Montrose Duo—featuring Blair faculty members Jared Hauser, oboe, and Richard Todd, guitar—has released its debut album, out today, Friday, September 27. The project includes original arrangements of compositions by Piazzolla, Gershwin, Falla, Ravel, and Debussy.
Jared Hauser shares the backstory of the new album:
Once Richard and I began to perform together, we realized how few audience-accessible works exist for the combination of oboe and guitar, so we set out to find works that we could arrange for our duo, to include alongside original works this instrument combination. This recording includes some of the arrangements that have been most popular with our audiences.
Despite their distinctly contrasting tones and colors, the combination of oboe and guitar offer an amazingly natural-sounding combination. The guitar’s ability to jump between supportive harmonic warmth to melodic leader, coupled with the oboe’s flexible and sometimes cutting lyricism and sustain make for a unique and surprising duo! The works on this recording, some arranged by the performers themselves, showcase the nimble tunefulness and complimentary blend of guitar and oboe duo.
Click here to listen to Montrose Duo wherever you stream music.