Nicolasa Kuster is Principal Bassoonist of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Professor of Bassoon at Wichita State University School of Music, and member of the Lieurance Woodwind Quintet. She is a 1993 Double Degree graduate from Oberlin College and Conservatory where she studied with George Sakakeeny. She then studied with the late Bruce Grainger (Assistant Principal Bassoon of the Chicago Symphony).

As an orchestral player, Ms. Kuster has held positions in the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rhode Island Philharmonic, the Virginia Symphony, and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Additional orchestral experience includes engagements with the Memphis, New Hampshire, West Virginia, and Oklahoma City Symphonies. She has spent five summer seasons performing with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Spoleto, Italy and can be heard on the Chandos Label as Principal Bassoon on Gian Carlo Menotti operas The Consul, and The Saint of Bleeker Street, two CD's of Gian Carlo Menotti's orchestral, vocal and instrumental works, and Prokofiev's War and Peace.

Ms. Kuster's solo appearances with orchestra include a one-month solo tour of Kazakstan, televised performances in Italy and Panama, and numerous performances in the United States. She is the winner of the 1995 Chicago Musicians Club of Women's Solo Competition (Farwell Award). Ms. Kuster actively performs in recital at home and abroad.

Ms. Kuster's dedication to teaching started while a student at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music; she founded the Oberlin in Panama Project, where Oberlin students and faculty travel to Panama to teach and perform for one month each year (this project is in it's 13th year.) While Ms. Kuster is passionately active in creating and providing educational and performance opportunities for young bassoonists in her own community she is also an active clinician in the United States and around the world. She was pleased to have the honor of being on the faculty of the Oberlin Conservatory for Fall of 2003.

Nicolasa Kuster lives in Wichita with her husband, violinist John Harrison and their three dogs. After performing with the Anchorage Music Festival, Ms. Kuster will spend the rest of the summer performing at the New Hampshire Music Festival.