George Sakakeeny, Bassoonist
  • HOME
  • BIOGRAPHY
  • DISCOGRAPHY
  • REED iBOOK
  • TEACHING
  • STUDY WITH SAKAKEENY
  • MEDIA
  • CONTACT

Selected Former Students
​

“[Sakakeeny] has had an extraordinary class of alumni . . ."

​- Andrea Kalyn, Dean of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music

Fei Xie
  • Minnesota Orchestra, Principal Bassoon
  • Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Former Principal Bassoon
  • University of Maryland, Former Bassoon Instructor
  • Houston Grand Opera, Former Second Bassoon
​
Monica Ellis
  • Imani Winds, bassoonist, founding member
  • Internationally known chamber musician and clinician 

​
​
Max Pippinich
  • Kansas City Symphony, Second Bassoon
  • Buffalo Symphony Orchestra, Former Second Bassoon
  • Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Former Second Bassoon
​
Andrew Cuneo
  • Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Principal Bassoon
  • Houston Grand Opera, Former Second Bassoon

​
​
Rebekah Heller
  • International Contemporary Ensemble, Artistic Director and bassoonist
  • Internationally known soloist
  • Former New World Symphony fellow​
​
Thomas Schneider
  • Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Principal Bassoon
  • Former New World Symphony fellow
​
Nicolasa Kuster
  • University of the Pacific, Associate Professor of  Bassoon
  • Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition and Bassoon Symposium, Co-Founder and Director
  • Stockton Symphony Orchestra, Principal Bassoon
  • Former Civic Orchestra of Chicago fellow
​
Dr. Leigh Miller Muñoz
  • Kansas City Conservatory, Assistant Professor of Bassoon
  • Go Bassoon Reeds, Owner/Proprietor
Benjamin Atherholt
  • Louisiana Philharmonic, Assistant Principal & Contrabassoon
  • Houston Symphony, Acting Contrabassoon (2011-13)
  • ​Loyola University New Orleans, Bassoon Instructor 
​
Michael Matushek
  • Louisiana Philharmonic, Second Bassoon
  • Tulane University, Bassoon Instructor
  • CityMusic Cleveland, Former Bassoon
Dr. Stephanie Patterson
  • North Carolina School for the Arts, Associate Professor of Bassoon
  • Columbus State University (GA), Former Assistant Professor of Bassoon
  • Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Principal Bassoon
  • Wichita State University, Former Visiting Professor
  • Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition, finalist (2005)
​
Jian Huang
  • Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra, Principal Bassoon
  • Augusta Symphony (GA), Former Principal Bassoon
  • IDRS Gillet-Fox Competition, Honorable Mention (2004)
​
Staff Sgt. Briana Lehman
  • West Point Band, Principal Bassoon
  • Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition, 3rd Prize (2010)​

​


Staff Sgt. Randy Fultz
  • United States Army Field Band​
Guangyuan Shi
  • National Opera Theatre Orchestra (Beijing China,) Principal Bassoon
​


Carly Gomez
  • Orquesta Sinfonica Sinaloa de los Artes, Second Bassoon
Drew Pattison
  • Oberlin Conservatory, Assistant Professor of Bassoon
  • Round Top Festival Institute, bassoon instructor
  • DePaul University, Former Bassoon Instructor
  • Houston Grand Opera, Former Second Bassoon
  • Former Civic Orchestra of Chicago fellow​
​
​
Yunle "Leon" Feng
  • Southwest University (China), Professor of Orchestral Conducting, Director of Orchestras
  • Hangzhou Youth Orchestra, Former Conductor
​
Thomas English
  • Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music, lecturer of Bassoon.
  • Former Assistant Principal Bassoon, National Symphony Orchestra
  • Former Principal Bassoon, Harrisburg Symphony
  • Atlanta Symphony, Guest Assistant Principal Bassoon
  • New York Philharmonic, Extra Bassoon
  • IDRS Young Artist Competition, 2nd Prize (2013)
​
Oleksiy Zakharov
  • New York City, active freelance musician
  • Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Former Second Bassoon
  • Los Angeles Philharmonic, Former Acting Associate Principal 
​
Yunfeng "Eric" Yao
  • Ningbo Symphony Orchestra (China), Principal Bassoon
  • ​Former Civic Orchestra of Chicago fellow
​

Amelia Del Caño
  • Louisiana Philharmonic, acting contra/Utility bassoon
  • Former New World Symphony fellow

​
Jenni Groyon Hill
  • Naples Philharmonic Orchestra, Second Bassoon
  • Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, Former Associate Principal and Second Bassoon
  • Former New World Symphony fellow
John Clapp
  • Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, VP of Operations
  • Former Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, General Manager
  • North Carolina Symphony, Former Personnel Manager
  • Grand Rapids Symphony, Former Assistant Principal and Second Bassoon
​
Edward Parsons
  • The Florida Orchestra, Artistic Administrator
  • New World Symphony, Former Administrative Director
  • New York City Ballet, Former Associate Principal Bassoon
Rebecca Cain
  • Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Director of Operations
  • Louisiana Philharmonic, Former Director of Production
  • Tucson Symphony, Former Second Bassoon
​
Shuo "Shelly" Li
  • Hawaii Symphony Orchestra,  Second Bassoon
  • Atlanta Ballet, Former Acting Principal Bassoon
  • Alabama Symphony, Former Acting Second Bassoon
  • Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition, 2nd Prize (2010)
​
Joshua Sechan
  • Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Principal Bassoon
​
Hunter Gordon
  • Louisiana Philharmonic, Acting Assistant Principal bassoon
  • Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Former acting assistant principal bassoon
  • ​Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Acting Second Bassoon 
​
​
Sean Gordon
  • Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Principal Contrabassoon
  • Chautauqua Festival Orchestra, Second Bassoon
  • Washington D.C., Freelance Artist and Teacher
Kathy Kvitek Unlu
  • Department of State, Bureau of Legislative Affairs
  • Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Former Second Bassoon
  • Former Civic Orchestra of Chicago fellow
​
Jennifer Devroye
  • Shaw, Fishman, Glantz & Towbin LLC, Attorney
  • Former New World Symphony fellow
  • Former Civic Orchestra of Chicago fellow
Michael Muña
  • ​Concho Resources, Inc., Attorney 
  • Houston Ballet Orchestra, Former Second Bassoon
​
Joycelyn Eby
  • Harvard Business School, PHD Candidate
  • Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition, 3rd Prize (2001)
Leonardo Dean
  • ​Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, Principal Bassoon
  • Latin American Bassoon Academy, Professor of Bassoon
​
Benjamin Roidl-Ward
  • University of Northern Iowa, Assistant Professor of Bassoon
  • Former Civic Orchestra of Chicago fellow
  • Loop38 New Music Collective, Founding Member
  • IDRS Young Artist Competition, 3rd Prize (2013)
​
Amanda Turley
  • Blue Moon Bassoon, Owner/Proprietor 
  • Austin Symphonic Band, Executive Director
  • Bocal Majority Bassoon Camp, Instructor
Katherine Young
  • School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Instructor
  • Freelance Artist and Composer
  • Commissions by Spektral Quartet, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Third Coast Percussion, and many others

bassoon teacher

bassoon lesson

bassoon student

bassoon job

bassoon orchestra
  • HOME
  • BIOGRAPHY
  • DISCOGRAPHY
  • REED iBOOK
  • TEACHING
  • STUDY WITH SAKAKEENY
  • MEDIA
  • CONTACT