Cynthia Cioffari

Cynthia Cioffari teaches bassoon, coaches chamber music, and is a member of the Solaris Wind Quintet at The University of Akron. She is also Contrabassoonist/Section bassoonist of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and Principal Bassoonist with the Wintergreen (VA) Summer Music Festival Orchestra. She is currently Acting Principal Bassoonist with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, Southwest Virginia Chamber Orchestra, Toledo Symphony, West Virginia Symphony, Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra, Columbus Light Opera, Broadway Across America-Columbus and the Winds of Wintergreen.

Prior to joining the faculty at The University of Akron, Ms. Cioffari held adjunct positions at Capital University, Otterbein College and Denison University. She has also taught at the University of Alabama, Heidelberg College, Baldwin Wallace University, and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. Ms. Cioffari has appeared as a soloist or ensemble member at the International Double Reed Society Convention, National Flute Association Convention, International Clarinet Association Conference, Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and at the International Horn Symposium in Cape Town, South Africa. In 1983, she was a finalist in the International Double Reed Society's Gillet Young Artist Competition at Tallahassee, Florida.

Cynthia Cioffari can be heard on CD with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (“CSO Showcase” and “Live at Carnegie Hall”), with the Bowling Green State University New Music Festival and with the Bexley Chamber Ensemble. Recent premiere performances for her include “Petite Suite” for oboe and bassoon by James Geiger, “Breve Dúo Latino” for flute and bassoon by Richard Cioffari, “Nocturne #1, Opus 529” for Chamber Ensemble by Stan Smith and “Variations on a Theme of Grieg” for woodwind quintet by Richard Cioffari. She holds a bachelor's degree in music performance from Bowling Green State University and a master's degree in woodwinds from the University of Michigan. Her teachers have included L. Hugh Cooper, Robert J. Moore and Russell Hinkle. Prof. Cioffari is listed in “Who’s Who in America.”