Biography

New Zealander Todd Gibson-Cornish was appointed principal bassoon of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2016 at the age of 21. He began lessons on the mini-bassoon, progressing to the tenoroon and then full-size bassoon, with Selena Orwin at the Pettman National Junior Academy of Music. He was a New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Fellowship student and freelanced with the New Zealand and Christchurch symphony orchestras.

In 2016 he graduated from the Royal College of Music in London with a first class honours degree, as a Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Scholar supported by a Douglas and Hilda Simmonds Award. His teachers were Joost Bosdijk, Andrea de Flammineis and Julie Price. He was awarded the Tagore Gold Medal for outstanding musical contribution to the RCM, which was presented to him by HRH The Prince of Wales. Since graduating, he has returned to the RCM to give masterclasses and mentoring sessions.

Todd Gibson-Cornish has played as guest principal with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London (including at the BBC Proms), Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and as an extra with the London Symphony Orchestra. He has also taken part in the Aldeburgh Winds, Britten–Pears Young Artist Programme UK. Concerto appearances for 2018 include the Mozart concerto with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (April) and the Jolivet concerto with the NZSO National Youth Orchestra (July).