June 13–14, 2025 | Hilbert Circle Theatre
Jun Märkl, Conductor | Jennifer Christen, Oboe | Ivy Ringel, Bassoon
This June, we invite audiences to experience a weekend of vivid musical storytelling—anchored by the world premiere of a new ISO commission by composer Hanna Benn. Presented as part of the 2025 International Double Reed Society conference, this performance celebrates both local artistry and national innovation.
Benn’s A Through Line, written for ISO Principal Oboe Jennifer Christen and Principal Bassoon Ivy Ringel, marks a first-time collaboration between the two musicians as co-soloists. The concerto explores the expressive range of the oboe and bassoon, offering audiences a rare opportunity to hear these instruments shine in a shared spotlight.
“There’s something incredibly powerful and freeing about writing for two virtuosic players who also happen to be women,” Benn shared. “There’s a certain resonance in that—it’s deeply gratifying.”
The work’s title, A Through Line, reflects Benn’s poetic and introspective approach to composition. “While composing, I often asked myself: What is the needle to the thread? What’s driving the work? What is my through line?” she said. “This curiosity is what helped me weave the piece together.”
Benn’s background as a singer and choral composer informs the lyrical, vocal quality of the piece. “My compositional approach deeply values harmony and is lyrical in nature,” she explains. “Even though this work is instrumental, that vocal influence is always present.”
For both Christen and Ringel, the experience of shaping a brand-new work from the ground up has been deeply rewarding. “This will be a very immersive experience for us in the weeks leading up to the concert,” said Christen. “We’ll be meeting frequently to absorb it, interpret it, and put our own stamp on it before rehearsals with the full orchestra begin.”
Ringel echoed that excitement: “Jennifer and I play together every week in the orchestra, but this is something completely different. Collaborating as soloists—and contributing to how the piece develops—has been such an exciting and unique opportunity.”
As an Indianapolis native, Benn says that premiering this work with her hometown orchestra carries personal significance. “I’ve shared my music around the world, but I haven’t done anything quite like this in Indianapolis,” she said. “There’s something very special about that—a homecoming of sorts.”
The concert also features Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, a tour de force of Romantic imagination and orchestral color. Under the baton of Music Director Jun Märkl, the ISO will bring this iconic work to life.
For those hearing Benn’s music for the first time, she hopes audiences walk away with a new appreciation for the oboe and bassoon—and for the beauty that can emerge from collaboration, creativity, and community.
Get your tickets here.