From Drill to Thrill

Those who know Dr. Richard Epstein, are probably most familiar with him as the man who cleans their teeth but this native Westporter, whose practice is located on Red Coat Road, only considers that his day job.  

Epstein is also a bassoonist for the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and a radio talk show host of "Sometimes Classical" on 89.5 FM and WPKN.org.  The three-hour music program, which has been running since 1978, airs on alternate Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. and is an eclectic mix of music of all styles.  According to the WPKN program guide, for over 30 years Epstein has been playing "classical, the fringes and the unexpected.  Dentist by day, bassoonist by night, Richard deals out Mingus, Mahler, Laurie Anderson, Pete Seeger, cowpoke melodies and Indian ragas, programming an eccentric game of aural solitaire."

Epstein's passion for music began as a boy. He was a serious clarinet player until his junior high school years. When he wanted to try his hand at a second instrument, specifically the oboe, the Staples High School Orchestra needed a bassoonist, so Epstein was assigned a plastic bassoon. He studied with John Ohanion, Director of Music for the Westport school system and he soon progressed to private studies with Joyce Kelley who was known by many as the foremost bassoon teacher in the region.  Before Epstein knew it, he found his talents in great demand and was earning money both playing and teaching the bassoon as a teenager.  

Epstein joined the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra as a volunteer musician when he was still a high school student. After graduating, he continued his musical studies at Brown University while majoring in environmental biology and ecology. At Brown, Epstein composed electronic music on one of the first Moog synthesizers. He studied Indian ragas, played in musical ensembles and hosted Sunday evening music shows on the college radio station, WBRU, FM.

Though Epstein chose not to pursue a musical career, he continued playing bassoon in many orchestras and ensembles in the Hartford region while attending dental school at the University of Connecticut's Farmington Health Center. Epstein followed his father's footsteps to a career in dentistry and joined his father's practice when he moved back to Westport before establishing his own business.  Epstein has been in private practice, specializing in cosmetic, implant, and reconstructive dentistry for more than 30 years. 

Upon returning to Westport, Epstein rejoined the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, this time as a paid professional bassoon player, and has served on its Board of Governors for many years.  He currently plays chamber music with the Prevailing Winds Woodwind Quintet and the Cumulus Chamber Ensemble. He's also on the board of the Westport Arts Center, where he coordinates musical programming for both the Jazz and Chamber Music series and has been an active member of local Rotary clubs for the last 20 years.

Epstein is performing this Saturday at 8 p.m. with Norwalk Symphony Orchestra. For more information go to www.norwalksymphony.org.