Michael Burns, bassoon

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Michael Burns is hailed as a dynamic performer and teacher of bassoon. He is Professor of Bassoon at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is a Moosmann Bassoon Artist. His critically acclaimed CD Primavera: Music for Bassoon and Piano by Bassoonists was released by Mark Masters. Burns plays principal with the Asheville Symphony and North Carolina Opera and is a frequent performer with the Charlotte Symphony as well as playing with the North Carolina and Greensboro Symphonies. In the summers he is faculty of the Clazz International Music Festival in Tuscany, Italy and has also served on the faculties of the Eastern Music Festival, InterHarmony International Music Festival, Bands of America/Music for All Summer Symposiums, New England Music Camp, and the Affetti Music Festival in Anchorage, Alaska. He has held positions teaching Bassoon at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, playing Principal Bassoon in the Midland/Odessa Symphony Orchestra in Texas, and the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra; as well as playing contrabassoon and bassoon in the Cincinnati Symphony and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. 

An avid and enthusiastic teacher, he is also active as a solo and chamber musician in several groups including the EastWind and Blue Mountain Ensembles as well as many appearances with Mallarme Music, the Ciompi Quartet and others. Burns has performed recitals and master classes throughout America, Canada, Germany, China, Italy, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. He has also performed at numerous International Double Reed Society (IDRS) conferences as well as at the Meg Quigley Bassoon Symposium. Burns has an extensive discography and is an active composer with many pieces published by TrevCo Music, Potenza Music, and Effiny Music. He is Archivist for the IDRS and was co-host for the IDRS 2003 Conference in Greensboro, NC.