I believe the ultimate goal of teaching is to empower each student to become their own best teacher. My lessons focus on equipping students with practical tools and strategies they can use in their individual practice to grow both technically and musically on their journey toward mastery of the bassoon. By the time they graduate, my students should feel confident in their ability to continue learning independently for a lifetime.

Each student’s educational path is customized to fit their individual needs, goals, and musical interests. Rather than adhering to a fixed list of sonatas, concertos, or chamber works, I tailor repertoire choices to each student. However, I do require that all students achieve specific scale and arpeggio benchmarks each semester as part of their technical development.

A key part of our community is the weekly studio class, where students perform for one another in a supportive environment. This fosters essential performance experience while encouraging critical listening, constructive feedback, and a deeper sense of musical collaboration.

As someone who has made over 15,000 reeds in my career, I place a strong emphasis on learning the full reed-making process—from tube cane to the final finishing touches. At UMKC, our bassoon studio is equipped with a complete suite of reed-making tools and machines, which are available to all students.

Prospective students are warmly invited to explore what it’s like to study bassoon at UMKC. I offer complimentary trial lessons, either in person or via Zoom, and welcome visitors to attend our weekly studio and reed classes held every Tuesday. Please feel free to contact me if you’re interested in learning more.

Dr. Leigh Muñoz, Assistant Professor of Bassoon