Praised for his “superb” and “very expressive playing,” Jeffrey McCray is Principal Bassoon of the Lincoln (NE) and Grand Junction (CO) Symphony Orchestras, and he is a member of the bassoon section of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. He is Instructor of Bassoon and Music Theory at Metropolitan State University of Denver, and he Instructor of Bassoon at Colorado State University-Pueblo and Chadron State College in Nebraska. He has performed extensively with orchestras throughout the United States, including the Omaha Symphony, the Kansas City Symphony, and the Minnesota Orchestra.
Prior to his current positions, Dr. McCray served for 13 years on the faculty of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has also held teaching positions at Baylor University, Western Michigan University, Albion College, and the University of Michigan-Flint. His primary bassoon teachers were Robert Barris, Bernard Garfield, and Michael Kroth; he holds degrees from Northwestern University, Temple University, and Michigan State University.
Dr. McCray is an active performer and clinician, having performed or presented at numerous conferences of music professionals such as the International Double-Reed Society, the College Music Society, the International Horn Society, the Nebraska Music Educators Association, and the Colorado Music Educators Association. He has taught masterclasses and performed recitals at many prestigious schools of music, including Baylor University, Colorado State University, the Crane School of Music (SUNY-Potsdam), Michigan State University, University of Iowa, University of Kansas, University of Michigan, University of North Texas, University of Northern Colorado, University of Oklahoma, and the Instituto Nacional de Música in Costa Rica.
