Bassoon

Faculty

Laura Koepke, Associate Professor
Marisa Esposito

About the area:

You will find yourself surrounded by dedicated and supportive colleagues in the bassoon studio at Fredonia. The atmosphere is active, exciting, and positive, and the musical environment is one of continuous improvement and growth. While there is healthy competition, the Fredonia bassoon studio is a team, and every student is a valuable and active member. Every bassoonist comes to college with his/her own unique level of experience and training. As your teacher, I will help you assess your own strengths and weaknesses, guide you on your musical journey, and give you the tools you need to reach your goals.

In the bassoon studio at Fredonia, there are weekly one-hour lessons for Music Education and Performance majors (half-hour lessons for Bachelor of Arts and SRT majors), weekly studio and a reed-making classes. Additionally, we have the Fredonia Bassoon Ensemble, which meets weekly and performs a recital each semester. We perform large bassoon ensemble music as well as bassoon quartets, trios, and the like. Also at Fredonia, there is an active woodwind chamber music program where you can perform in chamber groups of mixed instruments. Every fall, the bassoon and oboe studios host Fredonia's "Double Reed Day" which is not only informative and educational, but a lot of fun, too!

We’ve had several fantastic guest artists come to work with the studio recently, including Frank Morelli, Christopher Weait, Phil Austin, Monica Ellis (Imani Winds), Charles McCracken, jazz bassoonist Michael Rabinowitz, Martin Kuuskmann, and Nadina Mackie Jacson. Recent Fredonia bassoon studio alumni are working in the field as music educators, and in elite graduate school programs for performance, such as the Manhattan School of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music

At Fredonia, there is a wide variety of musical experiences that only a large and established music school can offer. As a bassoonist, you will have many exciting and unique performing opportunities, and as your teacher, I cherish the role I have to help you discover your path and your passion as a musician and future professional.

Please feel free to contact me, if you have any questions about the bassoon studio or the music program at Fredonia. I encourage you to come and visit the school, and to meet with me, as well as other members of the bassoon studio. I look forward to meeting you!

Sincerely yours,
Laura Koepke