Betsy Sturdevant
Sheldon and Rebecca Taft Chair
Betsy Sturdevant’s career began when she won the Second Bassoon position with the Binghamton (NY) Symphony at age 15. While attending the Eastman School of Music (studying with K. David van Hoesen), she won a contracted position with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. During summers at Chautauqua (NY) and Aspen (CO), Betsy studied with the renowned Japanese bassoonist Ryohei Nakagawa. After receiving a bachelor’s degree and Performer’s Certificate from Eastman, she won the Principal Bassoon position with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.
Betsy has performed at summer festivals in Aspen, CO; Boulder, CO; and Spoleto, Italy and has been featured as a bassoon soloist with orchestras in Ohio, Indiana, and New York. In 2019, she performed the Hummel Grand Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra with the McConnell Arts Center Chamber Orchestra. Betsy has presented master classes and recitals as a guest artist at double reed festivals and had a new work for unaccompanied bassoon dedicated to her by composer Mark Biggam. Additionally, she maintains a private teaching studio of middle and high school-aged bassoonists and regularly coaches Columbus Symphony Cadet and Youth Orchestra wind players. Betsy is Professor of Bassoon at Capital University’s Conservatory of Music and regularly performs chamber music with colleagues from the Columbus Symphony and Capital University.