Diana Doherty plays Agrell

18 April, 2022

Rhythm and blues.

Sydney Symphony Principal Oboe Diana Doherty performs jazz-inspired music written for her by American composer Jeffrey Agrell.

The oboe is an instrument that’s rarely heard in a jazz club, but that has never dampened Diana Doherty’s passion for the art form. As she explains: “I’ve always loved jazz and wished I could play it. So in 1993 when I discovered that my very talented friend and Lucerne Symphony Orchestra colleague, Jeffrey Agrell, was also quietly composing jazz-inspired pieces for classical wind players, I asked (well, begged) him if he could write something for me too. He very kindly did, and Blues for D.D. was born.”

In Agrell’s Blues for D.D., the oboe riffs over a classic 12-bar blues chord progression in an incredible display of virtuosity. Accompanied by Associate Principal Timpani Mark Robinson on percussion, it’s an infectious performance that will have you tapping your feet.

Program

JEFFREY AGRELL Blues for D.D.

Artists

DIANA DOHERTY oboe
MARK ROBINSON percussion