At just 17 years old, Ian Redondo Infante is preparing to take an important step in his musical career. The Costa Rican bassoonist has been admitted to the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (MUK), where he will continue his professional training with a focus on bassoon.
Admission Following a Competitive Audition Process
Redondo’s admission followed a process that began the previous year and concluded in 2026 with auditions. The young musician successfully secured a place at the Vienna institution, opening the door to a new stage of his professional development.
The MUK’s official bassoon program includes an eight-semester Bachelor of Arts degree. The university lists 17 as the minimum age for admission to the bachelor’s bassoon program.
The program combines intensive instrumental training with performance opportunities, including orchestra productions, chamber music, workshops, masterclasses and competitions. Students can also work with instruments such as the contrabassoon and Baroque bassoon.
A Musical Journey That Began Early
Ian Redondo is already part of Costa Rica’s young classical music scene. He currently serves as principal bassoonist of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of the National Institute of Music.
According to the report published by La República, he made his debut with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica at the age of 14. In 2025, he was also among the winners of the Young Soloists Competition, an achievement that gave him the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the country’s leading symphony orchestra.
In 2024, he also participated in the Summer Camp organized by the Queen Sofía School of Music in Spain, adding an international experience to his musical training.
The Bassoon at the Center of His Training
The bassoon is one of the principal woodwind instruments used in the symphonic repertoire. At the MUK, bassoon students are trained across different musical styles and are given opportunities to perform in orchestras, chamber ensembles and innovative interdisciplinary projects.
The university’s Department of Wind and Percussion Instruments describes its programs as preparing students for careers as soloists, ensemble musicians, orchestra musicians and instrumental teachers.
A New Beginning in Vienna
Moving to Vienna will mark an important academic and personal transition for the young musician. According to La República, Redondo plans to travel to Europe at the end of September to begin his studies.
The MUK is located in Vienna and brings together international young talent and lecturers from the professional music world. Its wind and percussion department specifically emphasizes instrumental excellence and includes teachers and performers connected to Vienna’s major orchestral tradition.
For Redondo, studying in this environment will provide an opportunity to deepen his technique and gain experience in a city with a particularly strong connection to classical music.
A Milestone for Costa Rica’s Young Musicians
Ian Redondo’s admission to the MUK represents an important achievement in his young career and another example of Costa Rican musical talent reaching international institutions.
His journey from the National Institute of Music and the Youth Symphony Orchestra to a university in Vienna illustrates the possibilities available to young musicians who develop their skills through Costa Rica’s artistic education system.
At 17, Redondo is now preparing to begin a new chapter in Europe, taking with him the experience accumulated during his early years of musical training and the ambition to continue developing as a professional bassoonist.
Official source
The MUK’s official information confirms that its Bachelor’s Programme in Bassoon lasts eight semesters, leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree and accepts students from the age of 17.
