Stacey Gossman studied cello and bassoon in her youth. She first majored in cello performance at Idaho State University but switched to study bassoon performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music with George Goslee, principal bassoonist with Cleveland Orchestra. Stacey completed her Bachelor’s degree there, after which she spent almost four years performing with professional orchestras in the-then West Germany. 

After coming home to the U.S., Stacey turned to business, joining technology giant Xerox in a full-time management role, first in Cleveland and then in Rochester, NY. That was at a time when full-time professional jobs for bassoonists with U.S. orchestras were rare. Still hoping to continue playing the bassoon, Stacey advanced her career at Xerox, while at the same time completing a Masters in Music at the Cleveland Institute. She later achieved an MBA at Rochester Institute of Technology, ultimately becoming a finance specialist at Xerox. 

In 1999 misfortune struck, as Stacey suffered a catastrophic brain aneurysm that incapacitated her for two years. As a result, she moved to Fort Myers to live with her sister, Sharyl Leifeld (who plays violin for the Gulf Coast Symphony) and her late brother-in-law Klaus. Music was a key to Stacey’s recovery, as she started studying with Kristen Sonneborn, principal bassoonist with Naples Philharmonic. Today Stacey is also principal bassoonist of the symphony orchestra at Florida Southwestern State College. She has performed with the Charlotte Symphony, and was principal bassoonist with Naples Orchestra and Chorus from 2014 to 2018. Five years ago, Stacey resumed studying and performing the cello.

Stacey joined the Gulf Coast Symphony in 2005 and performs separately in small ensembles and at area church services. She has taught bassoon performance and is on the board of the Music Foundation of Southwest Florida, which is dedicated to advancing opportunities for youth musicians through high school. 

Stacey is passionate about caring for dogs and is known in her gated community as the “Dog Mom!”