the members
Cassandra Bendickson
A native Arizonan and Tucson freelancer on bassoon and contrabassoon, Cassandra holds a master's degree in Bassoon performance from the University of Arizona and has served as principal bassoon for a number of Tucson orchestras. In addition, she participates widely in small chamber gangs, like LüftBassoons, Tucson Duo Project, Crowded Quartet, Lend An Ear Chamber Players, and the "Garage Classical" series ChamberLab. Additionally, she maintains an active recording and live performance schedule with Peregrine Rose Trio with whom she performed in recital at the 2022 International Double Reed Society conference in Boulder, CO and with the Ladies Reeding Society. She has performed internationally in Mexico and Japan, and is an active member of the American Federation of Musicians, the International Society of Double Reeds, and teaches a growing studio of young bassoonists. Check out BocalSoup.com for more about Cassandra.
A native Arizonan and Tucson freelancer on bassoon and contrabassoon, Cassandra holds a master's degree in Bassoon performance from the University of Arizona and has served as principal bassoon for a number of Tucson orchestras. In addition, she participates widely in small chamber gangs, like LüftBassoons, Tucson Duo Project, Crowded Quartet, Lend An Ear Chamber Players, and the "Garage Classical" series ChamberLab. Additionally, she maintains an active recording and live performance schedule with Peregrine Rose Trio with whom she performed in recital at the 2022 International Double Reed Society conference in Boulder, CO and with the Ladies Reeding Society. She has performed internationally in Mexico and Japan, and is an active member of the American Federation of Musicians, the International Society of Double Reeds, and teaches a growing studio of young bassoonists. Check out BocalSoup.com for more about Cassandra.
Brenda Willer Buys
Tucson native, Brenda Willer Buys, completed her DMA in Bassoon Performance at the University of Arizona in 2017 writing her dissertation on the jazz-flavored works of composer Libby Larsen. A multi-instrumentalist, she also holds a Master's degree in woodwinds from Florida State University and a Bachelor's degree in both clarinet and bassoon from the University of Arizona. She has played with orchestras throughout Southern Arizona, served as second bassoon of the Tempe-based Arizona Pro Arte Ensemble, and had the pleasure of playing in recital at the International Double Reed Society Convention in Tampa, FL in 2019 celebrating the works of Samuel Wellman and in 2020's virtual IDRS conference with the LuftBassoons. In addition to teaching private music lessons and being a mother of two young children, she works at Fountain of Life Lutheran Church organizing worship and directing the Fountain Ringers and the Chancel Choir. More about Dr. Buys can be found at Willer's Woodwinds.
Tucson native, Brenda Willer Buys, completed her DMA in Bassoon Performance at the University of Arizona in 2017 writing her dissertation on the jazz-flavored works of composer Libby Larsen. A multi-instrumentalist, she also holds a Master's degree in woodwinds from Florida State University and a Bachelor's degree in both clarinet and bassoon from the University of Arizona. She has played with orchestras throughout Southern Arizona, served as second bassoon of the Tempe-based Arizona Pro Arte Ensemble, and had the pleasure of playing in recital at the International Double Reed Society Convention in Tampa, FL in 2019 celebrating the works of Samuel Wellman and in 2020's virtual IDRS conference with the LuftBassoons. In addition to teaching private music lessons and being a mother of two young children, she works at Fountain of Life Lutheran Church organizing worship and directing the Fountain Ringers and the Chancel Choir. More about Dr. Buys can be found at Willer's Woodwinds.
Daniel Hursey
Daniel Hursey began the bassoon at the age of 12, later studying with Michelle Simmons of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with the Tucson Symphony, Midland-Odessa Symphony and Chorale, Sinfonia Gulf Coast, Northwest Florida Orchestra, the Orlando Philharmonic, the Valdosta Symphony, and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico. Beginning in 2006, Mr. Hursey was the second bassoonist with the Tallahassee Symphony for three years and performed regularly around the area. In the summer of 2010, Daniel performed with the Lake Tahoe Music Festival and has participated in festivals abroad in Austria and Spain. He is a member of the Tucson-based bassoon quartet, LuftBassoons, who perform both domestically and internationally, and has recently completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Arizona. He has studied with Jeff Keesecker, William Dietz, Margaret Dudley, and Shelly Simmons.
Daniel Hursey began the bassoon at the age of 12, later studying with Michelle Simmons of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with the Tucson Symphony, Midland-Odessa Symphony and Chorale, Sinfonia Gulf Coast, Northwest Florida Orchestra, the Orlando Philharmonic, the Valdosta Symphony, and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico. Beginning in 2006, Mr. Hursey was the second bassoonist with the Tallahassee Symphony for three years and performed regularly around the area. In the summer of 2010, Daniel performed with the Lake Tahoe Music Festival and has participated in festivals abroad in Austria and Spain. He is a member of the Tucson-based bassoon quartet, LuftBassoons, who perform both domestically and internationally, and has recently completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Arizona. He has studied with Jeff Keesecker, William Dietz, Margaret Dudley, and Shelly Simmons.
