Catie Brenmark was recently a top-five finalist in the prestigious 2025 Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition, hosted by the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. A third-year undergraduate bassoonist, Brenmark is a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar at the Blair School of Music, where she studies with Peter Kolkay.
Held every two years at rotating venues, the Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition is open to women and non-binary bassoonists in the Americas, with 10 semifinalists selected from hundreds of submissions to be featured in the in-person competition. The companion Meg Quigley Symposium is a multi-day conference with classes, workshops, and an exhibition. “It felt like being at the Met Gala, but for bassoonists,” said Brenmark. “There were so many incredible musicians there, and I was struck by how open and approachable everyone was.”
One of the unique requirements of the Vivaldi Competition is that musicians must speak to the attending crowd and introduce their performance. “I’ve never done that in a competition before, so that was a big challenge for me to overcome,” recalled Brenmark. “I think they are really working to cultivate the skills and experiences necessary to become a well-rounded musician. After the audience engagement workshops held in the first few days, I felt a lot more confident and comfortable speaking from the stage.”
Contributing to the anxiety of the competitors, a major snowstorm belted North Carolina just as the conference was underway, forcing the changing of venues, rehearsal schedules, and performance times. The weather also grounded professor Peter Kolkay, who had been scheduled to perform “Red Maple” by Joan Tower.
“Although I’d been looking forward to the Symposium to perform Joan Tower’s piece—a work Catie played recently—I was most disappointed to miss Catie’s performances in both live competition rounds,” said Kolkay. “She’d worked so hard for many months on the repertoire, and I was sorry not to hear her put her efforts into action.”
Brenmark credits Kolkay for helping her prepare for the performance. “He’s given me a lot of time, not only lessons but studio class, listening to my recordings, and giving me feedback. There was a lot of preparation for this competition.”
Growing up in Plainfield, Illinois, Catie Brenmark’s connection with the bassoon came after short stints with the piano and saxophone. While in the 6th grade, she convinced her band teacher and parents to let her try the instrument. “One day I skipped lunch, went to the band room, and the director helped me assemble it,” said Brenmark. “He laid out a fingering chart and then said, ‘I’ve got to go to a chiropractor appointment,’ so it was just me and the bassoon. That was just the beginning.”
Brenmark is actively involved in numerous ensembles and organizations, including the Vanderbilt University Orchestra, Wind Symphony, New Music Society, and the Kleine Wind Quintet. She was recently named the 2024 winner of the MTNA Tennessee Woodwind Young Artist Competition. As a session musician in Nashville, she has recorded music for Disney and Sony, and can be heard on movie, TV, and game soundtracks, including Destiny 2.
Don’t miss Catie Brenmark performing on Friday, January 31, 2025, in a special combined concert with the Vanderbilt University Orchestra and Wind Symphony, 8:00 p.m., in Ingram Hall. Tickets: http://vu.edu/013125-tix