Mark Gaydon

Mark has been Principal Bassoonist with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra since 2003. He has appeared as soloist performing works by Mozart, Weber, Zwilich, Strauss and others. He has also appeared as guest principal bassoon with the Sydney, Queensland, Tasmanian and New Zealand symphony orchestras.

As a chamber musician he has performed with Elision Ensemble, The Southern Cross Soloists, the New London Chamber Ensemble, the Tancibudek Wind Quintet and his own group Ensemble Le Monde.

An avid teacher, Mark has been Associate Instructor at the Indiana University School of Music, a guest artist at the Australian National Academy of Music, bassoon tutor for the Australian Youth Orchestra, AYO National Music Camp and Young Symphonists programs, and Bassoon Instructor at the Elder Conservatorium since 2005.

Mark has a PhD in music from the University of Adelaide and was awarded a Dean of Graduate Studies Special Commendation for Thesis Excellence. In 2005 he won the ABC Young Performer of the Year wind, brass and percussion section. Mark is a keen supporter of Australian composers and has commissioned and premiered works for the bassoon by Gerard Brophy, Andrew Schultz, Katy Abbott, James Cuddeford, Luke Altmann and Charles Bodman Rae. Mark’s teachers include Kim Walker and Stephane Levesque.