Faculty

Hailed as a “soloist, teacher, and force of nature” by The Double Reed (Journal of the International Double Reed Society), bassoonist Christin Schillinger specializes in the accessibility of the avant-garde, aiming to broaden the audience for both new music and bassoon. American Record Guide refers to her playing as “full of life and inspiration.”  “She plays [bassoon] with total mastery.” (Fanfare)
 
Schillinger works closely with living composers. Her newest solo album, Bassoon Unbounded (2018), highlights works from the 21st Century written in her dedication. Her prior solo albums, Bassoon Transcended (2013) and Bassoon Surrounded (2009), produced for MSR Classics by Swineshead Productions, include world-premiere recordings of new works. Collaborative composers remark on her “natural interpretation” and “perfect musical choices.”
 
To facilitate the demands on 21st-century bassoonists, Schillinger researches reed-making consistency and pedagogy. Her 2016 book, Bassoon Reed Making (Indiana University Press) details current and historic trends in this field. Schillinger’s groundbreaking research extends to guest lectures and residencies throughout the United States and Europe.
 
Schillinger is a dedicated advocate for women in the Art Music industry. She is the creator and administrator of fEMPOWER: a social networking platform for bassoonists identifying as female. She is also a founding member of LIMITLESS Collective: an all-female chamber ensemble who re-imagines the prevailing performance paradigm to include works of women, people of color, the LGBTQ community, and emerging composers. LIMITLESS Collective appears regularly throughout the United States as performers, speakers, and educators.
 
Schillinger is currently on faculty at Ithaca College in New York, where she leads “Ithaca Bassooniversity.”. Previously, she has held positions with Miami University, the University of Nevada, and various orchestras throughout the west. Schillinger received her degrees from Northwestern, Michigan State, and Arizona State Universities under the guidance of Robert Barris, Barrick Stees, Michael Kroth, Jeffrey Lyman, and Albie Micklich.