by Jeremy Reynolds, guest contributor
courtesy of The Oberlin Review

There is perhaps only one commonality between the 2008 Summer Olympics, Harry Potter, the much-anticipated 2012 apocalypse and Georges Bizet’s beloved opera Carmen. It is true that two of these incidents feature music composed by John Williams and that two of these tales speak of great catastrophe. It is true that three of these four phenomena have occurred during the new millennium. But the only event that truly binds these disparate happenings together will take place on Thursday, December 11 at 12:30 pm, in the Conservatory Lounge. Immediately following Pizza with the Deans, Professor of Bassoon George Sakakeeny will celebrate his 25th anniversary of coordinating and conducting that jovial holiday tradition, Bassoon Christmas.

Sakakeeny began teaching at the Conservatory in 1989. His predecessor, Ken Moore, oversaw the first run of Bassoon Christmas. One of Moore’s former students, Mike Telin, OC ’84, recounted how one of his fellow bassoonists came up with the idea for a Christmas concert to blow off some steam during reading period.

“Ken was all for the idea,” he said. “We did the first one in flash mob style; we took over the lounge and started playing.” [Read more…]