Faculty Artist Series: Caroline Chin, violin & Susan Nelson, bassoon

Described by Time Out New York as “Incisive, industrious, and creatively restless…” Caroline Eva Chin gave her solo debut at age 12 and has concertized throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia where her performances have taken her to Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, the Kennedy Center, and the White House. An avid chamber musician, Chin has been featured as a guest artist at numerous music festivals including the Scotia Music Festival in Canada, 2 Rivers Festival in the UK, Consonances Festival in France, and the Schiermonnikoog Chamber Music Festival in Holland where she has collaborated with Charles Neidich, Nobuko Imai, Piers Lane, and Colin Carr. An advocate of new music, she has performed works of composers Jennifer Higdon, Aaron Jay Kernis, Jessie Montgomery, Richard Carrick, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Paul Moravec. Recordings include the world premiere of Elliott Carter’s Tre Duetti for Violin and Cello on Centaur Records as well as recordings on Avie Records, Somm Records, and New World Records. She has given performances and master classes at universities and colleges throughout the U.S. including Oberlin Conservatory, New York University, University of North Texas, University of Colorado-Boulder and Michigan State University. Ms. Chin is Associate Professor of Violin at Bowling Green State University's College of Musical Arts and on the faculty of the Brevard Music Center Festival. 

Dr. Susan Nelson is the Associate Professor of Bassoon and Woodwind Area Coordinator at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), Ohio, and enjoys an active career as a performer, teacher, and clinician. Dr. Nelson is an advocate for new music as well as chamber music for the bassoon, and is the Director of the non-profit organization Bassoon Chamber Music Composition Competition (BCMCC) and founding member of Across the Grain bassoon/percussion duo. Dr. Nelson teaches at various camps, including BGSU’s Double Reed Camp and The Renova Festival. She has performed with the Classical Music Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria, Michigan Opera Theatre, Shreveport Symphony Orchestra, Toledo Symphony Orchestra, Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, Adrian Symphony Orchestra, and Helena Symphony, among others. She has also given solo performances at the International Double Reed Society Conferences in Boulder (CO), Redlands (CA), Oxford (OH), New York, Tokyo (Japan), and Thailand, among others.

Dr. Nelson has taught bassoon and theory at Stephen F. Austin State University and played with the Stone Fort Wind Quintet in Nacogdoches, Texas. She also held the position of principal bassoon in the Great Falls Symphony and was a member of the Chinook Winds quintet in Great Falls, Montana. She can be heard on Elements, an album through the MSR Classics label, and Not Yet: New Chamber Works for Bassoon on the Mark Records label. Dr. Nelson is a graduate of the University of Kansas, the University of Oklahoma, and the University of Michigan. Her primary teachers include Jeffrey Lyman, Carl Rath, and Alan Hawkins. 

Dr. Nelson is a Fox Artist. 

Kevin J. Bylsma is an Associate Teaching Professor and Vocal Coach at the College of Musical Arts at Bowling Green State University. In addition, he serves Toledo Opera as Artistic Director and Chorus Master. Active as an organist, recitalist, and conductor, Mr. Bylsma is the Organist of the Historic Mariners’ Church of Detroit, and the Co-founder and Artistic Director of the Ann Arbor Festival of Song. Kevin resides in Toledo’s Old West End neighborhood with his cat, Little Dickens, who weighs 28 pounds!