Meet the Student: Q&A with Bassoonist Preston Atkins

Preston Atkins, from Cedar Falls, Iowa, entered Curtis in 2022 and studies bassoon with Daniel Matsukawa. All students at Curtis receive merit-based, full-tuition scholarships, and Mr. Atkins is a Curtis Institute of Music Fellow.

You began your musical journey at age four, playing the piano, then the violin, oboe, bassoon, and organ. Out of all the instruments you’ve studied, what intrigued you the most about the bassoon, and what led you to pursue a career as a bassoonist?
Piano and bassoon are the primary instruments that I am familiar with, although I also have a lot of experience with organ and violin. Compared to the piano, I think that the uniqueness and very wide range of opportunities attracted me to pursue the bassoon seriously. I feel that it can be hard to break into the piano world unless you have a lot of success at a very young age, which is quite different for bassoon, given that some don’t start playing until 18 years old! However, I credit my piano studies with forming most of my musical intuition and personality. When I started bassoon, it was mainly a matter of building my technique and transferring my musical ideas. I still enjoy performing and accompanying on piano today.

What has been the most interesting, surprising, or inspiring thing about your time here at Curtis so far?
I have loved the highly intimate and personal atmosphere that Curtis offers, and it is always so humbling and inspiring to see my fellow students winning the biggest auditions and competitions around the world. The orchestra program also offers so many great opportunities; playing under conductors such as Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Osmo Vänskä as a student is an unparalleled opportunity

What do you look forward to the most about studying here at Curtis?
Being able to apply what I learn immediately in the playing opportunities presented to me is a big thing that I look forward to now and in the future. This goes along with the motto “learn by doing.”

Watch Preston Atkins perform Carl Maria von Weber’s Bassoon Concerto, Op. 75 with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra under the baton of conductor Salvador Brotons.

You’ve participated in various prestigious programs and competitions. What are some of your most memorable performance experiences?
All of the amazing performances this past summer as a member of the National Youth Orchestra in Europe were incredibly exciting. Being a member of the New York String Orchestra Seminar was also a great experience. I also have enjoyed playing solo with orchestras in Vancouver (WA) and La Crosse and playing at the recital series several times at Curtis. This summer, I am really looking forward to playing the Schubert octet, among other wind chamber music masterpieces, in France at the academy of the Festival d’aix en Provence.

When you aren’t playing the bassoon or making reeds, what are some of your interests outside of school?
My musical studies take up much of my time right now, but I also love to be in nature and spend time with friends in my free time. I also have a YouTube channel that I enjoy uploading videos on.

Photos of Mr. Atkins by Nichole MCH Photography.