Judith LeClair

Bassoonist Judith LeClair, of Parkersburg, W.Va., has been a faculty member since 1983. As principal bassoonist of the New York Philharmonic since 1981, she has made more than 50 solo appearances with the orchestra. Previously she was principal bassoonist with the San Diego Symphony and Opera. LeClair, an active chamber music performer, is also on Juilliard’s chamber music faculty. She has given recitals at Juilliard, Eastman, Oberlin, Michigan State, and Ohio University. She premiered John Williams’s Five Sacred Trees for bassoon and orchestra, recorded it with the London Symphony for Sony Classical, and performed the piece with the New York Philharmonic and San Francisco Symphony. LeClair has performed at the Bay Chamber, Bridgehampton, Music from Angel Fire, Aspen, and Cape Cod music festivals. She is a member of the Philharmonic Quintet of New York. LeClair attended Eastman School of Music, where she studied with K. David Van Hoesen. She also studied with Shirley Curtiss at Settlement Music School, Philadelphia.