Richard Woodhams
Encyclopedia
Richard Woodhams is an American oboist
and recording artist. He is currently Principal Oboe
of the Philadelphia Orchestra
and Professor of Oboe at the Curtis Institute of Music
.
At the age of sixteen, Woodhams was accepted by the Curtis Institute and began study with John de Lancie
. Immediately following his graduation in 1969, he won the position of Principal Oboe with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He assumed the position of principal oboe of the Philadelphia Orchestra
in 1977, succeeding his teacher. He succeeded de Lancie as oboe instructor at the Curtis Institute in 1986. He is faculty member at the Aspen Music Festival and has taught at the Luzerne and Sarasota Music Festivals, among others. Currently, he gives weekly private lessons to the four oboe students at Curtis, and holds weekly wind classes.
Woodhams's teachers include Raymond Dusté, John de Lancie
, John Mack
, Robert Bloom, and Jean-Louis LeRoux.
Woodhams's students hold principal positions in many major orchestras, such as the Pittsburgh Symphony (Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida), Baltimore Symphony (Katherine Needleman
), Los Angeles Philharmonic
(Ariana Ghez), Atlanta Symphony (Elizabeth Koch), and New York Philharmonic
(Liang Wang
); other students in major orchestras include Robert Walters, English Hornist of the Cleveland Orchestra, Shea Scruggs, Assistant Principal Oboe of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Blumenfeld, Second Oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Susan Spector, Second Oboist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
Oboist
An oboist is a musician who plays the oboe or any oboe family instrument, including the cor anglais, oboe d'amore, shawm and oboe musette....
and recording artist. He is currently Principal Oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
of the Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
and Professor of Oboe at the Curtis Institute of Music
Curtis Institute of Music
The Curtis Institute of Music is a conservatory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that offers courses of study leading to a performance Diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in Opera, and Professional Studies Certificate in Opera. According to statistics compiled by U.S...
.
At the age of sixteen, Woodhams was accepted by the Curtis Institute and began study with John de Lancie
John de Lancie (oboist)
For his son, the actor, please see John de LancieJohn de Lancie was an American musician who served as the principal oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra for many years.-Career:...
. Immediately following his graduation in 1969, he won the position of Principal Oboe with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He assumed the position of principal oboe of the Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
in 1977, succeeding his teacher. He succeeded de Lancie as oboe instructor at the Curtis Institute in 1986. He is faculty member at the Aspen Music Festival and has taught at the Luzerne and Sarasota Music Festivals, among others. Currently, he gives weekly private lessons to the four oboe students at Curtis, and holds weekly wind classes.
Woodhams's teachers include Raymond Dusté, John de Lancie
John de Lancie (oboist)
For his son, the actor, please see John de LancieJohn de Lancie was an American musician who served as the principal oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra for many years.-Career:...
, John Mack
John Mack (musician)
John Mack was a renowned American oboist.Born in Somerville, New Jersey, Mack attended the Juilliard School of Music, studying oboe with Harold Gomberg and Bruno Labate and then at the Curtis Institute of Music with Marcel Tabuteau, the longtime principal oboe of the Philadelphia Orchestra.His...
, Robert Bloom, and Jean-Louis LeRoux.
Woodhams's students hold principal positions in many major orchestras, such as the Pittsburgh Symphony (Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida), Baltimore Symphony (Katherine Needleman
Katherine Needleman
Katherine Needleman is the principal oboist of the Baltimore Symphony orchestra, USA. She studied under Richard Woodhams at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, graduating at age twenty. She was the first prize winner of the Gillet-Fox International Oboe competition in 2003. Ms...
), Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
(Ariana Ghez), Atlanta Symphony (Elizabeth Koch), and New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
(Liang Wang
Liang Wang
Liang Wang is the current principal oboist of the New York Philharmonic. He was born in Qing Dao, China, and studied at the Beijing Central Conservatory and at California’s Idyllwild Arts Academy. He received his bachelor’s degree from Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied...
); other students in major orchestras include Robert Walters, English Hornist of the Cleveland Orchestra, Shea Scruggs, Assistant Principal Oboe of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Blumenfeld, Second Oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Susan Spector, Second Oboist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.