International
Chamber Artists

Keith Buncke began his tenure as principal bassoon of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in July 2015, having been appointed by Music Director Riccardo Muti. He previously served as principal bassoon with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, a post to which he was appointed in 2014 while still attending the Curtis Institute of Music.

 

At the age of eleven, Keith Buncke heard a recording of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto no. 1, with prominent parts for the oboe and bassoon, and was immediately struck by the sound of the double-reed instruments, favoring the bassoon in the end. Growing up in Portland, Oregon, he went on to study at the Interlochen Arts Academy. His major teachers include Daniel Matsukawa, Dr. Eric Stomberg, Mark Eubanks, and Lyle Dockendorff. He was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Festival and has participated in the festivals of Marlboro, La Jolla, Pacific, Sarasota, and the Music Academy of the West. He has also taught and given masterclasses at Aspen, Interlochen, and is an adjunct faculty at DePaul University.

​

    "Chamber music affords me the opportunity to make music in a more intimate setting; the chamber musician feels both closer to the audience as well as to the overall finished product, the ensemble sound. In addition, there is a level of self-direction and decision in programming that is an interesting departure from symphonic playing."

Keith Buncke, bassoon