Phillip A. M. Kolker, Principal Bassoon

photo by Christian Colberg

Principal Bassoonist of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra since 1972, Phillip Kolker made his first appearance as a professional bassoonist with the Albany Symphony Orchestra when he was just fourteen years old.  Since then he has appeared as a soloist with the BSO as well as with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra and internationally, with orchestras in Spain and Taiwan.   Conductors he has worked with include Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Sergiu Commissiona, David Zinman, Yuri Temirkanov, Marin Alsop, Leon Fleisher, Eugene Ormandy, Leopold Stokowski, Pierre Monteux, Erich Leinsdorf, Antal Dorati, Howard Hansen, Frederick Fennell, Alexander Schneider and Jean Martinon.  He has performed chamber music throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, appearing with such players as flutist Robert Willoughby, oboist John Mack, English horn player Thomas Stacy, clarinetists Anthony Gigliotti, Franklin Cohen and Larry Combs, pianist Malcolm Frager, violinist Hilary Hahn and cellist Anner Bylsma.

Mr. Kolker is a member of the Artist Faculty at the Peabody Conservatory where he also serves as Chair of the Department of Orchestral Instruments.  He has also been a visiting Professor at the Eastman School of Music, and has presented master classes at the Curtis Institute, Eastman, the National Orchestral Institute, the Glickman-Popkin Bassoon Camp in addition to serving as guest faculty for the Interlochen National Music Camp and in Korea and Taiwan.  In addition, he has been a featured recitalist at several International Double Reed Conventions and serves on the Executive Committee of the IDRS.  For many years Mr. Kolker has been a key participant at “Music from Gretna.”  His playing can be heard on several BSO recordings which can be found under the Vanguard, Telarc, London, Sony and Argo labels.