Principal Bassoon
Theodore R. Hassen Principal Bassoon Chair
Member since: 1993
Hometown: Bel Air, Maryland
Hobbies/Interests: I enjoy planning trips, and hopefully taking them! Reading, shopping, and binge-watching TV shows.
Diane Bishop has been Principal Bassoon of the Orlando Philharmonic since 1993. Originally from Bel Air, Maryland, she attended the prestigious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where she received a Bachelor of Music Degree with Distinction. She also attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst for graduate study before winning the position of Principal Bassoon with the Florida Symphony Orchestra in 1984. Her teachers include K. David Van Hoesen, Frank Morelli, David Carroll, and Brent Rickman.
In addition to performing with the OPO, she was a full-time staff member of the orchestra for 13 years, first as Box Office Manager and later as Director of Patron Services. Mrs. Bishop has also served multiple terms as a member of the Board of Directors of the OPO.
In February of 2023, Mrs. Bishop announced that she would step down as Principal Bassoon and move into the Second Bassoon chair beginning with the 2023-2024 season.
Mrs. Bishop has also performed with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, Florida Orchestra, the Heidelberg (Germany) Opera Festival Orchestra, and the Breckenridge Music Institute Orchestra. She and her husband John have two adult children and share their home with five ungrateful cats.