paez

Mauricio Peaz currently holds possition of "Head of the Wind and Percussion Department" at Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. He is also teaching in The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, Israel Conservatory. His students hold positions in many major orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic.

Ayelet Balin

Carlos Ocampo Chaves

Carlos Ocampo Chaves.

Bassoon Performance degree from the National Institute of Music of Costa Rica.

Principal Bassoonist of the Costa Rican National Symphony since 1993,where he has performed as a soloist in various ocassions, made several recordings, and traveled on tours to Panama, Guatemala, Nicaragua ,Spain, Germany, Austria, Taiwan, Japan, USA and Mexico.

Member for more than 20 years of the Miravalles Woodwind Quintet one of the most active ensembles of Costa Rica. With this ensemble he has performed in the most prestigious concert halls in Costa Rica and International Festivals.

Recorded several CD´s of Costa Rican and Latin American repertoire.

Belongs to the Resident duo with the Cuban pianist, Lidia Ester Torriente at the National Institute of Music in Costa Rica.

Bassoon Professor at the Castella Music Conservatory from 2006-2012

Premiered the piece Tango for Bassoon and Orchestra “Divina” from Uruguayan composer Pablo Dell Oca Sala with the Heredia Symphony Orchestra (2011).

Carlos is the Musical Director of the Intermediate Youth Symphony Orchestra at the Costa Rica National Institute of Music.

Has been invited as a bassoon teacher to teach in Mexico,Colombia, Brazil and Panama, where he also performed as a soloist with the National Symphony of Panama at the first Double Reed Festival, playing the W.A.Mozart bassoon concerto.

He studied in an Internship at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance with Professor Maurico Paez, with whom he regularly recieves lessons. 

Daniel Mazaki

Daniel Mazaki was born in Rehovot, Israel where he began his bassoon studies at the age of 13 with Aliza Avni. He graduated the Thelma Yellin high school for arts and following that a 3 years service as a musician in the IDF. During these 7 years he studied bassoon with Prof. Mauricio Paez. Between 2002-2010 he studied at the school of Musik und Theater in Hanover, Germany with Prof. Dag Jensen. Daniel has also taken classes with the renowned Klaus Thunemann and Mordechai Rechtman. His first orchestral experience was obtained mainly with the Youth Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (1996-2001), the Pacific Music Festival (2001), the Schleswig Holstein Music Festival (2004-2006), the West Eastern Diwan Orchestra, under the Baton of many renowned conductors as Daniel Barenboim, Valery Gergiev, Christof Eschenbach and many others. He has been a recipient of the America-Israel cultural foundation (1995-2006) and a Scholarship winner and participator of the Villa Musica chamber music academy (2005-2008). In 2010-2011 Daniel has held the principal bassoon position at the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine and since 2011 he is the Principal bassoonist of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

Dimitri Mazor 

Dimitri Mazor, born in 1972. He began studying bassoon in Glilere Music College. After Aliyah he was studying in Tel - Aviv and Jerusalem music academies.

Currently holds principal bassoon position in Sinfonietta Raanana, teaches in Kfar - Saba Music Conservatory.

Kristijonas Grigas

Marco Vincio Redondo Mesén

Marco Vincio Redondo Mesén,  began his bassoon studies  in 1981 at the Youth Program of the National SymphonyOrchestra of Costa Rica with bassonist William Dietz and shortly after he continued under the guidance of professor Mauricio Páez. 

Other instructors include bassonists Mark Sforzinni, Kevin Korea and Ruben Oscher.
In adition to his musical studies Marco Vinicio holds a Bachellor’s degree in Political Sciences and International Commerce from the University of Costa Rica and UIA.
During 1988 he was principal bassoonist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ecuador and bassoon teacher at theUniversity of Quito’s Music School.

