Bio - Adam Trussell Double Reeds

About Me

Originally from Portland, Maine, Adam Trussell is now the Contrabassoonist of the Houston Symphony. He won the position in 2018. Adam is also the Principal Bassoonist of Oregon Ballet Theater. In the past he has held full time positions with the Oregon Symphony (2011-2019) and the Omaha Symphony (2006-2011). During the summers Adam plays with the Colorado Music Festival. He has played there since 2011 in addition to many other festivals.

Adam is a dedicated teacher and has extensive experience teaching students of all ages. He has been on the faculties of Lewis and Clark College, University of Portland, Concordia University, University of Nebraska at Omaha, and Creighton University. Adam loves teaching younger students and has helped out with numerous schools and their band programs. When unable to teach in person, Adam has had a lot of success teaching students on line via FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom. Adam also teaches adults and retirees at Midsummer Musical Retreat in Walla Walla, WA.

In addition to playing in orchestras and teaching, Adam has a business selling bassoons and finished bassoon reeds and contrabassoon reeds. He has been the owner of Portland Bassoon Company since 2015.

Adam holds degrees from New England Conservatory in Boston, MA and Rice University in Houston, TX.

Testimonials

Our middle school band teacher recommended that my son take bassoon lessons. Mostly because the bassoon is not something every middle school band teacher has a lot of expertise at but because she recognized my son had a talent for playing and she wanted him to excel at the bassoon. She needed someone who could further my son’s development and knowledge and she highly recommended Adam to us. It was a match made in heaven. Adam is very organized, helpful, encouraging, attentive, detailed, responsive and creative. He ensures his students love playing their instrument and that they are successful. Adam is passionate about music. He is very knowledgeable about bassoons and reeds. My son played about year before we started purchasing Adam’s reeds. What a difference that made! Adam also helped us find the perfect bassoon for my son at a price we could afford. My son continued to develop and improve over seven years under Adam’s instruction and ultimately ended up auditioning and playing in the Omaha Are youth Symphony for four years. His accomplishments would not have transpired without Adam’s support.

I have been sponsoring a student for the past eight months and I feel I am receiving more from her than she is receiving from me! I love knowing that she is coming alive with her musical experience and is progressing in her performance skills. She is growing as a musician and as a human being and is constantly thankful for the lessons that my gift has afforded her. I recommend sponsoring a student if you can afford to do so. I pay for a portion of a student's lessons and it has been incredibly rewarding!

Adam Trussell's bassoon reeds are the best I've ever played. Adam makes them to my specifications, they work every time, and they last a long time. They are reliable, produce a very nice sound, and play in tune. I recommend them to all serious bassoonists. It is very easy to work with Adam. He gets 5 gold stars from me.

My son took bassoon lessons from Adam in both middle school and high school. Choosing Adam as an instructor was the best decision we could have made. He's incredibly positive, supportive, and is just one of those rare people that just make you happy to be around. The quality of his instruction exceeds all expectations. My son developed music theory, sight reading, playing, and reed making/tuning skills that allowed him to take a lead position in band, score exceptionally well at the state Solo & Ensemble contest, and transfer those skills to other musical instruments. I can't recommend Adam highly enough!

Adam is an inspirational teacher, mentor and friend to our entire family. He opened many doors for our son while training him for 5 years in bassoon. Adam helped our son to excel in life and in music through awards from competitions, entry into a prestigious youth program, and ultimately helped our son win a musical scholarship at University. But all of these are secondary to the humor, joy, discipline and love of life and music Adam brought to us all.

I highly recommend Adam Trussell as a bassoon instructor/mentor. Every lesson, I can hear how much my son grows as a musician. Each session is masterfully planned for Spencer's unique musical journey. Adam scaffolds skills and musical pieces so that Spencer is challenged without reaching total frustration. He takes the time to truly know his students' strengths and weaknesses, as well as their hopes and dreams. He is a dedicated mentor with a genuine interest in Spencer's success.

Adam has a remarkable teaching style. He is positive and encouraging at all times. Even when my son has clearly not put forth his best effort the previous week (too little practice time), Adam finds just the right way to motivate him to do better without ever scolding him or saying a single negative word. He talks with Spencer about his long term goals, and then walks him through the commitment that it will require to reach them. They create targeted short term goals, and Adam checks in frequently with support and a little nudge if needed.

This brings me to my most important point: Adam helps Spencer to grow as a human being. I know that Spencer will be a better musician because of his lessons with Adam, but more importantly, he will also be a better man because of his lessons with Adam. He will be kinder, gentler, and more connected to the world around him. He will know how to set short term goals in order to reach a long term goal. He will know how to learn from his mistakes by dusting himself off and refocusing. He will know that kindness and positivity are better motivators than fear and shame. He will know that hard work can be a blast. He will know that caring about others must be part of everything that we do.

Adam goes above and beyond in all that he does because he is an exceptional human being. His lessons are priceless.