Bassoonist Staff Sergeant Bridget Piccirilli of Charlotte, N.C., joined “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in September 2023.

Staff Sgt. Piccirilli began her musical training at age 12 on bassoon and graduated from Lake Norman Charter School in Huntersville, N.C. in 2015. She then attended the University of South Carolina where she earned a bachelor’s degree in instrumental music education and a certificate in bassoon performance in 2019. In 2021, she graduated from Florida State University with a master’s in bassoon performance. Her bassoon instructors include Mike Harley of the University of South Carolina, Jeff Keesecker of Florida State University and Frank Morelli of Stony Brook University.

Prior to joining the band, Staff Sgt. Piccirilli performed with several ensembles across the Southeast, including the Charlotte Symphony; the South Carolina Philharmonic; and the Tallahassee, Augusta, Valdosta and Aiken Symphony Orchestras. She has also served as artistic and administrative associate for Tertulia Chamber Music, was an Aspen Music Festival fellow, and taught as a graduate assistant at Florida State University.

Staff Sgt. Piccirilli performs with the Marine Band and Marine Chamber Orchestra at the White House, in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, and across the country during the band’s annual concert tour.