Laura Bennett Cameron - Sherman Walt Bassoon Merit Award - 2009 Laura Bennett Cameron is a bassoonist who brings passion and enthusiasm to all that she plays. She began studying bassoon at the age of 14 and has since studied with Randy Doo, Paul Onspaugh, Rick Duhaime, Dr. Tina Carpenter,
and Richard Svoboda.
Ms. Bennett Cameron's orchestral experience includes playing several seasons
with the Amarillo Symphony Orchestra and guest performances with the Amarillo Opera and the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. She graduated Summa cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music in bassoon performance from West Texas A&M, where she studied with Dr. Carpenter and earned several performance scholarships. In addition to playing principal in all major ensembles there, she was a founding member of the West Texas Wind Quintet. One of the highlights of Ms. Bennett Cameron's solo career was her performance of Weber's Concerto for Bassoon in F Major, which she performed as the first-place winner of WTAMU Symphony Orchestra's Concerto Competition.Ms. Bennett Cameron recently earned her Master of Music degree, graduating
summa cum laude from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where she studied with Richard Svoboda. She will continue her studies in the fall of 2009 at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, pursuing a Doctor of Music degree.
Sebastian Chaves - Sherman Walt Bassoon Merit 
Award - 2008 A native of Costa Rica, Sebastian Chaves is Principal Bassoon of the Orchestra of Indian Hill, Acting Principal of the New Bedford Symphony and bassoon faculty at Youth and Muse Boston Summer Music Camp. He holds a BM and BME from Louisiana State University and a MM from New England Conservatory, where he is currently pursuing a Gaduate Diploma. Sebastian has received fellowships from such music festivals as the Verbier Festival Orchestra (Switzerland), Aspen Music Festival (CO), Stuttgart Ensemble (Germany), among others. He freelances throughout New England with the Boston Philharmonic, Boston Opera, Boston Ballet, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, and the Portland Symphony. His principal teachers include Richard Ranti, Richard Svoboda, William Ludwig, John Hunt, Peter Schoenbach, and Per Hannevold. Sebastian is also a certified microelectronics technician and has been an anthropology major at the University of Costa Rica.
Micahla Cohen - Sherman Walt Bassoon Merit Award - 2007 Originally from Minneapolis, MN Micahla now attends the New England Conservatory of Music, studying with Mr. Richard Svoboda. She participates in NEC's Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Chamber Music Department and Opera Department. She has also played with NEC's Philharmonic Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra, as well as for composers in the Boston area. Micahla is the recipient of multiple scholarships including the Village Scholars Scholarship, Groth Music Scholarship and NEC's Most-Improved-Musician Scholarship. She has participated in the Sarasota Music Festival in Florida as well as the Manchester Music Festival in Vermont. Micahla is passionate about music, enjoys performing and aspires to play professionally.
Sarah Cryan Gardner - Sherman Walt Bassoon Merit Award -
2006 Originally from the Philadelphia area, Sarah did her undergraduate work in bassoon with Matthew Ruggiero at Boston University's College of Fine Arts and earned her Bachelor of Music degree in May of 2006, graduating summa cum laude. An active orchestral performer, Sarah has also appeared as soloist in Mozart's Concerto for Bassoon, K. 191. Through a rigorous selection process, Sarah was chosen to participate in the Kent Blossom Music Festival at Kent State University in the summer of 2006, where she studied and performed chamber music with members of the Cleveland Orchestra. Boston University welcomed Sarah back in the fall of 2006 so that she could start working on her Master's degree while studying with the Boston Symphony Orchestra's Richard Ranti. In May 2008, Sarah appeared as soloist with the Boston Pops, playing Mozart's Concerto for Bassoon, K. 191.