Bassoonist Jon Gaarder received the Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a student of Richard Lottridge and the Master of Music in Performance from the New England Conservatory, where he studied with Sherman Walt, principal bassoonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and Matthew Ruggiero. He continued his musical training in Canada at the Banff Centre School of Fine Arts. He is currently instructor of bassoon at West Chester University and the University of Delaware where he is also a member of the Del'Arte Wind Quintet. An active performer he is principal bassoon with the Pennsylvania Ballet and Opera Delaware, he is also a member of the Delaware Symphony and the new music group Relache. He has appeared as a substitute with the Philadelphia Orchestra on numerous occasions including their most recent European tour. He was awarded the 2000 Delaware State Arts Council Individual Solo Artist fellowship.