HONORED GUEST ARTISTS
Peggy Dudley
Margaret (Peggy) Dudley, was born in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She completed her BA from the University of Michigan studying with Hugh Cooper and her MA from Manhattan School of Music where her teacher was Stephen Maxym. A scholarship gave her the opportunity to study at the
Musik Hochschule in Munich. After her first job as 1st Bassoonist of the Philharmonic Opera Orchestra in Nürnberg, Germany she became Solo Bassoonist with the Radio Orchestra of Frankfurt and later Asst. Solo Bassoonist of the Hr Sinfonie Orchester/Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. Alongside being active as a teacher, she has performed as soloist and chamber musician in the USA, South America, Asia and Europe.
Robert Williams
Robert Williams was Principal Bassoonist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra from 1974 to 2020. Prior to that he was a solo bassoonist with the Winnipeg Symphony, Winnipeg CBC Orchestra, Colorado Philharmonic and Tucson Symphony. He has also played summer engagements with the Minnesota Orchestra and Boston Symphony at Tanglewood. A native of Tucson, Arizona, he graduated with honors from the University of Arizona. He received his graduate degree at the University of Southern California. His major bassoon teachers include Wendal Jones, Leonard Sharrow and Norman Herzberg. Robert lives in Tucson with his wife, Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) English hornist Treva Womble and son Trevor. When not practicing or making reeds he enjoys fly-fishing and tying flies.
Peggy Dudley
Margaret (Peggy) Dudley, was born in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She completed her BA from the University of Michigan studying with Hugh Cooper and her MA from Manhattan School of Music where her teacher was Stephen Maxym. A scholarship gave her the opportunity to study at the
Musik Hochschule in Munich. After her first job as 1st Bassoonist of the Philharmonic Opera Orchestra in Nürnberg, Germany she became Solo Bassoonist with the Radio Orchestra of Frankfurt and later Asst. Solo Bassoonist of the Hr Sinfonie Orchester/Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. Alongside being active as a teacher, she has performed as soloist and chamber musician in the USA, South America, Asia and Europe.
Robert Williams
Robert Williams was Principal Bassoonist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra from 1974 to 2020. Prior to that he was a solo bassoonist with the Winnipeg Symphony, Winnipeg CBC Orchestra, Colorado Philharmonic and Tucson Symphony. He has also played summer engagements with the Minnesota Orchestra and Boston Symphony at Tanglewood. A native of Tucson, Arizona, he graduated with honors from the University of Arizona. He received his graduate degree at the University of Southern California. His major bassoon teachers include Wendal Jones, Leonard Sharrow and Norman Herzberg. Robert lives in Tucson with his wife, Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) English hornist Treva Womble and son Trevor. When not practicing or making reeds he enjoys fly-fishing and tying flies.
Juan José Arévalo (former member/founder)
Founder of the LüftBassoons Quartet, Juan José was born and raised in Donna, Texas and began his studies at the Conservatory of Music of Oberlin with George Sakakeeny. He later studied at the University of Arizona under William Dietz where he performed as bassoonist and contrabassoonist in the Arizona Symphony Orchestra. His other teachers have included Ron Dunmore, Gretchen Hausfeld and Martín García and he has taken master classes with Hugh Cooper and Robert Williams. In 2013 he premiered Green Ravine, a piece written for him by the composer Matthew Fields, co-commissioned a new bassoon sonata by composer Jim Stephenson, and is responsible for the very first and most recent pieces written for the LüftBassoons - “La República del Agua” by Juan Carlos Villaseñor in 2015 and “Fariseos” and “Frida”, by Nubia Jaime Donjuan in 2021.
Founder of the LüftBassoons Quartet, Juan José was born and raised in Donna, Texas and began his studies at the Conservatory of Music of Oberlin with George Sakakeeny. He later studied at the University of Arizona under William Dietz where he performed as bassoonist and contrabassoonist in the Arizona Symphony Orchestra. His other teachers have included Ron Dunmore, Gretchen Hausfeld and Martín García and he has taken master classes with Hugh Cooper and Robert Williams. In 2013 he premiered Green Ravine, a piece written for him by the composer Matthew Fields, co-commissioned a new bassoon sonata by composer Jim Stephenson, and is responsible for the very first and most recent pieces written for the LüftBassoons - “La República del Agua” by Juan Carlos Villaseñor in 2015 and “Fariseos” and “Frida”, by Nubia Jaime Donjuan in 2021.
