Brian G. McKee, D.M.A.
Bassoonist | Educator | Ensemble Performer | Recitals | Reed Making | Ensemble Coaching
Dr. Brian McKee is a bassoonist, teacher, and arts administrator based in Monterey County, California. A committed educator and mentor to young students, he currently serves as the Operations Manager for the California Youth Symphony (CYS). Prior to coming to CYS, he served as Program Director at Youth Orchestra Salinas, an El Sistema-inspired youth orchestra program, where he managed operations, event production, served as a woodwinds instructor, and taught bassoon. A San Francisco Bay Area native, he moved back to California from Denton, Texas, where he served as Academic Counselor for Graduate Studies at the University of North Texas College of Music and was a teacher and performer around the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. He maintains an active performing career and has appeared with several ensembles in Northern California, including the Santa Cruz and Monterey Symphonies, Ensemble Monterey, and the choral-orchestral ensemble I Cantori di Carmel. From 2019-2022 he held the position of Principal Bassoon in the Monroe (Louisiana) Symphony Orchestra and also played with the McKinney Philharmonic and Lone Star Wind Orchestra in Dallas, Texas. He is a member of the American Federation of Musicians, International Double Reed Society, and Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society. Recent performances include recitals given at the 2024 International Double Reed Society Conference in Flagstaff, Arizona, and at the 2023 conference in Bangkok, Thailand. As a young student, he was a member of the Peninsula Youth Orchestra, where he was a concerto competition winner and went on several international tours.
Brian maintains a private studio, and some of his additional recent teaching engagements include ensemble coaching at Youth Orchestra Salinas, masterclasses and guest artist appearances at California Orchestral Academy (COA), Festival de Música Orquestal (FESMO) in Mexico, University of Texas at Arlington, Bocal Majority Double Reed Camp, and Centro Nacional de la Música in Costa Rica. Other music festival appearances include the National Music Festival in Chestertown, Maryland, Hot Springs Music Festival in Arkansas, and the Talis Festival and Academy in Saas-Fee, Switzerland. He can be heard on the Grammy-winning album "American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom" (BFM Jazz, Best Large Ensemble Jazz Album - 2019) by John Daversa. He is also heard on "An Open Book: 25 Preludes for Piano and Orchestra" by Jorge Mejia (Sony Music Latin, 2018 Latin Grammy Nominee), as well as "One for All," an album recorded by the Barcelona Clarinet Players and the Lone Star Wind Orchestra (GIA Publications, 2019). He holds degrees from the Frost School of Music at University of Miami (D.M.A.), Arizona State University (M.M.), and University of Oregon (B.M.), and studied bassoon with Gabriel Beavers, Albie Micklich, and Steve Vacchi.
His doctoral essay, "A Pedagogical Exploration of Selected Art Songs by Franz Schubert Transcribed for Bassoon" explores his transcription process of four art songs taken from Franz Schubert’s song cycle, Die Schöne Müllerin, and notes musical similarities paralleling vocal performance and lyrical bassoon playing characteristics.
Aside from music, he enjoys spending time in California’s breathtaking great outdoors, traveling, cooking, and photography, and can be found documenting many of his new adventures in pictures.
Brian's primary professional services:
- Large and small ensembles (bassoon/contrabassoon, all parts)
- Chamber music (section or solo playing)
- Private and group bassoon lessons (in home, at school, or online)
- Chamber music coaching (any ensemble)
- Reeds and reed making classes
- Basic music theory (classroom or tutoring)
- Logistical and operational services for performances
Contact Brian: brgmckee[at]gmail[dot]com