California native Stephanie Patterson is the Associate Professor of Bassoon at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She formerly taught at the Schwob School of Music and was Principal Bassoon of the Columbus Symphony (GA), and Acting Principal Bassoon with the Atlanta Opera. She has commissioned many new works as a member of the Enid Trio and the Off Broadway Trio. She is the Education Coordinator for the Meg Quigley Vivaldi Bassoon Symposium, working to increase access to quality bassoon experiences for all. She has performed around the world, including the Belfast Sonorities Festival, the Lucerne Academy, and Pro Musica in Juiz da Fora, Brazil. Her book, "An Introduction to Contemporary Music for Bassoon and 64 Etudes" is available through Trevco Varner Music.

Rachel Messing is an oboist and educator with a multifaceted career spanning orchestral, solo, chamber and historical performance. Prior to joining UNCSA, she was Associate Professor of Oboe and Music History at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi and an English hornist with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra. Messing has played with the San Antonio Philharmonic, Phoenix Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Corpus Christi Symphony and more. She is also a passionate chamber musician and founding member of Plumeria Winds and Bayview Winds. A committed pedagogue and mentor, she has led masterclasses nationwide and integrates historical context, theory and performance practice into her teaching.