- My name is Charlie Beauregard.

I go to Clayton A. Bouton High School, and I play the bassoon.

(soft bassoon music) When I was, you know, knee-high to a grasshopper really, really small, my dad looked at my hands and said, "you have bassoon hands."

That's sort of how I got into it.

(soft bassoon music) So the piece I played for you today is "Colored Stones" by Jenni Brandon.

I played the first and third movements, Smoky Quartz, and Tiger's Eye.

(soft bassoon music) This is very different from the kind of music that I usually play.

This is definitely the newest piece I've ever played.

And because of that, it's almost slightly tonal and it's got lots of mixed meter.

So it's very, it can be unpredictable.

So rather than playing scales and arpeggios, things are a little less standard.

Some of the fingerings are very, very challenging.

(soft bassoon music) If I'm being completely honest, this was the first modern piece that I felt connected to, and it will always have a special place in my heart for that reason.

(soft bassoon music) Every single change in where the piece is going generally takes me off guard when I'm listening to it, and it keeps me on my toes and that's something that makes listening to it a very engaging, very exciting activity.

(soft bassoon music) I know, for the third movement especially, I love how driving it is, it's very exciting and engaging.

(soft bassoon music) So I was nominated by Dr. David Bebe at ESYO, that's the Empire State Youth Orchestra.

(soft bassoon music) I would like to thank my private teacher, Ms. Michelle McLaughlin, who teaches at Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School.

And I would also like to thank my mom and my dad for introducing me to this instrument, and my mom for taking me here to play for you all today.

(soft bassoon music) I would also like to thank my band teacher, Mr. Chris Janson for making sure that I always have a practice room.

And then I'd also like to thank my friends for being so supportive and for being so great about keeping me from getting overwhelmed, specifically Kira Woods and Krista Rivers who've been there for years, keeping me going.

(soft bassoon music)