The Kotas Project

Judith LeClair was born in 1958 and is from Newark, Delaware. Her first teacher was Shirley Curtiss and she later attended the Eastman School of Music and studied with K. David Van Hoesen. Her early career she was Principal Bassoonist with the San Diego Symphony and San Diego Opera. Since 1981 she has been the Principal Bassoon of the New York Philharmonic. She has been featured as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic over 50 times and premiered The Five Sacred Trees, a concerto written for her by John Williams. In addition, to her playing with the orchestra she has a very active solo and teaching career. She’s given recital and masterclasse at  Eastman School of Music, Northwestern University, New England Conservatory, Oberlin College, University of Michigan, Ohio University, and the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is also on faculty at the Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music.