New Zealander Todd Gibson-Cornish was appointed principal bassoon of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2016.

An in-demand guest principal, Todd has performed with many of Europe’s leading orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Rome), Oslo Philharmonic, Sinfonia of London, the Hallé, the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (London), BBC Symphony and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. He has performed at the BBC Proms and on tour throughout Europe, Asia and the United States under conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Antonio Pappano, Klaus Mäkelä and Daniele Gatti. In Australia, he has also toured with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the LSO.

Concerto appearances with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra include the Australasian premiere of Christopher Rouse’s Bassoon Concerto, Mozart Bassoon Concerto, and Vanhal Concerto for two bassoons (with Matthew Wilkie). He has also performed Jolivet’s Bassoon Concerto with the NZSO National Youth Orchestra.

Committed to education, Todd has given masterclasses at leading institutions including the Royal College of Music (London), Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester), and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

A passionate chamber musician, Todd has performed at festivals and venues including the Martinborough Music Festival (NZ), UKARIA Cultural Centre (Adelaide), Ensemble 360 (UK), and Les Concerts du Zeppelin (France) and at the House of Lords with the ASMF wind quartet. He is Co-Artistic Director of the Cambridge Chamber Music Festival in New Zealand.

Todd graduated in 2016 with First Class Honours from the Royal College of Music, where he studied under Joost Bosdijk, Andrea de Flammineis, and Julie Price. He was a Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Scholar, supported by a Douglas and Hilda Simmonds Award, and was awarded the prestigious Tagore Gold Medal for his outstanding contribution to the RCM — presented to him by HRH King Charles III.