Student Bassoonists Participate In Master Class

Left to right: Student bassoonists Alexandra Bruno, Christine Pando, William Beecher, and Meredith Boonshaf waiting for instructions from Christopher Weait, professor emeritus of bassoon at The Ohio Sate University and formerly principal bassoonist of the Toronto Symphony

Four Garden City student bassoonists recently performed at Nassau Community College in a mass bassoon band conducted by noted musician Christopher Weait. The Garden City bassoonists assembled with other student bassoonists from around the county for Bassoon Day hosted by the Nassau Community Music Department on March 24.

Bassoon Day opened with an introduction and warm-up session directed by Mr. Weait, professor emeritus of bassoon at The Ohio State University and formerly principal bassoonist of the Toronto Symphony. A master class followed; it focused on the solos that the students will perform in this spring's NYS Student Music Association concert.

Other Bassoon Day presentations included sessions on practice and playing techniques, instrument maintenance, and reed making. Leonard Hindell, the recently retired principal bassoonist of the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera orchestras, and Garden City Middle School Band Director Martha Boonshaft also were on hand to offer critiques, and repairman Paul Norby examined and fixed each participant's instrument.

Representatives of the Fox Bassoon Company and Miller Marketing, a bassoon accessories company, also attended, giving participants an opportunity to evaluate various instruments and bassoon-related products.