Adam Kraynak is an active freelancer in the Philadelphia area, and currently finishing his undergraduate studies at Temple University’s Boyer College of Music and Dance. Adam frequently performs as Principal Bassoon with the Temple University Symphony Orchestra and Wind Symphony, and appears on two albums from BCM&D Records: the Divertimenti Nos 2, 3 and 4 by Vicente Martín y Soler, and Rainforests by Bill Cunliffe.
Adam has also performed with Symphony in C, Philadelphia Sinfonia, Philadelphia Young Artist Orchestra, and Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra. This has taken his playing to prestigious venues such as the Kimmel Center’s Marian Anderson Hall, Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater, and Benaroya Hall.
Adam is a three-time lab orchestra fellow at The Conducting Institute in Texas, led by renowned conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya. He also previously attended the Varna International Music Academy and attended the AIMS Festival Orchestra in Austria this past summer. His teachers include Angela Anderson Smith and Francine Peterson. Outside of music, Adam loves reading, cooking, and spending time with his loved ones.
10 Questions with Adam Kraynak:
1. What inspires you?
I’m inspired by people who have dedicated their lives to something and have achieved greatness in it. As a huge tennis fan, Roger Federer has always been inspiring to me. He reached the pinnacle of his sport and used his huge platform to promote kindness and elegance. My parents also inspire me greatly. They always taught my siblings and I to be kind, compassionate, and understanding to other people, no matter the circumstance. As human beings, we all have a duty to be kind to one another.
2. Who are some musicians that have influenced your playing?
Some of my favorite bassoonists are Sergio Azzolini, Stefan Schweigert, and Bram van Sambeek. I also love Luciano Pavarotti, Hilary Hahn, and Augustin Hadelich. Other people who have directly influenced my playing have been my teachers, colleagues, and three siblings.
3. What advice would you give your 9-year-old self?
Use a metronome.
4. Do you have any hidden talents?
I make very good chicken sandwiches.
5. How would you describe the bassoon's role in an orchestra?
The bassoon is the bass voice of the woodwind section. It often plays similar lines to the string bass, cello, and low brass in that role but is also capable of playing beautiful lyrical lines, especially in the tenor register. Our solo in the second movement of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony and our solo in Scheherazade are great examples of this.
6. What was your dream job as a kid?
I want(ed) to be an astronaut.
7. What was one thing about your instrument that surprised you when you started learning to play?
I was surprised by the range of the instrument. It spans about three and a half octaves, which is larger than the range of previous instruments that I played.
8. What’s your favorite thing about Philadelphia?
Restaurants. The food scene here is incredible. I love trying new restaurants, and there are so many here that I could never in a lifetime try them all. I also love the culture around our sports teams. Philly has the best fans in the world.
9. What type of ensembles do you enjoy playing and why?
Outside of orchestra, I love playing chamber music. Woodwind quintets are very fun. The experience of sitting down with a small number of people and really making as much music as possible is an amazing one. There is so much that goes into making great chamber music, and I love the process of discovering what that is and doing it with a group of friends.
10. What was an experience with a teacher or peer that was impactful to you in your music education?
In middle school and high school, I had two amazing band directors. They are one of the reasons that I am where I am today.
Adam's Recommended Playlist:
