Estonian-born bassoon virtuoso Martin Kuuskmann's charismatic and entertaining performances throughout the world have earned him repute as one of the leading solo instrumentalists. The New York Times praised Kuuskmann’s playing thus: “dynamic…amazing…Kuuskmann played stunningly…” and in 2008 he received a Grammy Nomination for his recording of David Chesky’s Bassoon Concerto. As a strong advocate for new music, Kuuskmann has premiered eight bassoon concertos written especially for him by Christopher Theofanidis, David Chesky, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Eino Tamberg, Tõnu Kõrvits, Gregor Huebner,…
Estonian-born bassoon virtuoso Martin Kuuskmann’s charismatic and entertaining performances throughout the world have earned him repute as one of the leading solo instrumentalists. The New York Times praised Kuuskmann’s playing thus: “dynamic…amazing…Kuuskmann played stunningly…” and in 2008 he received a Grammy Nomination for his recording of David Chesky’s Bassoon Concerto.
As a strong advocate for new music, Kuuskmann has premiered eight bassoon concertos written especially for him by Christopher Theofanidis, David Chesky, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Eino Tamberg, Tõnu Kõrvits, Gregor Huebner, Gene Pritsker and Charles Coleman, and is working on upcoming concertos by Miguel Kertsman; his collaboration with composers including Daniel Schnyder, Helena Tulve and jazz icon John Patitucci have lead to numerous new solo works from bassoon and string quartet to bassoon and electronics. Kuuskmann has performed Michael Daugherty’s madcap concerto "Dead Elvis" across the world nearly 50 times.
A sought-after soloist, Kuuskmann has been invited by the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, New York Philharmonic, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Macao Orchestra, Nordic Symphony Orchestra, Riga Sinfonietta and Grazioso Chamber Orchestra of Hungarian National Philharmonic, among others. A frequent guest at festivals, Kuuskmann appears regularly at the Järvi Summer Festival, Bremen Musikfest, as well as Landsberg, Kuhmo, Gaia, Umeå, Menuhin Festival Gstaad, to name a few. Kuuskmann is a founding member and solo bassoonist of the New York City based Absolute Ensemble.
A graduate of the Yale and the Manhattan Schools of Music, Kuuskmann’s mentors include Stephen Maxym, Frank Morelli, Ilmar Aasmets and Rufus Olivier. An avid educator, Kuuskmann teaches at the Manhattan School of Music and the Cornish College of Arts, serves as the woodwind coach of the Baltic Youth Philharmonic and teaches regularly at the Arosa Master Classes in Switzerland, among others. An artist of Moosmann bassoons and Miller Marketing Company, Martin Kuuskmann plays on the Moosmann 222E model and on reeds by KJI, Gumin and Légere.
www.martinkuuskmann.com
Sept 2012