Bassoon Studies
The Penn State Bassoon Studio is led by Professor Daryl Durran. All bassoon students receive an hour-long weekly private lesson with Prof. Durran and attend multiple reed-making classes each week. Bassoon students include performance majors, music education majors, non-music majors, and students pursuing dual degrees in music and another field.
Bassoon students perform in the school’s orchestras, bands, chamber music ensembles, and, on occasion, as a bassoon ensemble.
The School of Music owns a number of bassoons for use by students who do not yet own an instrument and a fine Fox contrabassoon. The bassoon studio owns the expensive reed-making tools – gouger, profiler, shapers, dial indicators – while students provide their own knives, reamers, mandrels, etc.
While bassoon students are very busy with their on-campus performing and studies, there are paid, off-campus playing opportunities in the area’s orchestras.
Whether you aspire to be a professional performer, a music teacher in the schools, or another of the many paths open to music majors, the Penn State Bassoon Studio is a great place to launch your career!