LIANG WANG

The Alice Tully Chair

Liang Wang joined the New York Philharmonic in September 2006 as Principal Oboe; in February 2009 he performed The “EXTASE” Oboe Concerto by Cheng Qi Gang in Carnegie hall with his home town Orchestra.  In February 2008, he performed Richard Strauss Oboe Concerto with The New York Philharmonic in Hong Kong.  Previously, he was principal oboe of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (2005–06), principal oboe of the Santa Fe Opera in the 2004–05 season, and principal oboe of the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra in the 2003-2004 season.   He is on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music.

Born in Qing Dao, China, in 1980, Mr. Wang comes from a musical family. His mother was an amateur singer; his uncle was a professional oboist, and Mr. Wang began oboe studies with him at the age of seven. In 1993 he enrolled at the Beijing Central Conservatory, studying with Professor Zhu Dun, and two years later became a full-scholarship student at the Idyllwild Arts Academy in California. During his time there he was the Jack Smith Award Winner at the Pasadena Instrumental Competition, a two-time winner of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Fellowship, and a winner at the Spotlight Competition of the Los Angeles Philharmonic

Mr. Wang completed his bachelor’s degree in 2003 at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he studied with Philadelphia Orchestra principal oboist Richard Woodhams. While at Curtis, he was a fellowship recipient at both the Aspen Music Festival and School, where he studied with John de Lancie, the former Principal Oboist of The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Music Academy of the West, where he was a Career Grant recipient. Mr. Wang was the second-prize winner at the 2003 Fernard Gillet International Oboe Competition and a prizewinner at the 2002 Tilden Prize Competition

Since graduating from Curtis, Mr. Wang has served as principal oboe with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, and associate principal oboe of the San Francisco Symphony; he was also a guest principal oboist with the Chicago and San Francisco symphony orchestras. An active chamber musician, he has appeared with the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and the Angel Fire Music Festival. He has appeared as soloist with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra in Richard Strauss’s Oboe Concerto.  He has given master classes at the Cincinnati Conservatory and the Juilliard School, and was on the oboe faculty of the University of California at Berkeley.

8/06