Katherine Needleman (born May 14, 1978) is the American principal

oboist An oboist (formerly hautboist) is a musician who plays the oboe or any oboe family instrument, including the oboe d'amore, cor anglais or English horn, bass oboe and piccolo oboe or oboe musette. The following is a list of notable past and pres ...

of the

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore SO has its principal residence at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, where it performs more than 130 concerts a year. In 2005, it bega ...

since 2003 and a professor of oboe at the

Curtis Institute of Music The Curtis Institute of Music is a private conservatory in Philadelphia. It offers a performance diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in opera, and a Professional Studies Certificate in opera. All students attend on full scholarship. Hi ...

since 2022.

Career

She is a graduate of the

Baltimore School for the Arts The Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA) is a public performing arts high school located in Mount Vernon, Baltimore, Maryland, United States and is part of the Baltimore City Public Schools system. Established in 1979, The Baltimore School for the ...

and later studied under

Richard Woodhams Richard Woodhams ''(né'' Richard Clarence Woodhams; born June 17, 1949 in Palo Alto, California) is an American oboist and recording artist. He was Principal Oboe of the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1977 until his retirement in August 2018. He also ...

at the

in Philadelphia, graduating at the age of 20. She was the first prize winner of the Gillet-Fox International Oboe Competition of the

International Double Reed Society The International Double Reed Society (IDRS), is an organization that promotes the interests of double reed players, instrument manufacturers and enthusiasts. Services provided by the IDRS include an international oboe and bassoon competition, an ...

in 2003. Needleman served on the oboe faculty of the

Peabody Institute The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University is a private conservatory and preparatory school in Baltimore, Maryland. It was founded in 1857 and opened in 1866 by merchant/financier and philanthropist George Peabody (1795–1869) ...

Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...

from 2005 to 2020. In addition to playing in the Baltimore Symphony, Needleman is one of the founding members of Mico Nonet as well as Trio La Milpa. In 2019, she filed a harassment and discrimination complaint against concertmaster

Jonathan Carney Jonathan Carney is an American violinist, viola, violist, and conducting, conductor. Carney studied at the Juilliard School with Christine Dethier and Ivan Galamian. He is the concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Career Carney m ...

. Needleman was appointed to the oboe faculty at the

in 2022, succeeding her teacher

References

External links

* * 1978 births Living people American classical oboists Women oboists 21st-century American musicians 21st-century American women musicians 21st-century classical musicians Curtis Institute of Music alumni Peabody Institute faculty American music educators American women music educators {{US-woodwind-musician-stub