| Biography Maria's formal music training started when she was five years old with a local piano teacher. She continued with piano lessons until high school where she was introduced to the bassoon. Maria received her B.A. in bassoon performance from the University of Maryland, College Park where she studied with Kenneth Pasmanick and Linda Harwell of the National Symphony Orchestra. Before moving to the Bay Area in 1998, Maria performed in various chamber groups and orchestras in Washington D.C., Fort Worth, Texas, and Madison, Wisconsin. Since then, she has performed and recorded with the Redwood Symphony in Redwood City, California. As an avid solo artist, Maria appeared with the Redwood Symphony in 1999 performing John Williams' beautiful and challenging bassoon concerto "The Five Sacred Trees". In 2001, she appeared with the Solano Symphony performing two traditional bassoon concerti: Vivaldi's Concerto in e minor and Weber's Concerto in F major. She made another solo appearance with Redwood Symphony in 2002, this time in full Elvis regalia, performing the bassoon rock concerto "Dead Elvis" by Michael Daugherty. Maria's latest passion is discovering the vast repertoire of wind chamber music with the Ventos Quintet. She is also a proud member of a bassoon trio, the Moon Town Schmatts. Maria maintains a private bassoon studio in her home. | 
