About Casey

Casey Gsell is a musician in Auckland, New Zealand.  Recently finalist for section principal bassoon with the Auckland Philharmonia in New Zealand and the Zürich Opera House Orchestra Academy, Ms. Gsell has performed with many ensembles, including the National Repertory Orchestra, Tulsa Opera, Orquesta Sinfónica UANL, the International Festival-Institute at Round Top, Dallas Chamber Orchestra, Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra, Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, and many orchestras and churches in Texas and New York.  She was a very active freelance musician in Dallas, TX for three years.  She has been an associate member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.  Last season, Ms. Gsell performed with orchestras in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, New Zealand, the United States, and Uruguay.

A passionate chamber musician, she brings music to many community and non-traditional venues.  She is a member of the professional chamber music ensemble Camerata Winds.  Ms. Gsell was a semifinalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, a member of the Eastman Chamber Music Honors Society, and a winner of the Meadows Chamber Music Director’s Choice Award.  She won first prize in the Senior division of the Australasian Double Reed Society Competition in Sydney 2009.  At the Queensland Oboe and Bassoon Competition 2009, she won first prize in the senior sections and Best Overall Performer.

Taking initiative to bring classical music to a wider audience, she won an award from her local Toastmasters club for speaking to business executives about the power of classical music.  In addition, Ms. Gsell has worked as a teaching artist for Young Audiences of America, bringing music to schoolchildren across New York state.  She currently teaches bassoon lessons in New Zealand, and she had an excellent big studio for three years in Texas.  Her students have won a variety of awards.

She has earned degrees from the Eastman School of Music, Southern Methodist University, and North Carolina School of the Arts.  Her teachers include Wilfred Roberts, John Hunt, and Mark Popkin.  She studied baroque performance practice with Paul O’Dette and Christel Thielmann.  As a chamber musician, she has studied with Richard Killmer, Chien-Kwan Lin, Kenneth Grant, Erin Hannigan, Haley Hoops, Gregory Hustis, and Philip Dunnigan.

Ms. Gsell is the New Zealand representative for the Australasian Double Reed Society.

Formerly a teacher for Sunstone Yoga, Ms. Gsell loves yoga and sharing it with others.  She lives in Auckland with her partner Matthew, two cats, and a vegetable garden.  She is also a volunteer with the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre.