The Mapletones bassoon quartet

Tim Whittick

I am a freelance bassonist and contrabassoonist of 30 years, based in Manchester, and have played for three BBC symphony orchestras, the BBC Radio 2 Big Band, Opera North, Halle, RLPO, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Ulster Orchestra and most of the chamber and ballet orchestras based in the North of England.

Isabel Dowell

Isabel has been principal bassoon with the York Guildhall Orchestra since 2007 as well as with the Academy of St Olave’s. She is a member of the Force Five Wind Quintet, the recently formed Sestina Ensemble and the effervescent Mapletones bassoon quartet! 
Freelance work has included Opera North, The National Festival Orchestra and The Leeds Amateur Operatic Society.

Luke Crookes

Hi. My name is Luke Crookes. I am a bassoonist, workshop leader & presenter. I work with museums, galleries, heritage sites, cultural institutions, SEND schools, schools, community groups & hospitals. I also collaborate with artists, musicians, dancers, sculptors, architects and all sorts of other people.

David Baker

In 1991 David became sub-principal bassoon with The Orchestra of Opera North based in Leeds; enjoying a wide variety of orchestral, chamber and opera performance in the roll of both first and second bassoon. He has taught bassoon at Leeds College of Music, Hull University, Huddersfield University, and Bretton Hall College. He now teaches privately at Leeds University as well as being a senior lecturer at Leeds Conservatoire, teaching bassoon, bassoon reed making and coaching chamber music ensembles.