Artist Profile: Judith Farmer

Pacific Serenades is thrilled to have bassoonist Judith Farmer back for her 5th program with us since 2002. She has enjoyed a rich career as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, soloist, and teacher. Currently, Judy is principal bassoonist of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, heads the bassoon studio at the USC Thornton School of Music, and is a member of the LA Opera Orchestra. As an avid chamber musician, Judy has collaborated with many composers on new works and has had a number of works written and dedicated to her.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Judy went to Indiana University where she studied for 2 years. She joined an exchange program to Vienna for her junior year. “I fell in love with the city and had a fabulous teacher,” she explained. “So my junior year abroad turned into 15 years!” After 3 years of study, she became Principal Bassoon with the Austrian Radio Symphony Orchestra for 12 years.

Judy met composer Gernot Wolfgang [who has been commissioned twice by Pacific Serenades], a native of Austria, in Vienna after he returned from Boston’s Berklee College of Music. “I met Gernot during his time back in Vienna. He was interested in going back to the states and persuaded me to go to Los Angeles with him in 1993. Then I went back to Vienna for 2 more years, and we had a long distance relationship. I returned to LA in 1996 and that’s when we married. If I hadn’t met Gernot, I’d still be in Vienna!” Judy said.

After settling in LA, Judy has had a very active and successful music career. “I’ve been very fortunate here. I started teaching at USC right away, which I enjoy a lot. I’ve played frequently with the LA Philharmonic, LACO, the LA Opera, and the Long Beach Symphony, as well as for major motion pictures.” Having taught at USC since 1996, Judy has also produced successful generations of bassoonists. “I am just starting to have students of students, or ‘grand-students!’” Judy explained. “I coach chamber music there as well and was very happy to have a group advance to the finals of the Coleman competition this year. I have had several occasions to perform with my students in recent years and it is very much part of the process of passing on the traditions and training I got from my teachers. They make me very proud!”

Being passionate about chamber music, Judy is thrilled to be playing with us once again. “I have had so many positive experiences performing on the Pacific Serenades series, from premiering new works, to playing in the beautiful private homes, to collaborating with great musicians such as Gary Gray. It has been very gratifying!” she shared with me.

“Playing in a symphony, chamber orchestra, or opera is rewarding, too, but in different ways,” Judy went on to say. “One of the fun aspects of chamber music is the independence of being responsible for the interpretation and collaborating with my fellow musicians on working this out. Chamber music is really what I like to do most, so I’ve also put on some chamber music concerts of my own. Given any chance to play chamber music, I’ll take it!”