For the last 40 years, Michael Rabinowitz's improvisatory skills on the bassoon have opened the door for the instrument to enter a variety of musical environments not normally associated with it. He has recorded and played with artists like Wynton Marsalis, Joe Lovano and Elvis Costello, and he's a founding member of The Charles Mingus Orchestra. His masterclasses and concerts continue to inspire bassoonists and oboists to push beyond the traditional roles of their instruments.