Bassoon Curriculum Vitae

I have been playing bassoon since 1997. Within a year I had obtained Grade 4 with distinction, and I achieved Grade 8 in 2001. More recently, I was awarded a DipABRSM in Performance in the summer of 2009. I am currently studying with Llinos Owen in the Cambridge area.

My sight-reading is of a high standard, and when required I am able to play performances at sight. For example, I have performed Debussy's Prélude à l'Après-Midi d'un Faune and Elgar's 'cello concerto at sight, and Mozart's clarinet concerto on a single rehearsal.

I have performed in both orchestras and operatic productions. My orchestral experience encompasses the following ensembles, in which I have played first, second and contrabassoon (although please note that I do not own a contrabassoon). With the exception of the Cambridge Graduate Orchestra, I held the position of principal bassoonist in each orchestra for at least three years.

2009-date

Cambridge Graduate Orchestra (not contrabassoon)

2003-2007

University of Warwick Symphony Orchestra (UWSO)

2001-2004

Southampton Pops Orchestra

2000-2003

Winchester Youth Orchestra

1999-2003

Southampton Youth Orchestra

I am generally looking for freelance-type performance opportunities on a reasonable expenses-contribution basis, but would gladly take on longer-term tenures with an ensemble or production. I am usually able to dep at relatively short notice, and am a competent and reliable deputy. I can travel easily within the South Cambridgeshire area; travel over greater distances would normally be subject to negotiation of expenses.

Please send me an email via the contact form if you are short of a bassoonist for your concert or production. You can also check out my profiles on freelance-musicians.info and Musiconnections. I'm also contactable through the Classical Music Homepage's Diary Service.

My experience of the orchestral repertoire is broad. Parts I have played include:

• First bassoon in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9; second bassoon in Symphony No. 3 and Symphony No. 7
• First bassoon in the World Premiere of Jonathan Dove's Airport Scenes
• First and second bassoon in each of Tchaikovsky's Symphonies No. 5 and 6, and Romeo and Juliet
• First bassoon in Shostakovich's Jazz Suite No. 2; Holst's The Planets; Vaughn Williams' Hodie and Symphony No. 5; Gershwin's An American in Paris
• First bassoon in various film/jazz/TV/pop music including much of John Williams' repertoire, music by Queen, The Beatles, Leroy Anderson and others
• First bassoon in Sibelius' Symphony No. 5; second bassoon in Symphony No. 2
• Second bassoon in Stravinsky's Symphony of Winds and The Rite of Spring; Verdi's Requiem
• Second bassoon in Strauss' Overture to Die Fledermaus; Glinka's Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla
• Third bassoon in Nielsen's Symphony No. 4 "The Inextinguishable"
• Contrabassoon in Mahler's Symphonies No. 1 and 2; Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 and Festival Overture; Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

I have also performed in the following operatic productions:

Cambridge University Baroque Ensemble (CUBE)

Jun. 2008: Orfeo e Euridice (Gluck)

Unaffiliated Productions

Mar. 2008: David and Goliath (Samuel Hogarth)

Warwick Student Opera (WSO)

Feb. 2007: The Merry Widow (Léhar)

Nov. 2006: Trial by Jury (Gilbert & Sullivan)

Jun. 2006: Pirates of Penzance (Gilbert & Sullivan)

Feb. 2006: Orpheus in the Underworld (Offenbach)