Liz Valvano, bassoonist, has performed on a variety of stages, from Beverly Hills, California, to Budapest, Hungary, and currently serves as the visiting instructor of bassoon at UNLV. While in residence in Las Vegas, she performs with local ensembles, including the Nevada Chamber Orchestra and Las Vegas Sinfonietta, as well as UNLV’s resident Red Rock Wind Quintet and Grammy-nominated Wind Orchestra. She is honored to substitute in the Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as the Reno Pops Orchestra, Vegas City Opera, and the Henderson Symphony Orchestra. Liz has performed alongside Sam Smith, Bruno Mars, Seth MacFarlane, Joseph Alessi, the NFL Raiders House Band, The Boston Brass, and others. Liz is a champion for new music, and has commissioned and premiered international, award-winning, contemporary works for solo bassoon, as well as chamber ensembles. She can be heard on Universal and Parma recording labels, and she also created the bassoon sample for the EKWE music composition mobile application.

Liz’s doctoral research is in Baroque performance and aesthetic, about which she created a beginning method book for the modern bassoonist to learn how to play the baroque instrument. Her teaching philosophy is centered in accessibility and equity. Liz is an avid educator, maintaining a thriving private studio of accomplished bassoonists who have achieved success in securing placement in summer festivals and earning scholarships to prestigious music schools. Liz is a paraprofessional instructor at Las Vegas Academy, teaching weekly bassoon masterclasses to their incredible student musicians. As a lecturer, she teaches introductory music history classes for non-majors at UNLV.

Liz Valvano received her Doctorate of Musical Arts in bassoon performance from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, studying with Dr. Janis McKay, in May 2020. She completed her Masters in Music at Texas State University, woodwind performance, under the tutelage of Daris Hale, and Dr. Ian Davidson in May 2017, and her Bachelors of Arts in music and chemistry at Hollins University in May 2015, with Danny Felty of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.