Biography
Garrett Paul McQueen, teacher, performer, and mentor, has been playing the bassoon in his hometown of Memphis and across the country since 1999. As well as performing as a member of the South Arkansas Symphony, American Youth Symphony, Memphis Repertory Orchestra and the Eroica Ensemble, he has worked with groups including the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Jackson (TN) Symphony Orchestra, Brentwood-Westwood Symphony Orchestra, West Covina Symphony, the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra, the Southeast Symphony (Los Angeles), and is the latest winner of the Detroit Symphony Fellowship Chair. He has also enjoyed giving multiple solo recitals, performing with the Godiva Woodwind Quintet and USC Scholarship Quintet (2 consecutive years), giving master classes, serving as adjudicator for West Tennessee Band auditions, and teaching a studio of flutists/oboists/bassoonists consisting of middle school, high school, and undergraduate college students. He has performed in multiple Broadway Musicals in Memphis under the baton of David Spencer, can be heard as principal bassoonist on a CD of music for Wind Ensemble by Eric Ewazen, produced by Albany Records, and keeps himself busy in free-lance activities, including being featured in Indie Rock tracks produced by Goner Records (2009) and True Panther Sounds (2010), and appearing on Fox's television show, "Glee".
His affinity for 20th and 21st century music drives his passion for playing the bassoon, and he has performed such solo literature as Kevin Gray's “The Spanish Flying Machine”, Alexander Tansman's “Sonatine for Bassoon and Piano” and "Suite for Bassoon and Piano", Willson Osborne's “Rhapsody for Bassoon”, Paul Hindemith's “Concerto for Trumpet, Bassoon, and String Orchestra”, and Eric Ewazen's “Concerto for Bassoon and Wind Ensemble”. In a performance of his “Concerto for Bassoon and Wind Ensemble,” Eric Ewazen noted his “wonderful playing” and characterized McQueen as someone who “gives a great performance of [his] piece”.
McQueen's teachers and mentors include Ron Turner, Paula Turner, and Mike McKenzie, all local musicians and teachers in the Memphis area. He studied bassoon with internationally acclaimed bassoonists, Lecolion Washington and Judith Farmer. It is through these individuals where McQueen's passion and drive for teaching and performing was seeded.
Garrett McQueen’s objectives for the future are numerous. With a large background in Music Education, it is one of his goals to one day earn a Doctorate of Musical Arts, and to become a Professor of Bassoon at a college or university here in the United States. McQueen also hopes to play and even commission new works for bassoon, and to be involved in the growing Wind Ensemble repertory throughout his career. He has a strong desire for a larger collection of solo works for bassoon and Wind Ensemble to be heard and performed more regularly; therefore, a plan for arranging standard pieces for bassoon and piano to bassoon and Wind Ensemble interests him, and will definitely be in the works in the years to come. McQueen loves the bassoon, and loves music, and is ready for any and every challenge.
McQueen has a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Memphis in Memphis, TN, a Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA, and is currently involved with the Memphis Repertory Orchestra and the Eroica Ensemble. He will begin a fellowship with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra this fall.
His affinity for 20th and 21st century music drives his passion for playing the bassoon, and he has performed such solo literature as Kevin Gray's “The Spanish Flying Machine”, Alexander Tansman's “Sonatine for Bassoon and Piano” and "Suite for Bassoon and Piano", Willson Osborne's “Rhapsody for Bassoon”, Paul Hindemith's “Concerto for Trumpet, Bassoon, and String Orchestra”, and Eric Ewazen's “Concerto for Bassoon and Wind Ensemble”. In a performance of his “Concerto for Bassoon and Wind Ensemble,” Eric Ewazen noted his “wonderful playing” and characterized McQueen as someone who “gives a great performance of [his] piece”.
McQueen's teachers and mentors include Ron Turner, Paula Turner, and Mike McKenzie, all local musicians and teachers in the Memphis area. He studied bassoon with internationally acclaimed bassoonists, Lecolion Washington and Judith Farmer. It is through these individuals where McQueen's passion and drive for teaching and performing was seeded.
Garrett McQueen’s objectives for the future are numerous. With a large background in Music Education, it is one of his goals to one day earn a Doctorate of Musical Arts, and to become a Professor of Bassoon at a college or university here in the United States. McQueen also hopes to play and even commission new works for bassoon, and to be involved in the growing Wind Ensemble repertory throughout his career. He has a strong desire for a larger collection of solo works for bassoon and Wind Ensemble to be heard and performed more regularly; therefore, a plan for arranging standard pieces for bassoon and piano to bassoon and Wind Ensemble interests him, and will definitely be in the works in the years to come. McQueen loves the bassoon, and loves music, and is ready for any and every challenge.
McQueen has a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Memphis in Memphis, TN, a Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA, and is currently involved with the Memphis Repertory Orchestra and the Eroica Ensemble. He will begin a fellowship with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra this fall.
