Host and alumnus Peter Schickele greets Ovation Society honorary chairman and Juilliard trustee Mary Rodgers Guettel. Photo by Tanya Tribble

Juilliard alumnus Peter Schickele brought a lighthearted touch to the launch of the Juilliard Ovation Society's fifth season on October 23. More than 125 members and special guests gathered to greet old friends and enjoy a lively lecture by Schickele on the use of humor in music. The presentation took place in Paul Recital Hall following a champagne reception in Juilliard's lobby.

An internationally recognized composer, musician, author, and satirist, Peter Schickele is best known for "discovering" the music of fictional composer P.D.Q. Bach and for his syndicated radio program titled Schickele Mix, aired nationwide over Public Radio International. The Ovation Society event began with Schickele tracing his roots back to Juilliard, where he earned his master's degree. His confession to having "majored in cafeteria" notwithstanding, he later returned for a period as an instructor at the School.

According to Schickele, there are four ways a musical selection can be made humorous: through musical quotations, inclusion of funny sounds, "inappropriate" sound or style combinations, or exaggerated musical phrases. He used recordings and live performances to provide examples of each method, highlighting some compositions that were intentionally funny and others that were perhaps accidentally funny.

Bassoonists Edward Burns, Tsui-Ying Annie Hsu, Edward Parsons, and Joseph Polisi (Juilliard's president) performed one of Peter Schickele's best-known works, Last Tango in Bayreuth, which contains quotations from the opening of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde set to a lilting tango theme. Justin Brown on contrabassoon got laughs as a fifth member of the ensemble, who contributed just four foghorn-like notes to the piece. Though Schickele no longer plays bassoon himself, he is a clearly a bassoonist at heart, and the piece highlighted the strong bond he has with fellow bassoonists like Polisi.

He surprised some by mentioning works by composers such as Bach, Mozart, and Debussy, which were written to be humorous within the context of their times. Even Beethoven made the list. However, though many critics have cited a bassoon segment of Beethoven's Eighth Symphony as the composer's attempt at lighthearted humor, Schickele declined to agree. Once again revealing the heart of a true bassoonist, he said, "Well, excuse me! Just because it's the bassoon, it's funny?" With that, he drove home the point underscoring his entire presentation: humor in music is often subjective.

Finally, a piano performance by Juilliard alumnus Jeffrey Savage and doctoral candidate Karen Savage worked physical comedy into the presentation. Seated intimately on a single piano bench, the two played a P.D.Q. Bach piece titled Sonata Innamorata—which, according to Schickele, was "written specifically for seduction." At times, the music required the two to switch places on the bench, thus allowing Mr. Savage the opportunity to wind his arm amorously around his wife's shoulder while making the difficult transfer. The two even exchanged a kiss during the course of the performance. When asked if the sonata had been difficult to prepare, Mr. Savage noted wryly, "Not every piano bench is made for that piece!"

Schickele took questions from the audience before joining members and guests downstairs in Morse Hall for a festive wine and hors d'oeuvres reception. The reception allowed guests to talk with the host, Juilliard student performers, and President Polisi, among other special friends.

The evening opened the Ovation Society's season-long series of exclusive, behind-the-scenes events, which include performance previews, lectures, and discussions. The mix of jazz, theater, dance, opera, and classical music presentations provides members with opportunities to learn firsthand about the development of Juilliard's young artists. Other membership privileges include invitations to master classes and a personalized telephone ticketing service for prime seating at Juilliard performances. Ovation Society contributions support a wide range of activities at Juilliard, including scholarships, performances, outreach programs, and newly commissioned works. For more information, please contact Simone Wicha, director of annual giving, in the Office of Development and Public Affairs at (212) 799-5000, ext. 278, or visit www.juilliard.edu/giving/membership.html.

Emily O'Neill is assistant director of annual giving.