The BPO has recently hired two oboe players and a French horn. Each was chosen through an international and nationally advertised audition process. Hundreds of musicians from all over the world submitted resumes. A number of these applicants were invited to Buffalo to audition in a blind process, in which applicants perform behind a curtain for judges, identified only by a number until a winner is chosen.
Henry Ward has been appointed Principal Oboe. Ward is a native of Philadelphia and has served as acting principal oboe with the BPO since January 2016. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the New England Conservatory, followed by graduate studies at Roosevelt University. He previously served as acting associate principal oboe of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for two seasons. He has performed with the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (New Zealand), and was a fellow with the New World Symphony.
Joshua Lauretig will be the new Second Oboe. Lauretig is a native of Ohio, and a 2016 graduate of Curtis School of Music. Throughout school, he maintained an active performance career, serving as substitute second oboe for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in January 2015 and performing with the orchestras of the Sarasota Music Festival and Moritzburg Festival Academy. He was also on the substitute list for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and New Haven Symphony Orchestra.
Sheryl Lynn Hadeka will become the newest member of the French horn section, and the sole woman in the Buffalo Philharmonic’s brass section. Hadeka is a graduate of Eastman School of Music and earned her master’s in music from Southern Methodist University. Since 2014, she has been the associate principal horn at the Omaha Symphony, and has also held horn positions at the New Mexico Philharmonic, Tuscon Symphony, Santa Fe Symphony, and Louisiana Philharmonic. She has also taught at Loyola University and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Music Director JoAnn Falletta commented, “In these individuals, we have identified great musicians that are sure to bring the BPO to the next level of artistic achievement. We welcome them to our creative community and we look forward to sharing their talent with our audience.”
From BPO.org.
