Carlos López Soria
- Assistant Teaching Professor, Music (Bassoon)
Biography
Mexican bassoonist Carlos López Soria began his musical journey at the age of six as a pianist before discovering his passion for the bassoon at eighteen. He began his formal music studies at the School of Music of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and later earned degrees from the Joyce and Henry Schwob School of Music and the University of Iowa. He is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the University of Iowa, where his research focuses on bassoon music of the Americas. His doctoral recording project, Americas’ Collage, features five contrasting works by composers ranging from Washington State to Argentina. Carlos’s primary teachers include Benjamin Coelho, Dr. Stephanie Patterson, Dr. Ronald Wirt, Nylsa Ávalos, and Manuel Hernández.
As an educator, Carlos’s collegiate teaching experience includes appointments at the University of Wisconsin–Platteville and Western Michigan University. He has been appointed Assistant Teaching Professor of Music (Bassoon) at Penn State University, effective August 2026. His students have been admitted to prestigious graduate programs and summer festivals across the United States and have participated in international competitions. Their achievements extend beyond bassoon performance to include success in chamber ensembles under his mentorship.
As a performer, Carlos has won top prizes in numerous solo and chamber music competitions throughout Mexico and the United States. He has served as principal bassoon of the Columbus Ballet Orchestra (GA) and second bassoon of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra (GA), and has performed with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra, UNAM Philharmonic Orchestra, IPN Symphony Orchestra, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, and many other ensembles in both countries. He maintains an active schedule of performances and masterclasses throughout the United States and Mexico.