Long Biography
Paula Brusky won the Endeavor International Postgraduate Research Scholarship and was the first candidate awarded a PhD in Performance from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Her career as an outstanding academic began with a Bachelor of Music from Northwestern University where she graduated cum laude. Brusky went on to receive a Master of Music from Indiana University.
Not just an academic, Brusky is an accomplished bassoon performer having played principal bassoon with the Sydney Chamber Orchestra. On top of numerous solo and chamber performances she has played with Colleguim Musicum Choir, Sydney Philharmonic Choir, Sydney Youth Orchestra, Symphony Australia, Indiana University Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, the Columbus Philharmonic Orchestra and the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra. Her most recent solo performance was awarded a "high distinction" from the examining panel which included famous bassoonist Kim Walker who described the performance as "all the aspects of your playing have come together - it felt flowing, easy and the big picture is really inspiring."
Brusky's passion for bassoon playing and dedication to academia culminate in her teaching Having taught bassoon since she was 16, Brusky has taught all levels of bassoon most recently assisting Andrew Barnes at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Not satisfied with the traditional bassoon teaching methods, Brusky arranges popular tunes to excite her younger students. She also conducts research into altering the bassoon pedagogy to limit the likelihood of performance-related musculoskeletal disorders in the bassoonists of the future.
When not performing, teaching, or researching, Brusky is addicted to the water. She loves to surf, water-ski, swim, and is an avid scuba diver who has spent more than 8,173 minutes underwater. On land Brusky is a die-hard Green Bay Packers fan, attending her first game at the age of 4. She also enjoys cooking, reading, golf, and being outdoors. It is not unusual for Brusky to bring her bassoon on a hike to find a desolate location to play under a tree or by a lake.