Since 1989 he is bassoonist at the National SymphonyOrchestra of Costa Rica  and teaches bassoon at the National Institute of Music of Costa Rica.
Founding member of the Quinteto de Maderas Costa Rica and the Bassoon Quartet at the National Institute of Music which he directs.
He is the Artistic Coordinator and Dean of the National University of CostaRica’s School of Music, at Sarapiquí Campus.
Some of his students have been distinguished with prestigious awards such as the Vivaldi Competition for Women Bassonists, and have been accepted to continue studies in very important music programs such as The Julliard School, Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, Baylor University, The New England Conservatory, TheUniversity of Redlands in California Former students are presently studing in Basel, Switzerland under Sergio Azzolini. Other disciples play in professional orchestras such as the New Jersey Symphony, and the Orchestra of the State of Mexico-Toluca.
Marco is frecuently invited to hold clinics and master classes in Central America, Colombia and Chile. 

 Mercedes Sanchez

Mercedes Sanchez, born in 1971 Mercedes Sanchez started her musical studies at the School of Musical Arts of the University of Costa Rica and her bassoon studies in 1986 under teachers Leyla Zamora and Isabel Jeremias. That same year she entered the Youth Program of the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica where she studied under profesor Mauricio Paez.

In 1985 Mercedes was principal bassonist at the Youth Symphony Orchestra of the Americas Festival (San Juan , Puerto Rico) and in 1988 she started playing as an extra musician with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica.

In january of 1989 Mercedes traveled to the city of Miami, Florida on a full scholarship to attend the Florida International University / New World School of the Arts where she was a student of the late bassoonist Manuel Zegler (The New York Philharmonic) and was a disciple and protegee of the legendary oboist John de Lancie (Curtis Institute, the Philadelphia Orchestra). In 1992 she graduated Bachellor of Music Summa cum Laude.

In 1990 Mercedes toured the north of Italy as a recitalist, in 1991 she was hired principal bassoonist at the “Inspiration Point Opera Festival” in the Ozark Mountains (Arkansas) and in 1992 she atended the “Waterloo Music Festival” at Princeton University, New Jersey, where she played under Gerard Shwartz and studied under bassonists Seth Krimsky (Seattle Symphony) Leonard Hindell (New York Philharmonic) John Wetherill (Indianapolis Symphony) among others. In addition to that, Mercedes played with the orchesta of the First United Methodist Church in teh city of Kendall, Florida and was a busy freelancer in the south of Florida.

In 1989 Mercedes won a full scholarship to attend the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music” master’s program, however, she stayed in her home country when she was appointed third bassoon and contrabassonist with the national Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica.

Mercedes has been voice, bassoon and contrabassoon instructor at the University of Costa Rica’s School of Musical Arts . She is frecuentlu invited as bassoon instructor for the musical camps held by SINEM the National System of Musical Education.

Ms. Sanchez has held an interesting carreer as a lyric soprano, having sung on stages in the United States, México, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panamá, Ecuador, Colombia, Italy and all over Costa Rica.

Mor Biron 

He began playing the Cello at a young age and at the age of 11 began studying the Bassoon with Gad Lederman and later with Maurizio Paez.

Mor is a graduate of the Thelma Yellin High School of Arts in Tel Aviv. After his military service Mor finished his Bachelor degree at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and later studied at the “Hanns Eisler” Hochschule für Musik in Berlin in the class of Prof. Klaus Thunemann and Prof. Volker Tessmann.
Mor was a scholarship holder from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation and won numerous prices, among them first price of the “Aviv” Competition in Tel Aviv.

He was a scholarship holder from the Karajan-Akademie of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mor was a member of the “Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchester” under the direction of Claudio Abbado and since year 2000 a member of the West Eastern Divan Orchestra. He was selected by Daniel Barenboim to perform as a soloist with the Orchestra and together they recorded a live DVD.
Mor held the position of a 1^st Bassoonist at the Orquesta Del Palau de Les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia under Lorin Maazel and Zubin Mehta and since 2007 he is a member of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Mor performs regularly as an active Soloist around the world and his chamber music activity is very rich as well. Among international Music Festivals Mor Biron is a member of the “Ensemble Berlin” of the Berlin philharmonic Orchestra and the “Philharmonisches Oktett” which performs successfully around the world.

