When looking at colleges & conservatories for oboe performance, we look for institutions that offer both exceptional education and exposure to the world’s finest oboe performers.
The oboe programs on this list go beyond conventional pedagogy, fostering an environment where students are immersed in performance opportunities, shaping them into versatile & accomplished musicians.
Alumni of programs at excellent oboe programs will find themselves employed in major orchestras, faculty positions around the country, and in chamber ensembles & arts organizations they help found.
Here are our picks for 10 of the best oboe performance schools in the U.S.
Keep in mind this list is a starting point, and while these are some of the very best schools and teachers in the country, there are others not included on this particular list that some professional classical oboists may consider equally excellent.
University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance
Oboists at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance learn reed-making fundamentals, scales, arpeggios, and varied etudes.
The school offers extensive equipment, including gouging machines, shaper tips, and a dedicated Reed Room. Oboe students have access to English horns, oboe d’amore, and baroque oboes.
Guest artists such as Allan Vogel, former Principal of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Eugene Izatov, Principal Oboist of the San Francisco Symphony, and many others have provided masterclasses, lessons, and more to current students.
Leading UofM oboe students to careers in music is Dr. Nancy Ambrose King, first-prize winner of the Third New York International Competition for Solo Oboists, the first female President of the International Double Reed Society, and recipient of the UofM Hall of Fame Award.
Juilliard School
Juilliard oboe students receive weekly one-on-one lessons, engaging in orchestral, solo, and étude repertoire, along with training in reed making, oboe repair, and English horn instruction.
The collaborative and supportive atmosphere is fostered through group oboe classes, allowing students to benefit from diverse instruction.
The 4-year BM degree emphasizes applied training, music theory, history, and liberal arts. Juilliard’s competitive Music Division accepts only 150 classical instrumentalists per year, a very small number of them being oboe students.
The Wind Orchestra, conducted by prominent performers like faculty member Elaine Douvas, presents opportunities to study and perform significant wind repertoire.
Students also form independent chamber ensembles and receive frequent faculty coaching.
Elaine Douvas – Principal Oboist of the Metropolitan Opera for over 40 years – chairs the Woodwind Department and is one of the great teachers for oboe students at Juilliard. Her previous students have found work as professors and in major orchestras, such as the Nashville Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, and more.
Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Indiana’s oboe program is quite selective; the entire oboe population at the school comprises only 20 oboe majors.
These students participate in private lessons, masterclasses, reedmaking, and orchestral & solo repertoire studies, engaging with woodwind faculty many times a week in both 1-on-1 and classroom settings.
The state-of-the-art Sirucek and Sharrow Reed Room enhance students’ access to professional tools for reed-making and oboe repair.
Linda Strommen, professor of oboe at Indiana, has had students secure positions in major ensembles worldwide. These include The Metropolitan Opera Company, Los Angeles Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, Jerusalem Philharmonic, and others.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Recent SFCM collaborations and acquisitions, such as the artist management company Opus 3 Artists, have enriched the interactions of music students at SFCM with the music business.
Oboe students at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music benefit from a faculty comprising San Francisco Symphony and Opera members, access to a dedicated reed-making room, and eligibility for the college’s Woodwind Concerto Competition.
SFCM oboe alumni are proof of the program’s excellence.
Within the past two years, three oboe graduates landed major roles with the Oregon Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, and Atlanta Opera.
When you meet an SFCM oboe graduate, they will likely sing praises of their faculty mentor, Eugene Izotov, whose constant message to students is that they “will never meet a greater challenge than [their] own potential.”
Izotov – the first Russian-born performer to hold a principal wind position in a major American symphony orchestra – is also one of the most successful oboe teachers in the world.
His students are placed into orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, and Atlanta Symphony.
New England Conservatory of Music
John Ferrillo, Principal Oboist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is a dedicated oboe faculty member who has previously held positions in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and San Francisco Symphony.
He has helped propel former oboe students – like Jamie Roberts of the National Symphony – to secure jobs in major ensembles.
