Biography

Charlotte Naden is a freelance bassoonist and contrabassoonist from New Zealand, now based in Malmö, Sweden. She holds a Master’s Degree in Bassoon Performance from the Malmö Academy of Music, studying with Annika Fredriksson and contrabassoonist Aksel Trige. She previously studied with Ben Hoadley and Philip Sumner at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Charlotte performs solo, with orchestras, and in chamber ensembles. Her passion for the bassoon and contrabassoon, combined with her extensive study with teachers from around the world, has made her a versatile and busy artist in the classical music scene.

She has performed widely around the world, including in New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Poland, Spain, and Portugal. Recently, she has worked with orchestras around Sweden, including the Malmö, Helsingborgs, and Norrköpings Symfoniorkesters, and Malmö Opera Orchestra. 

She has also performed as a soloist, notable performances being Elgar’s Romance for Bassoon and Orchestra with Malmö Akademiska Orkester, and Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto with Devonport Chamber Orchestra and Wairua Sinfonietta.

Charlotte has a keen interest in contemporary music and has premiered works written for her by Erik Valdemar Sköld and Julia Ekström. She has also showcased New Zealand composers in Scandinavia. The premieres of such new works have allowed her to showcase her commitment to expanding the bassoon repertoire and supporting living composers.

As a passionate teacher, Charlotte offers bassoon lessons on Zoom or in person in Malmö. She has extensive teaching experience, having taught privately and in schools in New Zealand and Sweden (including Malmö Kulturskola). She has studied pedagogy in New Zealand and Sweden, and has done important research in the area of performance anxiety with a lecture entitled “Learning by Ear: Its Place in Classical Music.” 

Based in Malmö, Charlotte is available worldwide for concerts, recording sessions, bassoon lessons, and educational presentations and workshops.