Bassoonist Joshua Elmore’s playing has been described by San Francisco Classical Voice as having “assurance, panache, rhythmic freedom, and a brightly focused, beautifully plangent tone.”

It's a sound that will be ringing out at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) when he joins the Conservatory faculty as a professor of bassoon in the fall of 2026. 

“I am excited to begin a new chapter as a member of the SFCM faculty,” Elmore said. “It’s a privilege to help shape the next generation of musicians and to be part of a community that celebrates excellence, creativity and vision. I am very much looking forward to working with the students as they develop their craft and musical voice.”

Elmore is Principal Bassoon of the San Francisco Symphony, a position he has held since March of 2025. He will join about two dozen faculty members at SFCM who are also with the SFS, many of them principals. 

“We are so happy to welcome Joshua Elmore to the wind faculty of SFCM,” Woodwind Department Chair Jerry Simas (who also is part of the SFS) said. “Joshua is an extraordinary artist who plays with such imagination, virtuosity, and beauty. At his recent SFCM bassoon masterclass, it was so clear that with his breadth of experience and thoughtful insights, he will be a great mentor to our students for years to come.”

“The opportunity to mentor and collaborate with the next generation of classical musicians is both a great honor and responsibility,” Elmore continued, “and one that I approach with deep enthusiasm and gratitude.”

Prior to joining the SFS, Elmore previously served as principal of the Fort Worth Symphony and has also performed with the Boston Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and Britain's Chineke! Orchestra. In 2022, he served as principal bassoon for the Gateways Festival Orchestra’s historic Carnegie Hall debut, playing with the first all-African-American orchestra to appear at the venue.

Elmore is a longtime advocate for music education, dedicated to nurturing the next generation of young bassoonists. He collaborated with Alfred Music on an intermediate bassoon method book and served as bassoon faculty at the 2023 Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival in South Africa, offering masterclasses and coaching young musicians

Made up of renowned faculty and a bold, talented student body, SFCM’s Woodwind Department challenges and inspires the next generation of great wind players. Students of bassoon, clarinet, flute, and oboe, explore orchestra and chamber repertoire, contemporary music, and canonical literature—all while honing their craft and preparing for a rewarding professional career.

“It is certainly exciting to have a player of Joshua's caliber on our faculty,” Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jonas Wright said, “But it's his ability to translate his playing into instruction that makes him a truly special addition to the Conservatory. I'm so excited to watch Joshua continue the excellent work of his colleague Steven Paulson, creating one of the best bassoon studios in the country!”

Elmore’s musical journey began in Cleveland, where he studied with Mark DeMio and Barrick Stees. As a high school student, he was principal bassoon of the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony and a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. He also toured internationally with the National Youth Orchestra of the United States. Elmore is a graduate of the Julliard School. Outside of music, he enjoys cultivating his plant collection and spending time in nature.

Learn more about studying Bassoon or Woodwinds at SFCM.
Learn more about the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.