Biography
Performance Experience / Bassoon
- Minnesota Opera Orchestra, 1985-2023: Principal Bassoon (retired)
- Minnesota Orchestra, sub and extra, 1985-present
- St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, sub and extra, 1983-present
- VocalEssence Orchestra, 1985-present
- New York Philomusica
- Skylark Opera, 1986-present
- Minneapolis Pops Orchestra, 1984-present
- Minnesota Sinfonia, sub and extra
- Minnesota Composers Forum
- South Minneapolis Bassoon Quartet, 1995-2003
- Halama Wind Octet, 1995-2005
- St. Agnes Catholic Church Orchestra, 2000-present
- Performed on the Hilary Hahn recording of Samuel Barber Violin Concerto and Edgar Myers Violin Concerto with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, 2000
Numerous free-lance orchestras including:
- Houston Ballet Orchestra
- Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra
- Minnesota Dance Theater Nutcracker Orchestra
- Pacific Northwest Nutcracker Orchestra
- Miami City Ballet
- Phantom of the Opera Tour Orchestra
- Amy Grant Holiday Concert at Target Center
- The Three Tenors at Xcel Center
Ms. Nordling has performed with Minnesota Opera for 36 years. One of the most significant highlights of her opera career was the November 2011 world premiere of Kevin Puts’ Pulitzer prize winning opera Silent Night. This opera was recorded and released in November of 2021.
Ms. Nordling has toured with The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra throughout the United States including a performance at Ravinia Music Festival under the direction of Pinchas Zukerman. A SPCO tour of the West Coast included a performance at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco.
She has performed with Minnesota Orchestra as a regular substitute and extra player since 1985. She was a regular performer with the Minnesota Orchestra Kinder Koncerts series for preschool children. A few of her Minnesota Orchestra highlights include performing at Tanglewood Music Festival and serving as second bassoon for the 1994 Sommerfest season. Of special significance was a performance of Bruckner’s Symphony #8 with Minnesota Orchestra under Stanislaw Skrowaczewski in 2016, which was his final concert before his death in 2017.
Ms. Nordling performed a program under Thomas Søndegård, the new Music Director of the Minnesota Orchestra, in April 2022. She will also perform the premiere of the opera Edward Tulane by Paola Prestini with the Minnesota Opera in October 2022.
Several recitals at the International Double-Reed Conventions have taken Ms. Nordling around the world including a performance in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She also performed a concert entitled Bassoons in Hollywood with the South Minneapolis Bassoon Quartet at the 1999 IDRS convention in Madison, WI.
She has performed as a guest artist at the Sarasota Music Festival and with the New York Philomusica.
Ms. Nordling has served as an adjudicator for the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies and also serves on their artistic advisory board. She is an active free-lance bassoonist in the Twin Cities area and teaches private bassoon and piano lessons to students of all ages.
Ms. Nordling’s principal teacher was John Miller.
Gallery
Lessons
Coreen Nordling maintains an active teaching studio in both bassoon and piano. With more than 30 years of experience, she has had the privilege of teaching students from age 7 to 95. She teaches in her home studio in Edina, Minnesota.
Ms. Nordling teaches bassoon students at all levels, from beginning to advanced. For many years, her students have won positions in The Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies, Minnesota Youth Symphonies, the University of Minnesota Honor Band and All State Orchestra and Band. Four of her students have gone on to become professional bassoonists in the following orchestras: the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota Opera Orchestra and the Bergen (Norway) Philharmonic Orchestra. Ms. Nordling provides a thorough and organized pedagogy of bassoon performance, including sight-reading, rhythmic training, appropriate use of vibrato, technical proficiency, musicality and exposure to bassoon repertoire. She also provides customized reeds for each student and teaches beginning reed-making to those interested in the craft.
Coreen teaches beginning and intermediate piano students and loves introducing them to the joys of musical expression. She has a Master’s Degree in Music Education with years of experience teaching young children. Ms. Nordling uses the Faber Piano Adventures method books.
COVID-19 NOTICE:
During the pandemic, Ms. Nordling is offering online lessons via Zoom, FaceTime or Skype. She is also accepting new students into her studio at this time. The lessons have been successful, productive and rewarding. For more information, feel free to contact Ms. Nordling.