She is a bassoonist and contrabassoonist born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and Temple University.
She went to Venezuela where she became a member of the Filamornica de Caracas, returning to the USA by 1992, when she became a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra.
As a chamber musician she has performed with several chamber ensembles local to Philadelphia, Lenape Chamber Ensemble in Delaware and has performed at the Delaware Chamber Music Festival, Saratoga Chamber Music Festival and in the Philadelphia Chamber Music series.
She has given performances as a soloist with the Lower Merion Symphony, the Mozart Orchestra, the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, which she has recorded with, the Reading Symphony and the West Jersey Chamber Orchestra.
Recordings she has performed on include Hanson: Concerto for Organ, Harp and Strings/Nymphs and Satyr by The Philadelphia Virtuoso Chamber Orchestra.
In the field of musical education she teaches bassoon and contrabassoon and has been a member of the College of New Jersey and the University of Delaware, where she also performed as a member of the Del ‘Arte Woodwind Quintet. She has given master classes and lecture recitals at Temple University and the Curtis Institute of Music among others.
She is married to Mark Gigliotti who is co-principal bassoon with The Philadelphia Orchestra.
Sources:
- https://www.philorch.org/your-philorch/meet-your-orchestra/musicians/holly-blake/
- http://www.pomusicians.org/holly-blake.html
- https://www.wrti.org/arts-desk/2017-08-27/have-you-heard-the-beautiful-dark-low-tones-of-the-contrabassoon
- https://www.naxos.com/person/Holly_Blake/13064.htm