WELCOME TO THE BASSOON STUDIO
The bassoon studio at Western Michigan University is a diverse, creative group of talented and dedicated bassoonists who are intent on developing their musical skills to the highest level. The studio is typically comprised of eight undergraduate students and one graduate assistant. Students are selected by audition during New Student Admission Days and must also be accepted by the university. All music majors take applied lessons with Dr. Rose. The bassoon studio is a close-knit group of supportive individuals who enjoy performing in ensembles together and learning from one another.
Bassoon studio class is offered throughout the year. Students perform for each other and we discuss various bassoon topics such as effective practicing, teaching strategies, how to be a successful ensemble player, orchestral excerpts, historically informed performance, etc. Other studio class activities include guest artist master classes and mock auditions. Freshman and sophomore students are required to attend reed class to develop skills to become independent reed makers. In addition to technical and performance requirements, students have a weekly reed requirement. Each semester, students have many opportunities to perform in a variety of solo settings, culminating in the Bassoon Studio Recital at the end of each semester.
Since 2013, bassoon students have been selected four times as winners of the WMU School of Music Concerto Competition and are often selected as finalists from the Woodwind Area. Mingyuan Yang (B.M. '16) was the first prize winner of the International Double Reed Society’s 2013 Young Artist Competition held in Redlands, California. Graduates of the bassoon studio have been admitted to prestigious graduate programs and have secured positions in schools, universities and orchestras. Many students have participated in summer festivals throughout the USA, Canada, Latin America and Europe.