AUERBACH & MARTINŮ OBOE SOLOIST MAX BLAIR

Posted on April 8, 2019

PYP alumnus (2008) Max Blair, now Associate Principal Oboe with the Pittsburgh Symphony, returns to Portland to perform Bohuslav Martinů’s beautiful Oboe Concerto with PYP on Sunday, May 5, 2019, in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

Max’s appearance is sponsored by PYP alumna (1943) Vlasta Becvar Barber.

Max Blair joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as Associate Principal Oboe in 2016. He has performed as guest Principal Oboe with The Cleveland Orchestra, The San Francisco Symphony, and the Buffalo Philharmonic. For two seasons, he also served as Principal Oboe of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra in New York City. Blair has spent recent summers at the Marlboro, Verbier, Aspen, and Spoleto USA music festivals.

In addition to his orchestral focus, Mr. Blair also enjoys playing in chamber music and solo settings. Some recent highlights include performances of Pärt’s Passio with the esteemed vocal ensemble, Seraphic Fire, Schönberg’s chamber reduction of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde in Carnegie Hall with the Blue Period Ensemble, and Vaugh-Williams’ Blake Songs in Trinity Wall Street Church.

Mr. Blair received his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the Juilliard School as a student of Elaine Douvas and Nathan Hughes, respectively. While a student at Juilliard, Blair performed as a substitute with the Metropolitan Opera. He went on to spend two seasons as a fellow at the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, where he worked closely with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas.

Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Blair began playing the oboe at age 14. Prior to Juilliard, he studied with Oregon Symphony members Karen Wagner and Marty Hebert. In his free time, Blair plays the strategy game Go, is a member of an adult ice hockey league, and spends time with his Siberian Husky, Artemis.