‘...während Theresa Koenig auf dem Solofagott mit herrlichem Ton, unendlich langem Atem und großer Virtuosität die konzertierende Gegenstimme gestaltete.*’
Dr. Koenig’s recent schedule includes performances, projects/tours and/or recordings with groups: Archipelago Aachen, Capella Augustina, Collegium 1704, English Baroque Soloists, Harmonie Universelle, Helsinki Baroque, L'arte del mondo, the Millenium Orchestra, La Stagione, performance in Thailand, and a documentary project with premiere at the 2024 IDRS convention, performances with her classical bassoon trio l'éléphant bleu, in addition to numerous smaller projects and teaching.
Theresa Koenig is dedicated to creating bridges between the music of the past and our present time. A drive to question the status quo and her endless curiosity led her first to the bassoon and then to early music.
Dr Koenig’s musical life began at age 12 in the city of Vista, California. She had begun learning clarinet, but her curiosity was piqued when she was told the bassoon was the most challenging wind instrument to master, and at 13, she had the opportunity to begin the bassoon.
Always the researcher, young Theresa found two books about the bassoon in the local library, unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) written in the 1970s. These two books solidified her resolve to master the instrument, as they suggested that women should not play the bassoon due to their clearly inferior finger size and lung capacity. She quickly focused on music as her chosen career path, and at 18, she made her solo debut with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra as a competition winner.
Dr. Koenig received her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, where she studied with Kim Walker. She was awarded the prestigious performer's certificate for her Junior recital, an award rarely bestowed, and even rarer to be awarded to an undergraduate. She continued her studies at Indiana University with Professor Walker, completing her first master’s in bassoon performance with a minor in conducting. During this degree, she gave a solo performance of the Hummel concerto and toured with the IU new music ensemble.
Dr. Koenig was then awarded the Paul Collins Fellowship to pursue her doctorate degree in performance, with her minor in musicology. She studied with Marc Vallon at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During this time she won, with her pianist Diane Schapiro, the Irving-Shaine Duo Competition. In addition, during her doctorate was the teaching assistant to Professor Vallon, founded a woodwind quintet, and took composition lessons with Professor Les Thimmig.
Deciding one bassoon and one career path was not enough; in 2010, during her doctorate studies, Dr. Koenig began her journey performing historical bassoons and dabbled in shawms, dulcians, and recorders. Having found the place she feels most at home, within the early music field, she now performs exclusively on historical bassoons: Dulcians, Baroque, Classical, and the Romantic, but may occasionally be seen with a recorder (and there is rumor of oboe). Dr. Koenig has a deep conviction that music of the past has a vital role in our modern life and that both performing and listening to music can be a vehicle for connection, change, and healing.
Dr. Koenig further complicated her life by moving to Germany in 2015. She now lives in Brühl, Germany, in between Cologne and Bonn. Dr. Koenig performs internationally in both large and small ensembles and is happiest collaborating in performances and projects. In the USA, she performed with ensembles including the Chicago Baroque Band, Lyra Baroque Orchestra, the Piffaro Renaissance Band, led the Winds of Wisconsin Recorder Ensemble, and taught in several early music festivals. After her Doctorate, she studied unofficially with Michael McCraw on bassoons and recorders and officially with Györgyi Farkas on bassoons, beginning her second masters with Ms. Farkas in Leipzig. Most recently, she completed her post-doctorate master's in early music at the Universität der Künste Berlin, studying with Christian Beuse.
For a complete CV, click here.
*Armin Kansteiner Westfallen-Blatt