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Bassoon at Arts Academy
Why Study Bassoon at Interlochen
Playing the bassoon gives you the opportunity to challenge yourself and become an asset in any ensemble. At Interlochen, we help you become not only a better bassoonist but a better musician. Explore the possibilities the bassoon has to offer and dive into its complex and colorful sound.
What You’ll Learn
Interlochen Arts Academy is the top-rated boarding school for bassoon. Through a combination of individual instruction and studio classes, you'll develop your unique skillset and work at your own pace. You'll work on improving technique, vibrato, intonation, and musicality. Our excellent instructors will expose you to a variety of solo, chamber, and orchestral repertoire and you'll learn by playing along with and listening to your fellow students.
We also know the importance of reed making in your training and dedicate time to make sure you're self-sufficient in making bassoon reeds. We'll teach you both reed making and reed scraping techniques so you can address specific technical aspects of tone, technique, and intonation.
Program Highlights
Performance Opportunities
Students will have opportunities to participate in ensembles like Orchestra and Wind Symphony. You'll also have the opportunity to develop chamber music projects and collaborative projects across musical genres and artistic disciplines. Learn more in our Explore Ensembles section below.
The Music Center
Our state-of-the-art 60,000 square-foot music facility has two 3,500 square-foot rehearsal halls, two recording studios—which allow for rehearsal and performance recordings in multiple venues on campus—multiple ensemble and practice rooms, and individual faculty teaching studios. Learn more about The Music Center.
Master Classes
Participate in master classes with guest artists drawn from network of alumni and leading bassoon performers and teachers.
Reed-Making and Maintenance
You'll have access to reed-making tools and machines, giving you the ability to learn the entire reed-making process.
Guest Artists
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Keith Buncke, Principal Bassoon, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
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Patricia Rogers Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (ret.)
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William Short Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
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Barrick Stees Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Institute of Music
The friendships that you make and the bonds that bring you closer together...I feel like that can only happen at Interlochen.
Conrad Cornelison, Jacksonville Symphony Principal Bassoon
Men Who Don't Bite
Instructor of Bassoon and President of the Double Reed Society Eric Stomberg performs Schubert's Quartet for Piano and Strings in A Major and Blue Set #2 by Peter Schickele with his quartet, Men Who Don't Bite.
College Matriculation
Recent Interlochen Arts Academy Music Division students have continued their education at the following institutions and beyond.
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Berklee College of Music
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Boston Conservatory at Berklee
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California Institute of the Arts
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Carnegie Mellon University
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Cleveland Institute of Music
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Curtis Institute of Music
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Indiana University
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The Juilliard School
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Johns Hopkins University
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Manhattan School of Music
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New England Conservatory
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New York University
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Northwestern University
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Oberlin College and Conservatory
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Rice University
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San Francisco Conservatory of Music
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University of Miami
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University of Michigan
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University of Rochester
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University of Southern California
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Vanderbilt University
The Audition
When 21-year-old bassoonist Keith Buncke (IAC 08, IAA 09-11) first stepped out onto the stage at Symphony Center, the home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, it was a dream come true … almost.
