Bio

Ivy Ringel is the Principal Bassoon of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Prior to her time in Indianapolis, she was the Principal Bassoon of the Atlanta Opera and the Des Moines Metro Opera. She has performed with orchestras including the Houston Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Ballet, Jacksonville Symphony, Chattanooga Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Buffalo Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic, Symphoria, and the New World Symphony. Ms. Ringel has served as adjunct professor of bassoon at both Butler University and Morehouse College, and has taught masterclasses at Indiana University, the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Columbus State University and the Meg Quigley Bassoon Symposium.

Ivy is a passionate advocate for chamber music and commissioning new works. She is a founding member of threeplustwo, an unlikely family band that blends classical, jazz and folk to create a lively and intimate sound. Ivy also works with the Rossini Club, a chamber music organization based in Nantucket, MA that uses multidisciplinary presentations, innovative programming, and commissioning new works to share classical and contemporary music with the Nantucket community every summer. Ivy, through the Rossini Club, has commissioned works by Derek David, Sarah Gibson and Theo Chandler. Other summers of Ivy’s have been spent with the National Repertory Orchestra, the Round Top Music Festival, and the Chautauqua Music Festival. Ivy has also collaborated with the Ronen Chamber Ensemble, the Slee Sinfonetta and Ensemble Signal. Ms. Ringel is a prize winner of the Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition, the North Carolina Governor’s School Concerto Competition, and the Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition.

Originally from Hillsborough, North Carolina, Ivy began studying the violin at age 5 before starting bassoon at age 11. During high school, Ivy studied with Michael Burns, professor of bassoon at University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Ivy then earned her Bachelor of Music degree and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, where she studied with John Hunt and Charlie Bailey. She then went on to Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, where she earned her Master of Music degree studying with Benjamin Kamins. Her non-musical interests include cooking, camping, gardening and enjoying live music.