Abi Adam
Abi Adam studied bassoon with Edgar Williams and piano with Margaret Wakeford at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow firstly as a McFarlane Scholar at the Junior RSAMD, then as an undergraduate and post-graduate student before going on to participate, thanks to a Countess of Munster Scholarship, in the National Centre for Orchestral Studies in London graduating with distinction. She successfully auditioned to be a soloist with the NCOS and performed the Mozart Concerto in January 1989.
Between 1985 and 1988 she was principal bassoon with the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland. In 1988 she won the prestigious Governors’ Recital Prize for Woodwind at the RSAMD, awarded by the eminent oboist Anthony Camden who described her playing as world class, as did Jack Brymer in an RSAMD woodwind masterclass. She has freelanced since the age of 16 with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Scottish Baroque Ensemble, Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet Orchestra, and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and has appeared as a soloist on numerous occasions performing the Mozart, Weber, Gordon Jacob concertos and many of the thirty-nine Vivaldi concertos. She is currently exploring repertoire that reflects the natural world that is particularly atmospheric, capturing different facets of the bassoon’s tonal range, and working towards a further qualification as a Fellow of the Associated BoardRoyal Schools of Music. In addition, she has recently been commissioning new works for bassoon and piano, working, so far, with Marilyn Herman and Helen Leach. She recently performed Vivaldi’s Bassoon Concerto in C Major, RV473, with the Bach Ensemble of Edinburgh in August 2025, and has appeared with the well-known pianist Ingrid Sawers in recitals at Classic Music Live, Falkirk, Penicuik Community Arts Association, the Scottish Arts Club, and Greyfriars@12, Edinburgh.
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Adrian’s academic qualifications include: BA(Hons) in Music and the Arts, MA in Music and MA in Education from the Open University; MMus in Composition, Jazz and 20th Century Music from the University of Edinburgh; MSc in Practitioner Research from the University of Strathclyde; DipTMus (Diploma in the Teaching of Music) from St. Andrew's College of Education; DipABRSM (Diploma of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) in piano teaching; and the ALCM (Associate Diploma of the London College of Music) in piano performing. He is also a member of the European Piano Teachers Association (EPTA) and a Fellow of the Incorporated Society of Musicians (FISM).
Adrian has held various roles with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), including Principal Assessor for Higher Music and Visiting Assessor of Music performance. He has also written two books for the Scottish Music curriculum: National 5 Music Study Guide and Higher Music Study Guide, both published by Bright Red Publishing.
