Betsy Sturdevant’s career began early, 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 Betsy studied with the renowned Japanese bassoonist Ryohei Nakagawa, former principal of the San Fransisco Symphony. After receiving a  Bachelor’s degree and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, she won the principal bassoon position with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra

Betsy has performed at summer festivals in Aspen, CO; Boulder, CO, Chautauqua, NY and Spoleto, Italy. She has been featured as a bassoon concerto 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 and in 2025 she performed the Weber Hungarian Fantasy at the International Double Reed Society Conference in Indianapolis

Additionally, she maintains a private teaching studio and regularly coaches Columbus Symphony Cadet and Youth Orchestra wind players. One of her students was recently awarded the highly prestigious Kovner Fellowship to cover all of his expenses for 4 years at Juilliard. Betsy is also on the faculty at the Capital University Conservatory of Music. A new work for unaccompanied bassoon entitled Etude on a Variation by Ohio composer Mark Biggam was dedicated to Betsy.