Hunsinger Debuts Controversial Oboe Piece at Constellation

Composer Robbie Lynn Hunsinger will debut Pavane for Palestine, Lachrimae, at Constellation on Sunday, November 22. The 11-member chamber ensemble will perform the piece for the first time in public. The work was commissioned by Nashville composer Kelly Corcoran for her ensemble, Intersection. Its original premiere in 2024 was canceled when half the musicians withdrew over the subject matter. No replacements were found in time.

Hunsinger is a Chicago and Nashville resident who plays classical oboe, rock, bluegrass, and country western. She also free improvises on various double reeds and stringed instruments. She founded Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, a group that protects migratory birds from urban lighting.

The first set includes three of Hunsinger's pieces. Eclipse features shimmering textures, soprano voice, and video projections. It examines the overlap between Hunsinger's mother's illness, the first Trump election, and a solar eclipse. Catalyst is a pithy, syncopated response to population collapse in bee colonies. Both Eclipse and Catalyst feature electronic percussion.

The second set is a solo performance of Synesthesia Suite. Hunsinger combines intense color projections with live-looped, avian-sounding instrumentation for this portion of the show.

The event is scheduled for 7:30 PM at Constellation, 3111 N. Western. Tickets cost $20 plus fees, or $20.72 in advance. The show is for ages 18 and up.