David P. Coombs, Bassoon Contrabassoon

photo by Christian Colberg

Listen to David's interview with Judith Krummeck

See David's Impromptu feature from Overture Magazine

Chamber Music Performances:

October 28, 2012
April 28, 2013

In my free time, I like to.... play tennis, work in my garden, and learn about Web design.

If I hadn't become a contrabassoonist, I might have become a…computer programmer (I actually was one 30 years ago, when computers still filled entire rooms and used punch cards).

In my car, you'll most likely find me listening to…NPR or Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.

On my iPod, you’ll find…Mozart Piano Concertos, Monteverdi, Chopin, Sibelius, Celtic music, Bela Fleck, Mark O'Connor, Edgar Meyer, and Allison Krauss.

The ring tone on my cell phone is an actual ring. People with classical music ring tones drive me crazy!

My most embarrassing moments onstage were...

I was performing the Schubert Octet at the Second Presbyterian Church. We all came onstage, took our bow, and then I realized that I had forgotten my music backstage. The entire audience had to wait while I ran back to get it.

At a Casual Concert, former Music Director David Zinman referred to the contrabassoon as the "Roto Rooter of the orchestra".  I guess he thought it was funnier than I did.

The last book I read was…The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo.

If I could choose another instrument, it would be the…English Horn.  There are so many wonderful solos written for it.