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What could be more
intriguing than the idea of a normal-sized female musician making a
solo career on a huge instrument weighing 15 pounds and containing over
18 feet of tubing? Contrabassoon crusader Susan Nigro, a native of the
south side of Chicago, has done exactly this - made a name for herself
as one of the world's very few soloists on this instrument. Not content
merely with orchestral freelance work, the "Contrabassoonist with a
Cause" has made it her mission to bring this little-known but important
instrument the long overdue attention and respect it deserves. Susan's emphasis is on solo performance with the
contrabassoon. Her
innumerable recitals and solo appearances have occurred in such places
as Salzburg, Montevideo, Rome, and throughout the United States. On
many occasions, she has been a featured artist at the annual
conferences of the International Double Reed Society, and has also
played as a guest artist with the Northern Hills Bassoon Ensemble as
well as with the St. Luke's Bottle Band. Her solo performances are
frequently accompanied by master classes, lecture-demonstrations, or
workshops designed by this contrabassoon spokesperson to enhance the
understanding and appreciation of the instrument's unique sound and
surprising versatility. In recognition of her status, she was recently
made a "permanent substitute" with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Ms. Nigro's quest for contrabassoon solo literature has led her to
commission and perform many new compositions, and she has premiered
more than 2 dozen solo works for this instrument. Some of these new
pieces have been published, and others are in the publication process.
Susan is also a recording artist, and has 7 CDs currently on the
market: "The Big
Bassoon" (1995), "Little Tunes for the Big Bassoon" (1997),
"The Two Contras" - in collaboration with retired CSO contra player Burl Lane (1999),
"The Bass Nightingale" - (2001),
"New Tunes for the Big Bassoon", (2003),
"Italian Tunes for the Big Bassoon" - (2005), and
"Original Tunes for the Big Bassoon"(2008).
Clips from these discs may be heard on the recordings page of
www.bigbassoon.com and excerpts from these CDs have been aired on
WFMT/WDCB/WNUR/WNIB - in Chicago, WNTI - in New Jersey, and 2MBS-FM -
In Australia.
Susan was the winner of a Pro Musicis International Career Development
Grant, and a finalist in the Chicago Park District Talent Search. She
received an honorable mention prize in the Rome Festival Concerto
Competition, a competitive national audition. Her orchestral experience
has included regular subbing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra,
previous work with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Fort Wayne
Philharmonic, and extensive freelancing in the Chicago area. She earned
bachelor's and master's degrees from Northwestern University, and an
additional graduate degree from Roosevelt University. Her teachers were
Burl Lane, Ferdinand Del Negro, Willard Elliot, Leonard Sharrow,
Sherman Walt, and Wilbur Simpson. She attended the Tanglewood Music
Center for three summers, where she was awarded the Henry B. Cabot
Prize, and honed her ensemble skills in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.
In May 2007, the Order Sons of Italy in America, State of Illinois,
bestowed upon Susan their Leonardo da Vinci Award of Excellence in the
field of Performing Arts.
Ms. Nigro has been on the State Artists Rosters of eight U.S. states
including the Illinois Arts Council's Arts Tour Artists Roster, has
appeared as a guest artist at the Rome Festival in Italy, the Aspekte
Festival of Salzburg, and at the Grand Teton (WY) Music Festival, and
also was an artist-in-residence at the 3rd Annual Contrabassoon
Festival (UT). She is a founding member of the Chicago Bassoon Quartet,
"The 2 Contras" contrabassoon duo, and ContraBand - probably the
world's only contrabassoon octet. The International Biographical Centre
in Cambridge, England named Susan "International Musician of the Year"
for 2003. Her Artist Biography is included in the archives of the
International Music Museum in London, England, she is listed in the
14th Edition (1994) of International Who's Who in Music, and she holds
memberships in ten high IQ organizations: The International High IQ
Society, Mensa, The High Potentials Society, The Top One Percent
Society, The Mind Society, Intertel, The Geek Community, The Poetic
Genius Society, Colloquy, and The One-in-a-Thousand Society. Susan
resides with her beloved companions Caesar and Cassius - 2 Cirneco dogs
from Sicily.
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コントラファゴット Susan
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