Mariana Paras Peña

Professional Bassoonist

marianaparaspena@gmail.com


MARIANA PARÁS – PERFORMER ON HISTORICAL & MODERN BASSOONS

A performer on both historical and modern instruments, Mariana is equally at home as an orchestra member, giving recitals and playing chamber music.

A native of Victoria Tamaulipas, Mexico and studied in Germany, Mariana Parás Peña completed the German Diplom (Master equivalent) in Orchestral Music – Bassoon & Contrabassoon under Prof. Henrik Rabien in the University for Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt, Germany. She studied also a Master of Music in Historical Research and Performance – Dulcian, Baroque and Classical Bassoon with the support of her teachers Dr. Donna Agrell and Javier Zafra.

During 2016, Mariana was appointed principal bassoon of the Oaxaca Symphony Orchestra in Mexico and currently serves on the RTE National Symphony and Concert Orchestras in Dublin, Ireland as Bassoon and Contrabassoon as a substitute.

She has performed in projects with the Wexford Opera Festival, Irish SinfoNua Orchestra, Mexico Women National Symphony, Orchestre de la Francophonie (Canada), Russian Chamber Philharmonic St. Petersburg, Bavarian Philharmonic, Philharmonic of the Nations, German/Scandinavian Philharmonic, The World Orchestra, Young Artists Bayreuth, Klangforum Mitte Europa, Sommer Oper Bamberg, among many others.

Mariana has attended master classes with Sergio Azzolini, Alberto Grazzi, Dag Jensen, Georg Klutsch, Ole K. Dahl, David Tomas Realp, Guillaume Santana, Tobias Pelkner, Stéphane Levésque, etc. and winner of the Yehudi Menuhin Performance Scholarship 2015.

Mariana Paras is rapidly garnering praise for her nuanced, bold and insightful performances of repertoire ranging from 17th to 21st century music

As historical bassoonist, Mariana has performed with the Irish Baroque Orchestra, Nordic Baroque Orchestra (Norway), Jeune Orchestre de l’Abbaye, La Tirata Ensemble, La Rejouissanse Baroque Orchestra, Freiburger Barockorchester Akademie, Simon Bolivar Baroque Orchestra (Venezuela), etc., and in Festivals like The American Bach Soloists in San Francisco, Händel Festspiele in Karlsruhe (Germany), Trondheim (Norway) Ancient Music Festival, and so on.

Among many other recordings, Mariana has participated in two productions as principal bassoon with the International Youth Orchestra for the Bavarian Radio, one recording as soloist (bassoon and piano) for the Goethe University Frankfurt. In 2016 performed as Principal Bassoon in the contemporary music production (of 5 CDs) “The Mexican Composers Series” – Itinerant Classics Label.

Mariana’s musical interests are unique and varied, having a commitment to the performance of contemporary music, classical music, jazz and all about historical interpretation. In addition to playing, Mariana has participated actively as manager of many chamber music groups and orchestras and maintains a private teaching studio and bassoon reed-making business.


Teaching And Reed Making

As well as flourishing concert schedule, Mariana has a thriving teaching career and a small but fine reed making business.

My teaching philosophy consists of three overarching principles:

  • Technical mastery is the gateway to musical expression.

  • Development of musicianship shapes your artistic opinions.

  • Every performance is an opportunity to communicate the joy of music to an audience.


For enquiries about reeds (bassoon, contrabassoon or historical bassoons) please send me a message.