Tenured in 1999

Judith Farmer enjoys a rich and varied career as a chamber musician, orchestra musician, soloist and teacher. She received her education at Indiana University and at the Hochschule fuer Musik in Vienna. From 1984-1996 she was principal bassoonist of the Austrian Radio Symphony Orchestra, performed and toured regularly with the Camerata Academica Salzburg under Sandor Vegh and with numerous chamber music ensembles in Vienna. Ms. Farmer has appeared as a soloist in the U.S. and in Europe, including the Salzburg Festival, and has participated in chamber music festivals in Prussia Cove (UK), Martha’s Vineyard (MA), Salem (NY), La Jolla (CA), Oaxaca (Mexico), Beverly Hills (CA) and Garth Newel (VA). For the 1995-96 season she held the position of visiting professor at the Hochschule fuer Musik in Graz, Austria. She has also taught at the International Mozart Academy in Prague, the Chautauqua Music Festival and the Henry Mancini Institute.

In 1996 Ms. Farmer moved to Los Angeles and since then has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic – including as guest associate principal in spring of 2009 – as well as for over 100 major motion pictures. She is currently principal bassoonist of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, a member of the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra and the Long Beach Symphony.

Judith Farmer teaches bassoon at the University of Southern California. She is an avid chamber musician, who enjoys collaborating with composers on new works and has had a number of works written and dedicated to her. Her recordings as a soloist and chamber musician are available on Albany, Ex-House and Orfeo Records.

Critics have described bassoonist Judith Farmer’s playing as “impeccable” (American Record Guide), “masterly” (Fanfare Magazine) and “brilliant” (Kronenzeitung, Austria). Barnaby Rayfield also noted in the July/August 2011 issue of Fanfare Magazine: ” … the playing on [composer Gernot Wolfgang’s CD Short Stories] is uniformly excellent, especially from Judith Farmer on bassoon, finding expressive extremes of that instrument I didn’t think possible.”

Leslie Lashinsky plays lots of low notes. She has been a member of the Long Beach Symphony since 1980. Her other orchestral credits include the L.A. Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic, L.A. Opera, Bolshoi, ABT and Joffrey Ballets, Glendale and Pacific Symphonies, L.A. Chamber and Hollywood Bowl Orchestras, and many theatrical productions., She has played bassoon and contrabassoon on many soundtracks, including Jurassic Park, The Lion King, The Matrix, The Chronicles of Narnia, Spiderman 3 and Enchanted, as well as chamber music recordings. Leslie has toured the world with Zubin Mehta, Leonard Bernstein and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Her original music and multimedia works have been included in Lincoln Center’s “Serious Fun Festival,” The Los Angeles Festival, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and New Music Across America. Leslie holds an M.F.A. from The California Institute of the Arts (Cal Arts) and a B.A. from Middlebury College. She has taught at Art Center College of Design and is currently on the faculty of Pepperdine University. Leslie teaches privately and coaches musicians preparing for auditions.

Tenured in 1982

Julie Feves is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music. She has performed extensively as a soloist, chamber performer and orchestra principal in music ranging from the baroque to the avant-garde. The New York Times has praised her “virtuosic flair” and The San Francisco Examiner admired “the sureness of her pitch and the tenderness of her phrasing.” Ms. Feves has appeared with numerous orchestras throughout the United States, including the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the American Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Aspen Festival Orchestras. Currently Ms. Feves serves as principal bassoonist with the Long Beach Symphony. She has performed contemporary music with the New Century Players, Speculum Musicae, and the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. Performing on early bassoons, she has worked with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, the Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra, the Mozartean Players, and the Pernucio Ensemble. As a chamber music artist, Ms. Feves performs regularly her Baroque group, Bach’s Circle and with the new Long Beach Chamber Players. She appears regularly with Chamber Music Northwest in Portland, Oregon. She has also appeared with Music from Angel Fire in Angel Fire, New Mexico, with the Bravo Colorado Music Festival in Vail, Colorado and as a guest artist with the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society. She has recorded for Delos, Columbia Records, Nonesuch, Harmonia Mundi, Leonarda, Nine Winds, and the AudioQuest labels. She is also active as a recording musician for major motion picture and television studios in Los Angeles. Currently Ms. Feves serves as Associate Dean and Director of Instrumental Performance programs in the School of Music at the California Institute of the Arts.