PETER KOLKAY, BASSOONIST

Called “superb” by the Washington Post and “stunningly virtuosic” by the New York Times, Peter Kolkay is the only bassoonist to receive an Avery Fisher Career Grant. A Season Artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Mr. Kolkay’s recent engagements include chamber music performances at Music@Menlo and Bridgehampton summer festivals, and appearances on the Emerald City, Camerata Pacifica, and String Theory series.

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He actively engages with composers in the creation of new works for the bassoon and has premiered solo works by Joan Tower, Mark-Anthony Turnage, and Tania León, among others. His 2023/24 season includes the release of a new album of music for bassoon and strings with the Calidore Quartet, appearances with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and residencies at the Sarasota and Alpenglow Chamber Music Festivals.

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Mr. Kolkay was a member of the IRIS Orchestra in Germantown, TN, and has also served as guest principal bassoon of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. A dedicated teacher, he is Associate Professor at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, and has given master classes throughout the United States and Mexico.

 

Kolkay holds degrees from Lawrence University, the Eastman School of Music, and Yale University, and studied with Frank Morelli, John Hunt, Jean Barr, and Monte Perkins. A native of Naperville, Ill., he now calls the Melrose neighborhood of Nashville home. 

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Peter Kolkay plays a Fox 601 bassoon and is a Fox Artist. 

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