Biography
Andreas Oeste is an active performer and chamber musician, originally from the small town of Conway, Arkansas. He began his musical studies on the clarinet and cello, but was allowed to switch to the oboe when his band director noted that he was “nerdy enough.”
Andreas has performed with orchestras across the United States and is currently Principal Oboe of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra (PA). He was formerly Principal Oboe of the Battle Creek Symphony (MI) and was English Horn and Second Oboe of the Lexington Philharmonic (KY).
As a soloist, Andreas holds prizes from several prominent international competitions. Most notably he was awarded Third Prize at the International Barbirolli Oboe Competition (2017), received Honorable Mention at International Double Reed Society’s Hugo-Fox Gillet Competition (2017), and was the only American oboist invited to compete in the Muri International Oboe Competition (2016). Andreas is regularly featured as an orchestral soloist, performing with ensembles such as the Ann Arbor Camerata (MI), TACTUS (OK), Conway Symphony (AR), and Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra (PA).
Andreas graduated with his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan, studying with Nancy Ambrose King. He received Master of Music degrees in both oboe performance and chamber music from the University of Michigan, and earned Bachelor of Music degrees in oboe performance and oboe composition from the University of Central Arkansas.