Michael Dicker

Michael Dicker is in his eighteenth year as Professor of Bassoon at Illinois State University. Currently, he is also the principal bassoon of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra and the principal bassoon of Opera Illinois. During the summer when he is not teaching, Michael works as a bassoon repair technician at Fox Products.

Michael was born in Brooklyn, New York. He started playing the bassoon while taking a woodwind methods course at the University of California Los Angeles. At that point, he decided he would like to try playing the bassoon. Up until then he was an oboist. Since that time, bassoon has been the focus of his musical life.

Michael earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from UCLA, during which time he studied privately with Norman Herzberg. Michael also earned a Certificate in Bassoon Performance from The Julliard School, where he studied with Harold Goltzer. He earned a Master of Music in Bassoon Performance from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Hugh Cooper.

From 1978 until 1983, when he resided in Germany, Michael served as Associate Principal Bassoon of the Gelsenkirchen Philharmonic Orchestra. He also performed as guest bassoonist with the Deutsche Bach Solisten, Deutsche Oper-am-Rhein, Belgian Radio Symphony, Dortmund Opera, and Essen Philharmonic. During this time Michael also served as instructor of bassoon at the Musikschule Bochum.

It was during this time in Germany that Michael began his association with Fox Products Corporation as European Representative for the company.

Michael enjoys music, and says that there isn't much time for many other hobbies when one is a musician, although he does occasionally play golf. His favorite composers include Bach and Brahms. He thinks that many young people today are driven by the technical aspects of the instrument and they miss out on the love of and devotion to music. He thinks one should start with a passion for music and then choose the instrument. The advice he gives to young, aspiring bassoonists is "If you have lofty goals, expect to work extremely hard, and above all, have a great love and passion for the music itself."