Holly Blake
Holly Blake has been a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra bassoon section since 1992. Previously she was a member of the Filarmonica de Caracas in Venezuela, on the faculty at the University of Delaware where she was a member of the Del’Arte Woodwind Quintet, and performed extensively with many of the ensembles in the Philadelphia area.
She has appeared as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra on their Family Concert series, the Mozart Orchestra, the West Jersey Chamber Orchestra, the Reading Symphony, and the Lower Merion Symphony. Chamber performances have included the Philadelphia Orchestra Chamber Music series, the Lenape Chamber Ensemble, the Delaware Chamber Music Festival and the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival. She is also featured as soloist with the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra on their recording of Hanson’s ballet Nymphs and Satyrs, which is available on the Naxos label.
Ms. Blake teaches both bassoon and contrabassoon and is frequently called upon as a guest artist and lecturer in master classes in the Philadelphia area, including at Curtis Institute, Temple University and the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. A home grown Philadelphian, she progressed through the All City and Philadelphia Youth Orchestras, and is a graduate of Temple University and Curtis Institute. She studied with former Philadelphia Orchestra bassoonists Bernard Garfield and Ferdinand del Negro.
She currently serves on the Philadelphia Orchestra Members' Committee and the Travel and Touring Committee. Outside of the orchestra, she is an avid yoga practitioner and certified yoga teacher, and enjoys gardening, hiking, skiing, sailing and swimming. Ms. Blake is married to Philadelphia Orchestra Co-Principal Bassoonist, Mark Gigliotti.
See this blog post featuring Holly.
She has appeared as soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra on their Family Concert series, the Mozart Orchestra, the West Jersey Chamber Orchestra, the Reading Symphony, and the Lower Merion Symphony. Chamber performances have included the Philadelphia Orchestra Chamber Music series, the Lenape Chamber Ensemble, the Delaware Chamber Music Festival and the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival. She is also featured as soloist with the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra on their recording of Hanson’s ballet Nymphs and Satyrs, which is available on the Naxos label.
Ms. Blake teaches both bassoon and contrabassoon and is frequently called upon as a guest artist and lecturer in master classes in the Philadelphia area, including at Curtis Institute, Temple University and the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra. A home grown Philadelphian, she progressed through the All City and Philadelphia Youth Orchestras, and is a graduate of Temple University and Curtis Institute. She studied with former Philadelphia Orchestra bassoonists Bernard Garfield and Ferdinand del Negro.
She currently serves on the Philadelphia Orchestra Members' Committee and the Travel and Touring Committee. Outside of the orchestra, she is an avid yoga practitioner and certified yoga teacher, and enjoys gardening, hiking, skiing, sailing and swimming. Ms. Blake is married to Philadelphia Orchestra Co-Principal Bassoonist, Mark Gigliotti.
See this blog post featuring Holly.