Rebecca Watson
Biography
Dr. Rebecca Hagen Watson is Chair of the Department of Music Education and Professor of Double Reeds at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. An active performer and educator, she serves as Principal Bassoon of the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra, Second Bassoon of the National Philharmonic Orchestra in Washington, D.C., Bassoon Instructor at the MasterWorks Festival, and formerly as the Utility Bassoon/Contrabassoon with the Britt Festival Orchestra in Oregon. In 2026, she was recognized as a Grammy-nominated artist through her work with the National Philharmonic Orchestra.
Prior to her appointment at Liberty University, Dr. Watson held faculty positions at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Washington Adventist University, and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. She frequently presents masterclasses, clinics, and recitals throughout the United States and is widely sought after as both a performer and pedagogue.
An accomplished orchestral musician, Dr. Watson served for eight seasons as Bassoonist and Contrabassoonist with the Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern in Germany and was Principal Bassoon of the Victoria Symphony for five seasons. Her career has included performances, broadcasts, recordings, and tours throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. During her tenure in Germany, she also performed and recorded with ensembles including the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Südwestrundfunk Kaiserslautern, and the Saarländischer Rundfunk Orchester. While in Germany, she pursued additional studies with Marc Engelhardt, Professor of Bassoon at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart.
Dr. Watson has performed with numerous distinguished ensembles, including the National Symphony Orchestra, Houston Ballet Orchestra, Richmond Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, Britt Festival Orchestra, Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, and the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. She has also participated in renowned international festivals and training programs, including the European Mozart Academy, Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival, and the MMCK Festival in Japan.
Her academic training reflects both American and European traditions of bassoon performance. She earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Arizona, where she studied bassoon with Dr. William Dietz and pursued concurrent studies in oboe with Dr. Sara Fraker. A dedicated advocate for comprehensive woodwind pedagogy, she has studied oboe as a secondary instrument for more than two decades with distinguished teachers including Amy Burgus, Jennifer Bernard, Dr. Mark Hill, and Dr. Rebecca Mindock.
Dr. Watson earned her Master of Music degree, magna cum laude, from the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf, where she studied with Gustavo Núñez, Principal Bassoon of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in Bassoon Performance from the University of Minnesota, studying with John Miller and Norbert Nielubowski.
In addition to her orchestral and teaching career, Dr. Watson has appeared as a featured soloist and chamber musician on live and recorded public radio broadcasts and continues to engage audiences through performances, educational outreach, and masterclasses across the country.
Dr. Watson resides in Forest, Virginia, with her husband.