Peter Musson Explained

Peter Musson (21 May 1940; Auckland – 8 April 2022; Brisbane) was a bassoonist and bassoon teacher. He was a principal bassoonist in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Senior Lecturer in bassoon at the Queensland Conservatorium and was a soloist and member of chamber music ensembles.^[1]

Background

Peter Musson received his education from Auckland Grammar School and St Peter's College.^[2] He gained a reputation as a child prodigy on clarinet, studying with George Hopkins, later moving to bassoon. In 1956, he auditioned for a position with the NZBC orchestra under James Robertson, the resident conductor of the orchestra, (who had instituted a policy of regular auditioning and reauditioning^[3]). Musson was appointed^[4] and, at the age of 16, became the youngest ever member of the NZBC Symphony Orchestra.^{[5] [6]}

Professional career

Peter remained with the NZBC Symphony Orchestra for twelve years (June 1956-March 1967^[7]), becoming Principal Bassoonist and also a member of the New Zealand Wind Quintet. In 1967, he left New Zealand in order to broaden his musical experience and travelled widely. After a period as a free-lance player in London, he was appointed to Principal Bassoon positions with, in turn, the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast, the Durban Symphony Orchestra in South Africa, the Niederrhein Sinfoniker in Germany and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in Brisbane. Peter also appeared as Guest Principal with such orchestras as London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Gurzenich Orchestra of Cologne, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed widely as a soloist and as a member of chamber music ensembles.^{[1] [5] [8]}

Teaching

Peter also had a very successful teaching career with former students, having held professional playing and teaching positions on four continents.^[9] He has been on staff at the Belfast School of Music, the Krefeld Musikschule and the Queensland Conservatorium where he was Senior Lecturer in Bassoon and Chamber Music until 2002.^{[1] [5]}

Family

Peter Musson had three children: Donna, Paul and Guy.

Discography

"From Fire by Fire" Queensland Wind Soloists 4MBS 1990

"William Hurlstone Chamber Music" Continuum 2001

Notes and References

1. Web site: Peter Musson - Bassoon. Opera in the Paddock.
2. St Peter's College Magazine 1960, St Peter's College, Auckland, 1960, p. 82.
3. Owen Jensen, The NZBC Symphony Orchestra, AH & AW Reed, Wellington, 1966, p. 54
4. Jensen, p. 92.
5. Web site: Musson . Peter. Biography. Musson Bassoon Reeds.
6. Joy Tonks, The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra: The First Forty Years, Reed Methuen, Auckland, 1986, p. 72.
7. Tonks, p. 277.
8. for example, "An evening of music from Pacific Winds", Waikato Time, 24 Mar 2003, Edn 2, p. 8: at this concert Musson appeared with five other soloists of various other instruments and they played works including: Mozart and Beethoven's Quintets and Ludwig Thuille's Sextet for piano and winds, Francis Poulenc's sextet and Jean-Michel Damase's 17 Variations.
9. http://australianchamberensemble.com/Content/?page_id=7 for example, Paul Rodgers, fmr Principal Durban SO, Judy Wood, fmr Principal Queensland Philharmonic, Leesa Dean, fmr Principal QSO, Mark Gaydon, Principal Adelaide SO, Leah Stephenson, 2nd bassoon Adelaide SO, Claire Ramuscak, Australian Chamber Ensemble and QSO.