Testimonials

"I have had the pleasure of working with Mariah since June 2024 and I can confidently say that her expertise and dedication have been instrumental in my growth as a bassoonist. I have learned so much in my brief time studying with her. Mariah has an exceptional ability to convey complex techniques in an engaging manner. She has given me new methods for practicing that ensure I am able to make the most effective use of my time. As an adult music student, I love that she finds ways to keep me challenged with my studies. She personalizes our lessons based on goals we set together to work on our areas of focus.  Whether you are a beginner or an advanced player, Mariah will tailor the lessons to meet your individual needs and goals.

Additionally, I appreciate how she has created recital performance opportunities for her students, which gives us something intentional to work towards. She also provides the opportunity to participate in the Fountain City Bassoon Ensemble, which fosters a sense of community and connection with bassoonists across the region.

I highly recommend Mariah at Kansas City Bassoon Academy to anyone looking to enhance their bassoon playing. Her passion for music and commitment to her students make her an outstanding teacher and mentor."

Cynthia, current student

We have been going to the KC Bassoon Academy for nearly a year now and have had nothing but positive interactions with Mariah, our teacher. She has a very effective teaching style that somehow seamlessly blends constructive criticism with encouragement. After any piece is played, no matter how it went, she always asks her students what went well first, offering positive reinforcement throughout the lesson. But she also helps guide them to the specific skills they can work on to improve; often challenging them to think through these issues for themselves. I'm sure she gets frustrated from time to time, but I have never heard her get exasperated with my student. She makes learning the bassoon both fun and challenging, and she makes her studio a safe space for learning.

She is imminently talented with the bassoon herself; and has an obvious passion not only for teaching her students, but for building a community of bassoon players. We have enjoyed the recitals in which she invites adult players to join her students in bassoon choirs. These become yet another opportunity for her students to receive encouragement from older players, and to see that this instrument can be a fruitful investment throughout their lives.

Jonathan, current parent

"Mariah is a passionate educator who takes the time out of her schedule to craft a challenging yet exciting curriculum for her students. I personally learned so much from her about reed making and fundamentals! Could not recommend more!"

Brandon, former student

"We have nothing but high praise for our experience with KC Bassoon Academy. Mariah is a wonderful teacher. She does a great job of interacting with her students and pays attention to the student's personal interests in building a connection and relationship/conversations around interests beyond the bassoon. Having this trust is so important in building out expectations and the motivation to continue to build the musical skills. We also appreciate the lesson notes she sends via email each week to help our family support a practice plan between lessons. If this wasn't enough positive, we love the added focus in starting to building up a safe studio community with the weekly activities to connect the students. This is another fun benefit to being a part of KC Bassoon Academy."

Christy, current parent

"Mariah has been amazing to work with. She is both professional and fun! She is great at challenging our daughter but can be understanding and accommodating as well. She is a great motivator and helps build a lot of confidence in our daughter. She tailors our daughter’s lessons to her current individual needs and manages the lesson time very well so the entire time is productive. Our experience with Mariah has been exceptional and we highly recommend the KC Bassoon Academy to others."

AJ, current parent