The DePaul Bassoon Studio is an ideal environment for motivated young musicians to advance their skills. Comprised of 8-10 undergraduate and graduate bassoonists, the studio offers an ideal balance: small enough for individual attention yet large enough to create an active group dynamic. Students work with two renowned instructors, Robert Barris and William Buchman, both of whom have extensive experience as performers and teachers. Weekly individual lessons and studio classes give students a strong foundation of technical skills and musical training, supplemented by small and large ensemble performance experience.
Faculty
The Bassoon Studio
- The bassoon instructors at DePaul have a very performance-based approach to teaching, stemming from their backgrounds as members of major symphony orchestras. Students will be exposed to rigorous training in bassoon fundamentals, such as scales, long-tones and technical exercises. In addition, musical principles are taught with a wide variety of materials, from etudes and solo literature to chamber music and excerpts from orchestral repertoire. Students are also expected to learn the art of reed-making, for which both equipment and instruction are provided.
- Because all performance majors study with both Mr. Barris and Mr. Buchman, usually alternating from one year to the next, students benefit from their complementary approaches to teaching.
- Students participate in weekly studio classes in addition to their private lessons. The studio classes provide students with opportunities to play for each other, allow the instructors to cover topics of general interest as well as foster camaraderie among all of the members of the studio. Both Mr. Barris and Mr. Buchman believe that students can learn as much from each other as they can from their instructors.
Recent Student Performances
- Graduate Recital
16 Valsas para Fagote Solo - Francisco Mignone
Three Duets for Clarinet and Bassoon, WoO 27 – Beethoven
Sonata in E Minor, Op. 38 - Brahms
- Senior Recital
Concerto No. 2, Op. 15 – Victor Bruns
Five Virtuoso Inventions for Bassoon – Zdenek Sestak
Prelude et Scherzo for Bassoon and Piano – Paul Jeanjean
- Graduate Recital
Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 168 – Camille Saint-Saens
Concerto for Bassoon – Gordon Jacob
Tafelmusik II: Quartet in D minor for Two Oboes, Bassoon and Continuo, TWV 43:d1 – G.P. Telemann
Alumni Accomplishments
- Students of DePaul bassoon faculty are or have been members of the following orchestras, faculties and ensembles:
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, New Orleans Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Dusseldorf Orchestra, Cape Town Orchestra, Barcelona Symphony, New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Omaha Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, Wichita Symphony, Opera Pacific, Quad Cities Symphony, Green Bay Symphony, US Army Band (3), US Air Force Band, Interlochen Arts Academy, West Texas State University, Kent State University, Central Michigan University, University of North Texas, University of Nevada-Reno, Kansas State University, Western Michigan University, Baylor University, University of Nebraska, Wizards! and Westwood Wind Quintet.
