JEFF KEESECKER, Professor of Bassoon, came to Florida State University in 1991 from the Florida Orchestra and from the University of South Florida, where he served as professor of bassoon from 1985 to 1991. He holds a Master of Music degree with honors in bassoon from The Juilliard School and graduated summa cum laude from the Florida State University School of Music with a Bachelor of Music degree in bassoon performance.

In the fall of 1997, Keesecker served as Principal Bassoonist of the St. Gallen Sinfonie and the St. Gallen Opera in St. Gallen, Switzerland, and taught at the Jugendmusikschule der Stadt St. Gallen. He has also served as principal bassoonist in The Florida West Coast Symphony, The National Repertory Orchestra, and Solisti New York; has been on the faculty of the Utah Music Festival; and has performed at numerous festivals, including the Waterloo, Sarasota, and Aspen Music Festivals. Professor Keesecker is principal bassoonist of the Tallahassee Symphony, a member of the Opperman Trio, and in summers is bassoonist with the Swannanoa (NC) Chamber Festival.