Jennifer Cullinan, Oboe
Originally from Colorado, Jennifer Cullinan is Second Oboe/English Horn with the LA Opera and Second Oboe with the Santa Barbara Symphony. She regularly plays with orchestras across Southern California including the Pacific Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, LA Chamber Orchestra, Master Chorale, Pasadena Symphony, and New West Symphony. She was Principal oboe of the former Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra and has also performed with the Colorado Symphony and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta. In addition to her concert season, she actively records in the studios for film and television scores. You can hear her most recently on season 4 of the show Only Murders in the Building.
Jennifer completed her bachelor’s degree at the University of Colorado with Peter Cooper and a master’s degree at the University of Southern California with Dr. Allan Vogel and David Weiss. Additionally, she received an Artist’s Diploma from The Colburn School with Dr. Vogel.
A multiple recipient of oboe and English horn fellowships at the Aspen Music Festival and School, Jennifer had the pleasure of studying with Elaine Douvas, Richard Woodhams, and Pedro Diaz. She also participated in the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland under the direction of Pierre Boulez. As an active chamber musician, she has performed for series such as Camerata Pacifica, Chamber Music Palisades, the LACMA Sundays Live series, the South Bay Chamber Music Society, the Centrum Chamber Music Series in Port Townsend, WA, and most recently the Montage Music Society in Santa Fe, NM. Previously holding positions at the University of California Santa Barbara, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and Masters College, she is currently on faculty at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music.
When not performing, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband and two young boys.
Jennifer has played a Marigaux 901 since Peter Cooper introduced her to them in 2004. She is a proud owner of a new Marigaux 901A.
Paul Hanson, Bassoon
Paul Hanson’s musical journey is a testament of fearless dedication to craft and creativity. Over the last 20 years, Paul has rewritten the rulebook and set new standards for what is possible on this most classical of woodwind instruments. As one reviewer puts it, “But he simply transcends technique to a point where the listener no longer has in mind that it’s a BASSOON that he’s playing.”
His explorations have transcended limitations and created new possibilities-all while making music of the highest quality. Paul’s repertoire encompasses musical aspects of all modern styles of improvised music. From his roots as an award- winning classical bassoonist and jazz saxophonist- Paul has sought to expand the lexicon of the bassoon while creating a unique musical voice.
As a jazz/fusion bassoonist:
Paul has recorded and/or performed with Grammy winners Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Jon Batiste, Wayne Shorter and Taylor Eigsti. He has also recorded/ toured with Billy Cobham’s Crosswinds Ensemble, Peter Erskine, Billy Childs, Harmonica virtuoso Gregorie Maret, Billy Higgins, David Binney, Ray Charles, Charlie Hunter, Patrice Rushen, Alex Acuna, Dennis Chambers, Abraham Laboriel, Medeski Martin & Wood, Bob Weir’s RATDOG, T. Lavitz from Dixie Dregs, Jeff Coffin, Jeff Sipe, Jonas Hellborg, Afro/Cuban pianist Omar Sosa, Bob Moses, Kai Eckhardt, Peter Apfelbaum and the Hieroglyphics Ensemble, 60string bassist Ariane Cap in the group OoN, The Paul Dresher Ensemble, DAVKA, St. Joseph Ballet Company, The Klezmorim, as jazz soloist with the Oakland Eastbay Symphony Orchestra, as classical soloist with the Napa Symphony Orchestra (non-improvising) and many more.
As a sax player-Paul has recorded and/or performed with Eddie Money (tenor sax soloist on the 1985 hit song “Take Me Home Tonight”), Boz Scaggs, The Temptations, Tower of Power, Steve Smith, Tom Coster, Randy Jackson, What It Is, Omar Sosa, dobroist Rob Ickes, sessions for Lucas Arts Electronic Games, Sony Music and many more.
In 2008 Paul was invited to create his own role as electric improvising bassoonist in Cirque Du Soleil’s ZED-a resident show at Tokyo Disney Resort. This unique creation performed 380 shows a year from 2008-2011. To this day Cirque Du Soleil auditions bassoonists because of the ZED role Paul helped develop and create.
Paul has traveled throughout Europe, Japan, South America and the States. He has appeared as a bassoonist at Carnegie Hall, the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Brno Jazz Festival in Czech Republic, the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Berlin Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, the Ravinia Festival, the Leverkuzen Festival, the INTERLINK festival in Japan, the California Edge Festival 2005 and at numerous NAMM shows in Los Angeles and Nashville as a Legere Bassoon reed artist. As a performer/educator- Paul has performed and taught masterclasses at IDRS festivals from Rotterdam to Texas. He has given masterclasses at Ithaca College, Penn State University, Arizona State University, Oklahoma University, University of Wisconsin, Memphis State University, University of Northeaster Oklahoma, University of Arkansas and Portland State University-all specializing in modern performance techniques and improvisation for bassoonists and other classical instrumentalists. Paul has also been bassoon professor at Ithaca College School of Music in 2004. Paul was a featured clinician/performer at the 2013 IDRS Conference in Redlands CA and 2014 IDRS Conference in New York City as well as the 2016 IDRS Conference at Columbus, Georgia.
AWARDS AND EDUCATION
Paul was the 1996 Grand Prize winner of JAZZIZ Magazine’s WOODWINDS ON FIRE award-the first bassoonist ever to win. He also was the winner of the Robert Mondavi Woodwind concerto competition in 1984 in California. Paul was awarded an NEA Jazz Fellowship in 1995. Paul Hanson appears on Bela Fleck and the Flecktones album OUTBOUND which won a Grammy for best contemporary jazz recording of 2000.
Paul has a BM in Bassoon Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
