Guest Artists
Mary Lynch has served as Principal Oboe of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra since 2014 and on faculty at the University of Washington since 2015. Prior to that, she held the position of Second Oboe in the Cleveland Orchestra. She has also performed as Guest Principal with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, San Fransisco Symphony, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Her frequent chamber music collaborations have included the Marlboro Music Festival and Musicians from Marlboro, Seattle Chamber Music Society, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and the Newport Music Festival.
During her tenure in Seattle, she has performed many times as soloist with the orchestra, most notably the Bach Concerto for Oboe and Violin in collaboration with Itzhak Perlman, and the Strauss Oboe Concerto. Her growing list of recordings includes Dutilleux's "Les Citations" and Dalbavie's Oboe Concerto on Seattle Symphony Media and Christopher Nickel’s Oboe and Oboe d’amore Concertos on Avie Records. She is in demand as a teacher, having presented masterclasses at schools all over the US including the Juilliard School, Indiana Univeristy, University of Miami, and the San Francisco Conservatory. She received her education from Interlochen Arts Academy, New England Conservatory, and the Juilliard School, studying with Dan Stolper, John Ferrillo, Elaine Douvas, and Nathan Hughes.
During her tenure in Seattle, she has performed many times as soloist with the orchestra, most notably the Bach Concerto for Oboe and Violin in collaboration with Itzhak Perlman, and the Strauss Oboe Concerto. Her growing list of recordings includes Dutilleux's "Les Citations" and Dalbavie's Oboe Concerto on Seattle Symphony Media and Christopher Nickel’s Oboe and Oboe d’amore Concertos on Avie Records. She is in demand as a teacher, having presented masterclasses at schools all over the US including the Juilliard School, Indiana Univeristy, University of Miami, and the San Francisco Conservatory. She received her education from Interlochen Arts Academy, New England Conservatory, and the Juilliard School, studying with Dan Stolper, John Ferrillo, Elaine Douvas, and Nathan Hughes.
Bassoonist Gina Cuffari is a dynamic and versatile musician who performs a variety of roles in the New York City area as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, soloist, new music advocate, and educator. Praised for having a "sound that is by turns sensuous, lyric and fast-moving" (Palm Beach Daily News), Gina is the Co-Principal Bassoonist of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. For over a decade, Gina has performed and recorded throughout the USA, Europe, and Asia with this prestigious ensemble, and has been an active participant in their community engagement programs such as Access Orpheus (teaching at NYC public schools) and the Reflections program (performing for Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers). Gina is also the Associate Principal/2nd Bassoonist of the Lincoln Center-based Riverside Symphony, as well as a frequent performer with Orchestra of St. Luke's, American Composers Orchestra, Westchester Philharmonic, American Ballet Theater, Iris Orchestra in Memphis, TN, and many more. In addition, Gina has played in recent Broadway productions of Fiddler on the Roof, Sunset Boulevard, and My Fair Lady as a substitute bassoonist.
Gina's passion for chamber music has led her to collaborate with many amazing musicians and ensembles over the years. She is currently a member of the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players and Sylvan Winds, and a founding member of Trio Cabrini, a clarinet, bassoon/voice, piano ensemble. She performs throughout New England with the Boston-based Walden Chamber Players and has had recent engagements with the Exponential Ensemble, Tertulia Ensemble, and Camerata Pacifica in Santa Barbara, California.
Gina has always had a keen interest in new music and has endeavored to support composers throughout her career. She has been a longtime collaborator with Alarm Will Sound – performing as a bassoonist, vocalist, and keyboardist – and has worked with many composers over the years, premiering a plethora of new works with the group. In NYC she has performed with Argento New Music Project and ACME, and has commissioned and premiered several new works with her ensembles Sylvan Winds, Quintet of the Americas, Trio Cabrini, and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. In an ongoing personal project, Gina has commissioned and premiered works that combine her two passions – singing and playing the bassoon – into one performing experience. Composers writing for her include Sunny Knable, Gregg August, Jenni Brandon, and more.
As an educator, Gina currently holds positions at NYU and Western CT State University where she teaches bassoon, coaches chamber music, and teaches a variety of other classes. She is a frequent guest clinician at Bard College for The Orchestra Now and has taught master classes at universities such as Yale, Auburn, and Louisiana State. She spends her summers performing and teaching at several summer festivals including the NYU Summer Woodwind Institute, Orpheus@Mannes, and the Mostly Modern Festival at Skidmore College.
Gina's passion for chamber music has led her to collaborate with many amazing musicians and ensembles over the years. She is currently a member of the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players and Sylvan Winds, and a founding member of Trio Cabrini, a clarinet, bassoon/voice, piano ensemble. She performs throughout New England with the Boston-based Walden Chamber Players and has had recent engagements with the Exponential Ensemble, Tertulia Ensemble, and Camerata Pacifica in Santa Barbara, California.
Gina has always had a keen interest in new music and has endeavored to support composers throughout her career. She has been a longtime collaborator with Alarm Will Sound – performing as a bassoonist, vocalist, and keyboardist – and has worked with many composers over the years, premiering a plethora of new works with the group. In NYC she has performed with Argento New Music Project and ACME, and has commissioned and premiered several new works with her ensembles Sylvan Winds, Quintet of the Americas, Trio Cabrini, and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. In an ongoing personal project, Gina has commissioned and premiered works that combine her two passions – singing and playing the bassoon – into one performing experience. Composers writing for her include Sunny Knable, Gregg August, Jenni Brandon, and more.
As an educator, Gina currently holds positions at NYU and Western CT State University where she teaches bassoon, coaches chamber music, and teaches a variety of other classes. She is a frequent guest clinician at Bard College for The Orchestra Now and has taught master classes at universities such as Yale, Auburn, and Louisiana State. She spends her summers performing and teaching at several summer festivals including the NYU Summer Woodwind Institute, Orpheus@Mannes, and the Mostly Modern Festival at Skidmore College.