George Corbett
Oboe
The Washington Post heralds George Corbett’s playing as “a model of elegant restraint and level-headed shaping,” and his playing has been highlighted by the Virginia Gazette as “marked (with) expression and feeling, superbly displaying his rich tone, musicianship, virtuoso skills and sensitivity.” A graduate of Eastman School of Music and New England Conservatory, Mr. Corbett debuted with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra as English hornist and oboist under the baton of JoAnn Falletta in the fall of 1999. This season he will celebrate his 20th anniversary with the VSO in a performance of Wolf-Ferrari’s Concertino and Copland’s Quiet City.
Previously based in Pennsylvania, he has held positions with the Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Riverside Symphonia, and the Harrisburg Symphony. Mr. Corbett’s performance career has taken him abroad to Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Japan and the Dominican Republic. His discography includes recordings with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the Santo Domingo Music Festival and the Eastman Wind Ensemble.
Mr. Corbett has served on faculties of notable schools such as Christopher Newport University (Virginia), Old Dominion University (Virginia), Governor’s School for the Arts (Virginia), Lehigh University (Pennsylvania), Moravian College and Music Institute (Pennsylvania), and has appeared during the summers at Kinhaven Music School (Vermont), Summertrios (New York), Music at Gretna (Pennsylvania) and the American Institute of Musical Studies (Austria).
Solo performances with the Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia include Mozart’s Symphonia Concertante for Winds, J. S. Bach’s Double Concerto for Oboe and Violin, Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Oboes in d minor, and the world premiere of Cunningham’s Adagio for Oboe and Strings. With the Riverside Symphonia he was a featured soloist for Franciax’s L’horlogue de Flore and Marcello’s Oboe Concerto in c minor. The Virginia Symphony Orchestra presented him to perform Debussy’s Rhapsodie and Donizetti’s Concertino for English Horn as well as the world premiere of Fuch’s Eventide for English Horn, Strings and Percussion. At the AIMS Festival in Austria he performed Copland’s Quiet City. The Norfolk Chamber Consort presented him in concert with Marcello’s Oboe Concerto in c minor and Vivaldi’s Oboe Concerto in d minor.
Intensive studies in yoga and breathwork have led Mr. Corbett to teach workshops in the United States and Europe for professional and amateur performers alike in developing a higher level of body awareness. His insight aids students’ understanding of the breathing mechanism and injury prevention. Mr. Corbett’s unique approach helps to enhance individual performance levels in concert and audition. He has founded and hosts a camp for oboists at all levels, called OBOE HOLIDAY, where he teaches all aspects of performance focusing on how to relate to others through music.