Though there are certainly bassoonists that play contrabassoon only grudgingly, I relish the contrabassoon and consider myself equally a contrabassoonist and bassoonist. I am hopeful that the days of neglect and derision of this exceptional and fascinating instrument are nearly at their end. To this extent, I have performed several duo recitals with renowned contrabassoon soloist Sue Nigro, including at the International Double-Reed Society convention in summer 2017.
I have served as contrabassoonist/third bassoonist (and very occasionally tenor banjoist) with the Tulsa Symphony since the orchestra’s founding in 2006. TSO employs an innovative musician-led model, which integrates its performing musicians into all aspects of orchestra management and operations. In May 2018, my bassoon colleagues and I will be featured soloists in TSO’s performance of Michael Daugherty's Hell’s Angels for solo bassoon quartet and orchestra.
I also serve as contrabassoonist/third bassoonist with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (Fayetteville, Arkansas), likewise since the orchestra’s founding in 2011. In May 2012, I was a featured soloist with the group, performing Julius Fucík's Der Alte Brummbär for solo contrabassoon and orchestra. In 2017, I began the position of music librarian/second bassoonist with the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra (Bentonville, Arkansas). Additionally, I regularly sub with the Fort Smith Symphony and Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to my private lesson studio, I am the artist instructor of bassoon and oboe at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
Though I primarily perform on bassoon and contrabassoon, I also have a keen interest in early music performance (primarily on recorders, but also crumhorns, curtal, and sackbuts) and help manage the Northwest Arkansas Early Music Society.
I have over twenty years of experience teaching private lessons to bassoonists of all skill levels. Whether you have a sixth-grader looking to get started off on the right track, are a high-school senior intending to major in music in college, or are an adult hoping to dust off an old instrument from the closet; I am happy to help you get the most out of music and the bassoon.
My studio rate is $50/hr. (Lessons given outside the studio may also include travel expenses.) The weekly lesson durations I find most productive for students are as follows: 30 minutes for middle-school and most junior-high students, 45 minutes for advanced junior high and most high-school students, and 60 minutes for adults and high-school students intending to major in music in college. I also offer professional, handmade bassoon reeds for $30 each ($22 for current lessons students).
Current students will find the following links helpful:
If you have any questions or would like to set up lessons, please send me a message at moc.noossabartnocbus@obobr.
For adults (including college students) with access to a contrabassoon: $50/hr.
All non-free arrangements will be delivered via email within 24 hours of purchase.
Instrumentation: Flute & Bass Flute, Oboe & English Horn, Clarinet in B♭ & A, Horn, Bassoon
Bass flute ossia provided for alto flute or flute; English horn ossia provided for oboe with low A.
Instrumentation: Oboe, English Horn, Bassoon, Contrabassoon
Ossias provided for extreme upper register contrabassoon passages.
Optional subcontrabassoon instead of eighth contrabassoon
Fifth contrabassoon requires low A or an extension.
The E0 at the end can be be transposed up an octave.
Low G♯ extension required.
My sincere apologies for the bad recording, I plan to record this again.
Subcontrabassoon Project
My campaign to finally build the mythical subcontrabassoon; an instrument a full octave below the contrabassoon and two octaves below the bassoon.
Legni Font
A family of fonts allowing the quick and intuitive creation of woodwind fingering diagrams within any word processing or music notation application.
Bassoon Fingering Webapp
Personally selected fingerings accessible on computer, smartphone, and tablet.