charles Koster

Bassoon, in-person

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Charles Koster holds a BM degree in bassoon and a MA degree in music theory from the University of Iowa, and pursued doctoral studies in bassoon at Indiana University. His teachers have included Ronald Tyree (UI), John Miller (Minnesota Orchestra), Sherman Walt (Boston Symphony Orchestra)and Louis Skinner (reedmaking).

 

As a “modern” bassoonist, Mr. Koster has been a member of orchestras in the United States, Germany and Mexico, and has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Pacific Symphony Orchestra and San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra. Equally as comfortable as a historical instrument bassoonist, Mr. Koster has been a member of Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra, Musica Angelica (Los Angeles), American Bach Soloists (San Francisco), Seattle Baroque Orchestra, and has performed with Tafelmusik (Toronto), Philharmonia Baroque (San Francisco) and Portland Baroque Orchestra.

 

He has held teaching positions at the University of Southern
California, University of California (Riverside) and La Sierra University. He has published several articles relating to historical bassoons and reed making in the Journal of the International Double Reed Society, and can be heard on Wild Boar, Newport Classics, Delos, Koch and Harmonia Mundi (USA) recording labels. His translated edition of Carl Almenräder’s Die Kunst des Fagottblasens oder Vollstaendige theoretish-praktische Fagottschule (The Art of Bassoon Playing, or Complete, Theoretical, Practical Bassoon Method).