Another faculty member in the program, Anne Marie Gabriele, is an active New England area musician who has founded the Music on the Hill Chamber Music Series in Providence, Rhode Island. She also serves a dual appointment with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Outside of engaging with excellent faculty, enriching ensemble opportunities exist for oboe students through the NEC Wind Ensemble and NEC Symphonic Winds.
The Wind Ensemble, conducted by Charles Peltz, performs quite a bit of new classical music, premiering commissioned works & performing at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall.
The Symphonic Winds, led by William Drury, explores a wide range of music, earning accolades for their recordings.
USC Thornton School of Music
Within USC Thornton’s winds and percussion program, the 4-year BM degree spans 132 credits, including major-specific coursework, core music studies, and USC’s general education program.
A senior recital is a requisite culmination of four years of musical study at USC.
Notably, Joel Timm, Chair of Oboe Studies at USC Thornton and former member of the New Yrok Philharmonic, plays a pivotal role. With a distinguished career encompassing solo performances, chamber music, orchestral roles, and teaching, Dr. Timm significantly influences the success of USC Thornton oboe students.
Another faculty member working with oboe students at USC, Marion Arthur Kuszyk, holds a joint appointment with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Eastman School of Music
Like many other distinguished institutions in this list of the best oboe performance schools, Eastman is committed to providing abundant performance opportunities to students.
Oboe undergraduates can pursue a BMus in oboe performance, where they will gain exposure to visiting artists and benefit from firsthand insights into the industry.
The oboe program is amplified by the influential presence of faculty member Richard Killmer, whose expertise and mentorship have left a mark on countless oboists.
Killmer’s teaching and performing background is fascinating. He was the Principal Oboe with the North American Air Defense (NORAD) Band, the Orchestra Director of the Longmont, Colorado public school system, and an Eastman Oboe professor since 1982.
Killmer’s passion for teaching is demonstrated through recognitions like the Eisenhart Award for Excellence in Teaching from Eastman and the Gustave Stoeckel Excellence in Teaching Award from the Yale School of Music.
Rice University Shepherd School of Music
The Shepherd oboe curriculum emphasizes core music, applied lessons, chamber music, large ensembles, and elective courses, with regular performance expectations and exposure to distinguished visiting musicians.
Each semester concludes with a jury examination in applied music, and all BMus oboe candidates are additionally required to show keyboard proficiency.
Helping oboe students “Rice” to the top is celebrated oboist and professor Robert Atherholt, who has taught at the Shepherd School of Music for over three decades.
Atherholt’s former oboe students now hold principal positions in orchestras across Israel, China, South America, and Switzerland.
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music’s woodwind program is highly selective for oboe students.
Student musicians immerse themselves in hands-on experience with esteemed ensembles, including the resident wind quintet Windscape.
Windscape comprises titans in the orchestral performance and teaching spheres, including oboist Randall Ellis, who was principal oboist of Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra from 1988 until 2016.
These talented mentors put on a series of concerts and invest time and energy into mentoring student chamber ensembles.
Notable MSM alumni like Grace Shryock, previously a member of the New York Philharmonic, Igor Leschishin of the the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, and Youn Joo Lee of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra represent a level of success oboe students have reached through an MSM collegiate experience.
Faculty members include Sherry Sylar, Associate Principal Oboe of the New York Philharmonic, and Ryan Roberts, English Horn player with the NY Phil.
Lynn University Conservatory of Music
One of the hidden gems in the world of music, Lynn University offers a 100% tuition scholarship to all accepted music students.
Nathan Hughes is currently the oboe faculty member of the school; he holds a joint position as the Principal Oboe of the Minnesota Orchestra and was previously a member of the Seattle Symphony.
Performance opportunities abound at Lynn; some of the highlights include chamber coaching for woodwind students, the Lynn University Wind Ensemble, directed by Empire Brass tuba player Kenneth Amis, and more.
Hopefuls who apply will have to learn Barret or Ferling etudes, as well as two movements from a concerto/sonata and orchestral excerpts.
