Karen Geoghegan is a Scottish bassoon

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. She appeared on the 2007 BBC Two

BBC Two

BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...

 reality show, Classical Star. She was spotted on the show by the managing director of Chandos Records

Chandos Records

Chandos Records is an independent classical music recording company based in Colchester, Essex, in the United Kingdom, founded in 1979 by Brian Couzens.- Background :...

, Ralph Couzens and she has gone on to record three albums with the independent label.

Biography

Geoghegan began studying the bassoon at the age of twelve with Russell Cowieson, having previously played the violin

Violin

The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....

 since the age of five. She later studied at the Junior Academy of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama

Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland is a conservatoire of music, drama, and dance in the centre of Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Educational Association, it is the busiest performing arts venue in Scotland...

 with Janet Bloxwich. She won the Gilbert Innes Prize for woodwind and the 2004 Concerto competition, and in 2004 and 2005 was awarded the Wolfson Scholarship. In 2006 she gave a recital on BBC Radio Scotland

BBC Radio Scotland

BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...

, and also performed the Hindemith

Paul Hindemith

Paul Hindemith was a German composer, violist, violinist, teacher, music theorist and conductor.- Biography :Born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Hindemith was taught the violin as a child...

 Trumpet and Bassoon Concerto with John Wallace. She was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland

National Youth Orchestra of Scotland

The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland has provided music education and performance experience for young musicians throughout Scotland since its formation in 1979....

 for four years and in 2007 performed with Camerata Scotland NYOS Futures.

, Geoghegan is in her final year at the Royal Academy of Music

Royal Academy of Music

The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...

 with John Orford

John Orford

John Orford is a British classical bassoonist. He studied under Charles Cracknell and William Waterhouse at the Royal Manchester College of Music. After graduation, he became a member of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta, and later the BBC Symphony Orchestra. In 1982, he was appointed Principal Bassoon...

. During her first year she performed the Mozart Bassoon Concerto

Bassoon Concerto (Mozart)

The Bassoon Concerto in B flat major, K. 191/186e, written in 1774 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is the most standard piece in the entire bassoon repertory...

 with the Academy String Orchestra, and received the Violet M. Wallace Award. She was runner-up in the BBC Two programme Classical Star for her performance 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 with the City of London Sinfonia

City of London Sinfonia

The City of London Sinfonia is an English chamber orchestra based in London. In London, the CLS performs regularly at Cadogan Hall and St Paul's Cathedral. It is also the resident orchestra at Opera Holland Park. The CLS has annual residencies in four towns in Southern England: Ipswich, King's...

 at LSO St Luke's

St Luke Old Street (church)

St Luke is a historic Anglican church building in the London Borough of Islington. It is now a music centre operated by the London Symphony Orchestra and known as LSO St Luke's. It is the home of the LSO's community and music education programme LSO Discovery...

. On 5 August 2009 she performed the Mozart Bassoon Concerto with the BBC Philharmonic

BBC Philharmonic

The BBC Philharmonic is a British broadcasting symphony orchestra based at Media City UK, Salford, England. It is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The orchestra's primary concert venue is the Bridgewater Hall....

 at the BBC Proms

The Proms

The Proms, more formally known as The BBC Proms, or The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hall in London...

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