John Miller, Jr (bassoonist)
Encyclopedia
John Miller is an American bassoon
ist. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1942.
Miller received his early musical training at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore
and the New England Conservatory in Boston
. He also holds a BS degree in humanities and engineering from MIT and was awarded a Fulbright grant for music study in Amsterdam
. While in Boston, he founded the Bubonic Bassoon Quartet and made the premier recording of the Hummel
Bassoon Concerto, released along with the Weber
Concerto on Cambridge Records.
Miller assumed his present position as principal bassoon of the Minnesota Orchestra
in 1971, when he also joined the music faculty of the University of Minnesota
. Since then, he has continued his solo career, performing numerous times with the Minnesota Orchestra
, as well as many other orchestras. He has also presented master classes and recitals at many of the world’s major conservatories and music schools.
For more than 20 years, Miller was a member of the American Reed Trio. Among his solo recordings are four concerto
s by Vivaldi and the Mozart and Vanhal bassoon concertos, all conducted by Sir Neville Marriner on two Pro Arte discs. He was featured in the 1968 Cambridge Records release of Hummel's
Bassoon Concerto in F. His teachers have included Louis Skinner, Arthur Weisberg
, Stanley Petrulis, Sherman Walt
, Stephen Maxym, and Thom de Klerk. One of Miller’s educational activities, the Nordic Bassoon Symposium, begun in 1984 as the John Miller Bassoon Symposium, has attracted an international mix of hundreds of professional, student, and amateur bassoonists.
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
ist. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1942.
Miller received his early musical training at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and the New England Conservatory in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. He also holds a BS degree in humanities and engineering from MIT and was awarded a Fulbright grant for music study in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. While in Boston, he founded the Bubonic Bassoon Quartet and made the premier recording of the Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel or Jan Nepomuk Hummel was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the Romantic musical era.- Life :...
Bassoon Concerto, released along with the Weber
Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school....
Concerto on Cambridge Records.
Miller assumed his present position as principal bassoon of the Minnesota Orchestra
Minnesota Orchestra
The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.Emil Oberhoffer founded the orchestra as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, and it gave its first performance on November 5 of that year. In 1968 the orchestra changed to its name to the Minnesota Orchestra...
in 1971, when he also joined the music faculty of the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. Since then, he has continued his solo career, performing numerous times with the Minnesota Orchestra
Minnesota Orchestra
The Minnesota Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.Emil Oberhoffer founded the orchestra as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra in 1903, and it gave its first performance on November 5 of that year. In 1968 the orchestra changed to its name to the Minnesota Orchestra...
, as well as many other orchestras. He has also presented master classes and recitals at many of the world’s major conservatories and music schools.
For more than 20 years, Miller was a member of the American Reed Trio. Among his solo recordings are four concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
s by Vivaldi and the Mozart and Vanhal bassoon concertos, all conducted by Sir Neville Marriner on two Pro Arte discs. He was featured in the 1968 Cambridge Records release of Hummel's
Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel or Jan Nepomuk Hummel was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the Romantic musical era.- Life :...
Bassoon Concerto in F. His teachers have included Louis Skinner, Arthur Weisberg
Arthur Weisberg
Arthur Weisberg was an American bassoonist, conductor, composer and author.-Biography:Weisberg was born in New York City. He attended the Fiorello H...
, Stanley Petrulis, Sherman Walt
Sherman Walt
Sherman Walt was one of the foremost American bassoonists of the 20th Century. Born in Minnesota, he served in the U.S. Army in World War II, winning a Bronze Star; after his discharge from the service he joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as principal bassoonist. He then studied at the...
, Stephen Maxym, and Thom de Klerk. One of Miller’s educational activities, the Nordic Bassoon Symposium, begun in 1984 as the John Miller Bassoon Symposium, has attracted an international mix of hundreds of professional, student, and amateur bassoonists.