After switching from trumpet to bassoon in high school, Elaine Maisel quickly took to the double reed instrument, subsequently earning bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in bassoon performance from Alma College, The Hartt School of Music, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After serving as the director of the UNCG early music ensemble during her doctoral studies, Elaine taught double reeds and music history at Mississippi State University in Starkville from 2004-2012. Elaine now travels throughout Mississippi as a consultant and teaching artist for the Mississippi Arts Commission in addition to maintaining a full studio schedule as a visual artist. Painting on feathers under the name FeatherMore, Elaine is a member of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi.
Dr. Maisel has performed and presented scholarly papers throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Europe. In addition to playing 2nd bassoon with the Mississippi Symphony, Elaine has played with the Gulf Coast Symphony, North Mississippi Symphony (Tupelo), Tuscaloosa, Mobile, Memphis, Meridian, and Alabama, Greensboro, and North Carolina Symphonies, to name a few.
A contributing author to the new edition of Grove Dictionary of American Music, Elaine is also a certified t’ai chi chih instructor and accomplished cook. She enjoys living in Ridgeland, MS with her husband, violinist Ty Maisel.