 Nadav Cohen

 Nadav Cohen, born in Tivon in 1983.

Graduate of the music trends in Re'ut and Wizo schools of arts in Haifa. Mr. Cohen started his Bassoon studies at the age of 12. Formerly a student of Mr. Uzi Shalev, Mr. Cohen graduated both in bassoon (with Mr. Mauricio Pa'ez) and composition (With Prof. Yin'am Leef) from the Jerusalem Academy for Music and Dance (JAMD). Mr. Cohen studied bassoon with Prof. Ole Kristian Dahl at Cologne, in addition to baroque bassoon studies with Ms. Donna Agrell at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague.

Mr. Cohen was a member of the Israeli Camerata Jerusalem orchestra (2007-9) and the Tel-Aviv Soloists ensemble (2004-2010). He performed as a soloist with the Ashdod symphony orchestra in 2008 and with the Baroque orchestra of the Royal Conservatory, The Hague in 2010. Mr. Cohen attended master classes with Klaus Thunemann, Sergio Azzolini and Marc Vallon, and took part in music festivals in Israel, U.S.A and Europe.
Mr. Cohen compositions were performed and recorded for the Israeli radio. He received a prize in the 2007 Hanna Yidor-Avni composition competition of the JAMD for his Trio for Bassoon, violoncello and piano (2004). This piece was performed in the Kfar Blum chamber music festival at the summer of 2007. His "Double line" for oboe solo, commissioned for the Aviv competitions, won the Israeli piece performance prize in Jan. 2009. "In a cold rainy city" for soprano and ensemble was premiered by the Meitar Ensemble in December 2009 during a masterclass with the composer Fabián Panisello (Spain). The New Israeli Woodwind Quintet commissioned and performed Mr. Cohen's arrangements during its festive 20th anniversary concert tour on June 2013.
Mr. Cohen served as a member of the Outstanding Musicians Program in the IDF. He has been awarded scholarships by the AICF for bassoon, chamber music and composition studies since 2001, and a grant from the Ronen Foundation for Baroque bassoon studies in 2010. Awarded the JAMD President's Excellence prize in 2006 and prizes in the JAMD chamber music competitions in 2005 and 2006. Member of the Chais foundation's excellence program at the JAMD (2008). Mr. Cohen was a member of the 'OAE Experience' program in London during 2012. On the 2012-2013 season Mr. Cohen is a member of the International Ensemble Modern Academy in Frankfurt.
Mr. Cohen joined the Meitar Ensemble in May 2006. He is a founding member of the Tel-Aviv Wind Quintet, recipients of the Eilam Prize on 2011.

Reuven Mozes 

He has been a  member of the Israel Camerata Orchestra, the Israel Kibbutz Orchestra and, first Bassoon of the Israel Young Philharmonic Orchestra on tours of Europe and China.
He was a scholarship recipent at the Israel National Woodwinds Competition and performs regularly chamber music  in Israel, Germany and USA.
Reuven Mozes took part in master class of  Frantisek Hermann of The Chech Philarmonic Orchestra, and Lenny Hindell from The New York Philharmonic. He took part in summer festival of Israeli and Arab musicians in Weimar and Seville under the direction of Maestro Daniel Baremboim.

Rolando Quesada 

 Rolando Quesada, born in San Jose, Costa Rica in 1986. He started his musical studies at the age of 11 and started playing the bassoon at the age of 13, with bassoonist Marco Redondo. From a young age he has been an active performer, with appearances throughout the United States, Europe, Israel, and his native Costa Rica. From 2003-2005 he performed as Principal Bassoon with the Costa Rica Youth Symphony Orchestra. In 2005, he received a scholarship in order to study in Israel, with maestro Mauricio Paez, at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Currently, Rolando holds the position of Principal Bassoon at the Israel Sinfonietta Be'er Sheva.