In the world of bassoon performance, aspiring musicians must navigate a landscape of schools to find the one that best aligns with their goals and aspirations.
What distinguishes a top-tier bassoon program, and what does a typical day look like for students immersed in their studies at these institutions?
At great schools, both undergraduate and graduate students benefit from the guidance of distinguished faculty members—bassoonists who have not only achieved mastery in their field but are also dedicated to cultivating the next generation of musical talent.
The best programs pride themselves on offering small studio class sizes, ensuring personalized attention and tailored instruction for each student.
Bassoonists in these schools frequently perform on stage, gaining invaluable experience and confidence in front of live audiences.
Additionally, students regularly engage with high-caliber guest artists who provide fresh insights and inspiration, enriching their educational journey.
For those embarking on the path to becoming professional bassoonists, it is essential to choose a school that offers more than just excellent academic and performance training.
The best bassoon performance programs are committed to fostering a nurturing environment where students can grow, thrive, and prepare for successful careers in the world of music.
Here are our picks for some of the best bassoon performance schools in the US.
Keep in mind that this list is a starting point.
While these are some of the very best schools and teachers in the country, there are others not included on this particular list that both me and many professional classical bassoonists would consider equally excellent.
University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music
Kristin Wolfe Jensen, a highly respected bassoonist and teacher, leads the bassoon program at the University of Texas at Austin’s Butler School of Music.
Jensen’s former students include William Short, principal bassoonist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Nicholas Nelson, bassoonist of the Omaha Symphony, and Rian Craypo, principal bassoon of the Houston Symphony.
Her expertise and dedication to student success make the Butler School an excellent choice for bassoonists.
What also makes UT Austin an interesting choice for bassoon students is the quality of its wind bands. One of them, the University of Texas Wind Ensemble, is headed by Jerry Junkin, one of the most important band conductors in the world.
Rice University Shepherd School of Music
Benjamin Kamins, the former principal bassoonist of the Houston Symphony, heads the bassoon department at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.
Kamins is a nationally recognized professional bassoonist and teacher to the most talented young woodwind musicians.
He has taught at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music since 1987, and for over thirty years, has produced a significant number of the most formidable bassoonists today, including players in the Houston Symphony, Seattle Symphony, and Washington National Opera Orchestra.
Players in the bassoon program at Rice get to perform in Alice Pratt Brown Hall, a state-of-the-art facility that includes the prestigious Stude Concert Hall, Duncan Recital Hall, and the Edythe Bates Old Grand Organ and Recital Hall, providing students with exceptional performance venues and rehearsal spaces.
Designed by renowned Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill and completed in 1991, the hall’s architectural elegance enhances the artistic atmosphere on campus.
In 2022, the Shepherd School expanded its facilities with the completion of the Brockman Music and Performing Arts Center.
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) boasts an impressive bassoon faculty featuring Evan Epifanio and William Short, two musicians who have both served as Principal Bassoonist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Kim Laskowski, who has been with the New York Philharmonic for over 20 years, and Monica Ellis, member of the celebrated chamber music group Imani Winds.
Students at MSM benefit from a diverse range of performance opportunities and courses taught by dedicated faculty who are both teachers and active performers in the field.
Performance opportunities include participation in the MSM Symphony Orchestra, among the finest collegiate orchestras in the nation, and the school’s Chamber Winds group.
Outside of the school, New York has endless spots for creating music in both chamber and large-ensemble settings.
Curtis Institute of Music
At the Curtis Institute of Music, bassoon students have the privilege of studying under Daniel Matsukawa, principal bassoonist of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Daniel Matsukawa has had an unprecedentedly large influence over the world of professional bassoons today.
His students, thriving in prestigious appointments from Principal Bassoonist of the Metropolitan Orchestra to college faculties throughout the nation, are among the most accomplished bassoonists in the country.
Matsukawa has been the Principal Bassoonist of one of the nation’s most heralded orchestras, the Philadelphia Orchestra, for over twenty years and jointly teaches at Temple University’s Boyer School of Music.
For some insight into the musical mind and personality of bassoonist Daniel Matsukawa, check out his interesting profile here. A notable quote of his from bassoonist William Short’s website:
“If you practice all the time and master your instrument, call yourself a great instrumentalist. If you learn how to phrase, the grammatical structure of music, harmony, and all that, call yourself a musician. But when that person in the audience gets goosebumps, only then can you call yourself an artist. That’s the goal—that’s success.”
Imani Winds, one of the country’s most important chamber groups, also has a residency at Curtis and works with the school’s woodwind students.
Eastman School of Music
George Sakakeeny, a distinguished bassoonist and educator, leads the bassoon program at the Eastman School of Music.
Formerly holding a 28-year tenure at Oberlin Conservatory, Sakakeeny is an experienced teacher who also teaches as a Visiting Professor at Simon Bolivar University and as a Guest Professor at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music.
Students of Sakakeeny have found themselves being appointed to major academic positions and top orchestras worldwide.
Performance opportunities at Eastman include five buildings in downtown Rochester, NY. Its main hall features the 3,094-seat Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, 455-seat Kilbourn Hall, and 222-seat Hatch Recital Hall.
The Sibley Music Library, the largest academic music library in North America, holds nearly 750,000 items!
Juilliard School
Juilliard’s bassoon faculty includes Judith LeClair, the principal bassoonist with the New York Philharmonic. LeClair is among the most successful bassoon teachers, having had several students placed in top orchestras worldwide.
Her students have included Nina Laube, bassoonist with the Chicago Symphony, and Daniel Shelly of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. She has taught countless students in her 40+ years at Juilliard, where she was appointed to the faculty in 1983.
At Juilliard, bassoon students frequently perform live in prestigious venues like Lincoln Center’s David Geffen and Alice Tully Halls, and Carnegie Hall.
Juilliard’s acceptance rate, according to US News, is 10%. US News is typically a reliable source for data like this, though that number seems pretty high in our experience, as Juilliard is one of the most selective schools in the world.
Colburn School
Richard Beene, a renowned bassoonist and educator, serves on the faculty at the Colburn School.
In his tenure as a faculty member in bassoon performance, he has had a great influence on shaping the world of bassoon.
His former students include many notable players who have attained positions in major orchestras and colleges. They include:
- Oberlin Conservatory of Music faculty member Drew Pattison.
- Recent appointment to the San Francisco Symphony, Justin Cummings.
- Utah Symphony bassoon player Leon Chodos.
- Andrew Brady, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra basoonist
Colburn is perhaps the most selective conservatory in the world alongside Curtis and Juilliard, with an acceptance rate of around 5%. It’s also completely free to attend.
With only 120 or so students in the entire conservatory (all programs, not just bassoon), bassoonists will be a part of a small school featuring some of the most talented students in the world.
Carnegie Mellon University
Among the most important bassoonists in the world, Nancy Goeres is a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University and a member of the Pittsburgh Symphony (author’s revision: she is retiring from the orchestra).
As a teacher, she has helped many students gain jobs in top orchestras. Her students include many notable bassoonists, such as:
- Cameron Bonner, bassoonist with the Alabama Symphony
- Elise Wagner of the Houston Symphony
- Dr. Amy Gillick, faculty at Austin Peay State University
Outside of the bassoon studio itself, Carnegie Mellon has a close relationship with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; nearly two dozen faculty members at the school are also performers in the orchestra, demonstrating the strong bond this university has with one of the most prestigious orchestras in the world.
New England Conservatory of Music
Richard Svoboda, principal bassoonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for 35 years, is one of three faculty members in the bassoon program at New England Conservatory.
His students, such as contrabassoonist Adam Trussell of the Houston Symphony, benefit from his extensive orchestral experience and pedagogical skills.
The other two faculty members are incredibly impressive musicians. Marc Goldberg, who has joint appointments at a number of schools in the northeast, including Juilliard, The New School, Hartt School of Music, NYU, and Bard, is among the most seasoned bassoon professors in the world.
Successful students of Marc Goldberg include Catherine Chen, principal bassoonist of the Milwaukee Symphony, and Harrison Miller, a musician with the Baltimore Symphony.
Suzanne Nelson rounds out the faculty, a member of the BSO, and an experienced educator.
Performance opportunities for bassoonists at New England Conservatory include a number of orchestras and wind bands at the school.
Northwestern University Bienen School of Music
David McGill, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s former principal bassoonist for 17 years, teaches at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music.
Northwestern’s woodwind department is among the most accomplished in the nation, and its alumni have found positions with top ensembles internationally.
Their bassoon alumni include Jonathan Sherwin of the Cleveland Orchestra, Felicia Foland of the St. Louis Symphony, Michael Muszynski of the Indianapolis Symphony, and Samuel Banks of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Students hoping to gain admission into this selective program should learn the suggested audition repertoire of concerti by Mozart and Weber, as well as orchestral excerpts.
