Conservatory of Music

Nicolasa Kuster

Nicolasa Kuster joined the faculty in the fall of 2008.  From 2000 to 2008, Ms. Kuster was Principal Bassoonist of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, on the faculty at Wichita State University’s School of Music, and bassoonist with the Lieurance Woodwind Quintet.  She is a Founding Director of The Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition, an international competition for young women bassoonists from the Americas. 

Ms. Kuster has held positions in the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rhode Island Philharmonic, the Virginia Symphony, and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and has performed as a soloist in the USA, Panama, Italy, and Kazakhstan, as well as at the International Double Reed Society conferences in Buenos Aires and Texas.  Currently she is Principal Bassoon of the New Hampshire Music Festival where she has performed for six seasons. She has been a guest artist at the Anchorage Music Festival, Ameropa Chamber Music Festival and Solo Course in Prague, Czech Republic and spent five seasons with the Spoleto Festival, Italy, making multiple recordings on the Chandos label with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra.  Kuster was Visiting Professor of Bassoon at the Oberlin Conservatory in Fall of 2003. 

Ms. Kuster holds B.M. and B.A. degrees from Oberlin College and Conservatory where she studied with George Sakakeeny.  She did graduate work at DePaul University studying with Bruce Grainger while she was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.  She has received additional instruction from bassoonists including William Waterhouse, Richard Svoboda, Nancy Goeres and Willard Elliot.

At the Conservatory, Nicolasa Kuster teaches bassoon, coaches chamber music, and performs with the Pacific Arts Woodwind Quintet.

Conservatory of Music
University of the Pacific
3601 Pacific Ave
Stockton, CA 95211
 Nicolasa Kuster
Blog: Pacific Bassoons