Dr. Austin Way serves as the Bassoon Professor at the University of Missouri and Washburn University, in addition to performing with the Missouri Quintet, and Kansas City Chamber Orchestra and frequent guest performances with the Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Lyric Opera, and Kansas City Ballet. Prior to this he performed as the Second Bassoonist of the Orquesta Sinfónica Sinaloa de las Artes during its 2015 to 2016 season and served as Acting Principal Bassoonist for the 2016 to 2017 season, where he had the opportunity to tour with the orchestra throughout Mexico, including a performance in December of 2016 in Mexico City’s Palacio de Bellas Artes to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the orchestra. Dr. Way has taken part in collaborations with many composers and can be heard performing as the Principal Bassoonist on a recorded collection of concertos for soloists with wind ensemble by Leonardo Balada, recorded for the Naxos Label as well as performing on both bassoon and contrabassoon on the Grammy nominated recording of Paul Moravec’s operatic adaptation of The Shining with the Kansas City Lyric Opera. Additionally, Dr. Way has performed with a variety of ensembles across the country, including two presentations with chamber ensembles at the 2010 and 2022 International Double Reed Society conferences.
From 2012 to 2015, Dr. Way held the bassoon and contrabassoon fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival and School. Prior to performing with the Sunflower Music Festival, he served as Associate Principal Bassoon for the Missouri Symphony and continues to serve on the faculty of the Ozark Music Festival. As a chamber musician, Dr. Way performs with Washburn’s Faculty Quintet and Trio, the Missouri Quintet with the faculty of the University of Missouri, and the NAVO Inc. ensemble.
Dr. Way holds degrees from the University of Missouri Kansas City Conservatory as well as Carnegie Mellon University. His primary teachers include Marita Abner, Per Hannevold, and Nancy Goeres.
