Bassoonist and contrabassoonist Andrew Genemans joined the Grand Rapids Symphony in January 2018. A native of Akron, Ohio, he graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a Master’s Degree in Music Performance as well as an Advanced Musical Studies Certificate. His undergraduate studies were at the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music.  Andrew is an avid orchestral musician, performing with such renowned ensembles as The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Houston Symphony Orchestra among others. In 2012, Andrew performed with members of the Cleveland Orchestra in a live broadcast of Mozart’s Serenade No. 11.  Andrew is an active soloist on both bassoon and contrabassoon, most recently performing Vivaldi’s Concerto in E Minor for Bassoon and Orchestra with Resonance Works | Pittsburgh. In February 2014, Andrew performed the world premiere of Mark Fromm’s Lingua Cosmica for solo contrabassoon and chamber ensemble with the Carnegie Mellon Contemporary Music Ensemble under the direction of Daniel Curtis.  Andrew has spent the last three years as a prestigious Contrabassoon Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and School, studying with Per Hannevold and Michael Sweeney. His primary bassoon teachers include Nancy Goeres, Jonathan Sherwin, and Renee Anthony Dee, plus contrabassoon studies with Jonathan Sherwin and Jim Rodgers.  In his spare time, Andrew enjoys reading, discovering new music and art, watching stand-up comedy, and writing poetry.