Dr. Sean Barela - Snr. Bassoon coach 

​Dr. Sean Barela, a native of Southern California, enjoys an active and diverse career as a freelance bassoonist and as a music educator. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree with a minor in Psychology from the University of Southern California, where he studied with Stephen Maxym (former solo bassoon, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) and Rose Corrigan (principal bassoon, Pacific Symphony). He holds a Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with John Clouser (principal bassoon, Cleveland Orchestra). And a Doctor of Musical Arts degree with a minor in Music Education from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he designed and implemented a course in Pedagogical Methodology for graduate and undergraduate students in Music Education and taught primary bassoon lessons at the University of Rochester. 

He currently serves as a Teaching Artist with the Symphonic Jazz Orchestra, an organization that offers Music Education curricula to defunded public schools throughout Los Angeles County; with the Kadima Conservatory, an educational orchestral program for learners of all ages; and with Dana Middle School in Arcadia.  He has toured extensively throughout Europe and Asia, including a recent residency at the Jiangxi Normal University in Jiangxi, China and a series of concerts honoring late Jazz arranger Gil Evans in Perguia, Italy.  He has received a fellowship from the Los Angeles Philharmonic and numerous scholarships from organizations throughout the United States, including the Trustee Scholarship (full tuition) from the University of Southern California. 

​Dr. Barela has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Opera Santa Barbara, Monterey Symphony, Santa Monica Symphony, Temecula Valley Symphony, York Symphony, and Cleveland Bach Consort (among others)—having appeared as soloist with the Dana Point Symphony and Huntington Beach Symphony.  He currently serves and the Orchestral Contractor for Pasadena Opera.  Dr. Barela has worked with such notable conductors as Christoph von Dohnanyi, Jorge Mester, Kent Nagano, Carl St. Clair, Jeffrey Tate, and Michael Tilson Thomas.  Called “a fantastic, daring musician” by Maestro von Dohnanyi, his playing is celebrated for being rich with sophisticated lyricism, sparkling tone, and technical mastery. Dr. Barela plays on Heckel #7022 from 1930.