San Francisco-born bassoonist Michael Severance, 24, is among the 10 young instrumentalists from the Music Academy of the West selected from 68 candidates as Zarin Mehta Fellows, inaugurating the New York Philharmonic’s Global Academy Fellowship Program. The 10-day immersion program will begin on Jan. 3 and includes coaching, chamber music, and other professional development activities with Alan Gilbert and Philharmonic musicians in Avery Fisher Hall.
Severance has a master’s degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where he studied with Benjamin Kamins. He has performed with the Houston Symphony, Alabama Symphony Orchestra, and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and last year gave the world premiere of Alain Bernaud’s Bassoon Concerto at Rice.
He earned his B.A. music degree at the University of Texas, where he studied with Kristin Wolfe Jensen, and attended the Music Academy of the West in 2012 and 2014.
The New York Philharmonic’s partnership with the Music Academy of the West calls for Philharmonic conductors and musicians to be in residence in Santa Barbara for portions of Music Academy Summer Festivals through 2017, performing and taking part in master classes, chamber music coaching sessions, private lessons, and lectures. In August 2015 the New York Philharmonic will make its debut at the Santa Barbara County Bowl. In 2017 the orchestras will perform together under Gilbert's baton in Santa Barbara to commemorate the Music Academy of the West’s 70th anniversary.