banff Centre about 10 years ago, I was beyond thrilled to move to Calgary! Being my first orchestra full-time job, I remember how exciting it was to join the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and perform on a daily basis with inspiring colleagues. Playing with a large group of musicians in various repertoire requires a significant skill set as well as the ability to adjust instantly to the music making in progress, which is challenging and also very rewarding. My first couple of years in the orchestra were highly instructive and shaped my understanding of the role of Principal Bassoon. I must say that being surrounded by friendly and knowledgeable colleagues helped me learn and musically flourish during those first years, something that is still ongoing today.
What are you looking forward to most, when it comes to playing the pieces chosen for Brilliant Bassoon?
Performing the Weber Bassoon Concerto is an exciting project for any bassoon player, as it is the second most known concert piece after Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto. The intricacies of live orchestra performances are quite unique, as about 60 or so individuals focus their energy into playing together, passing along musical ideas, phrasing together and being all part of the same musical world. There is a lot of preparation leading into a soloist performance, I am looking forward to sharing beautiful music making with all the players of the orchestra.
We hear you can often be found on outdoor adventures when not making music. Any good stories from recent excursions?
I feel really lucky to be able to share my passion for adventuring in the outdoors with friends and colleagues in the Calgary Philharmonic. I have to say that I am most proud of my wife Kathleen de Caen for deciding to take on some of those adventures with me and learning all sort of new skills along the way. I can’t think of a better example than this one to illustrate a great outdoor story: as we were riding on our mountain bikes the strenuous route up Prairie Mountain on a smoky fall day in 2022, we stopped to catch our breaths and I was just in total admiration of her commitment to be happy, connected to the moment while doing things we love together. It felt like the perfect moment to ask her if she wanted to spend the rest of our lives together and if she would marry me… she said yes!
Amazing, thank you for sharing your thoughts and stories, Antoine!
Concert details and tickets can be found here.
Get to know Antoine a bit better before you see his spectacular solos:
