Faculty: Dr. Janis McKay
Dr. Janis McKay is Associate Professor of Bassoon at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Principal Bassoon of the Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra, and a member of the Sierra Winds. She also performs as Principal Bassoon for the Classical Music Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria and as Contrabassoon for the Reno Philharmonic. McKay has held positions and performed with numerous orchestras including the Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Reno Chamber Orchestra, the Canton Symphony Orchestra, the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Charleston (WV) Orchestra, the Springfield (OH) Symphony Orchestra, the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, and the Louisville Orchestra among many others. A busy free-lance musician in Las Vegas, Dr. McKay has performed and/or toured with such artists as Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Charlotte Church, John Williams, Celine Dion, Gloria Estafan, Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, Metallica, Stevie Wonder, and Tony Bennett.
As a member of the Sierra Winds, McKay has performed for the Kennedy Center, the International Flute Society Convention, the International Horn Society Convention, the Orange County Performing Arts Series (CA), Showcase Arts Northwest (OR), the Grand Valley Music Festival (CO), the Redlands Bowl (CA), the Deseret Chamber Music Festival (UT), the Ashland Chamber Music Series (OR), the Mobile Chamber Music Series (AL), Arts at Argonne-University of Chicago, the New Orleans Community Center, the Moapa Arts Council (NV), the New Works Dance Project (NV), "Gourmet Magazine," and the Lake San Marcos Chamber Music Society (CA) among many others. Also while with the Sierra Winds, Dr. McKay was part of a three year collaboration with composer Phillip Kent Bimstein funded by a grant from the "Meet the Composer" Foundation.
Dr. McKay previously taught at Baylor University, Capital University, the Ohio Wesleyan University, Wright State University, and the University of Nevada, Reno. She has been a faculty member for the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and the Las Vegas Music Festival. In the summer of 2003, she was a featured soloist with the Classical Music Festival, touring Austria and Hungary. In the fall of 2004, she was a featured soloist with the Las Vegas Philharmonic. She may be heard on Summit, d'Note, and First Edition recordings.