Asha Kline

Asha Kline, an Ellicott City, MD native, serves as the Acting Principal Bassoon of the Nashville Symphony in the 25/26 season. A dedicated orchestral musician, she has been Principal Bassoon of the Annapolis Symphony since January 2024 and was a member of the New Haven Symphony from 2022-2025.

Asha has performed as guest principal with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and has also performed regularly with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Notably, in fall of 2024, she toured China with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Marin Alsop, performing in Beijing, Chengdu, and Haikou. She has also participated in numerous orchestra festivals including Verbier (Switzerland), Tanglewood, and Spoleto. 

Asha was the first prize winner of the Meg Quigley Vivaldi bassoon competition in 2023 as well as the Boston Woodwind Society’s Matthew Ruggiero bassoon competition in 2022. She has appeared as a soloist in the world premiere of Adrian Wong’s concerto for two bassoons and contrabassoon, “Eulogy for a Fallen Tree,” in April 2023. 

Asha is currently on the faculty of Accelerando, the Nashville Symphony’s intensive music training program for high school students in Tennessee. 

Asha received her Bachelor’s Degree from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2024, where she studied with Daniel Matsukawa. Her other notable teachers include Fei Xie and Monica Schwartz. In her free time she enjoys doing jigsaw puzzles, cooking Indian food, and spending time with her orange cat.