Bio and Videos
Photo by Meredith Anne Jones
Dr. Sarah Hamilton is Professor of Oboe at the State University of New York at Fredonia, where she is also the Associate Director. She is also principal oboe with the Western New York Chamber Orchestra and English Hornist with the Erie Philharmonic. She has performed regularly with Bach and Beyond, the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Chautauqua Symphony. Sarah has appeared as a soloist most recently with the Orchard Park Symphony (on bass oboe), The Silver Band, the Erie Philharmonic, the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, the Fredonia College Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, and at conventions of the International Double Reed Society. She began her professional career as 2nd oboe and English horn with the Windsor (Ontario) Symphony.
Recently, as a member of the touring Can-Am Oboe Trio, Sarah received a Canada Council Grant for the creation of three new oboe trio works by Canadian composers, all of which they have recorded and are soon to be released.
Sarah has given many presentations on making the oboe more accessible in public school programs at New York State, Erie County, Chautauqua County, and Ontario, Canada music teacher association conferences. Her most recent presentation on building strong successful oboists is here.
She has composed for the young oboist: Oboe Tuning Duets and Big Book of Sightreading Duets for Oboe have recently been published by Mountainpeak Music, and she is co-author of the oboe chapter of Teaching Woodwinds, an online woodwind method book published by Mountainpeak Music in 2014. More of her information and resources for helping the younger oboe player are available at OboeHelp.com.
While on sabbatical several years ago, she was able to devote time exploring her fascination in the diversity of the oboe community, and the new classical music paradigm. From this research, she created the presentation Finding your Way as a 21st Century Performing Musician.
Sarah holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The Ohio State University and a Master of Music degree from Wayne State University where she studied with former Detroit Symphony oboist Robert Sorton. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Western Ontario where her teachers included Shelley Heron, Geralyn Giovannetti and Perry Baumen. She began her studies with Lawrence Cherney in Toronto, Canada.
Night Song by Craig Phillips. Collaboration with JiHyun Woo, organ
With Eyes Glancing Skyward written for me by Rob Deemer. Collaboration with Nick Weiser.
Nature Boy by Eden Ahbez and arr. by Aaron Hill for two oboes and jazz piano. Recorded remotely. Collaboration with Aaron Hill and Nick Weiser
"Success" and "A Million Numbered Streets" from Gary Nash's Nine New York City Miniatures
Vänkarin Polka, recorded remotely, with Broadway Oboist Keve Wilson for Virtual Oboe Day 2020
Oboe duet transcribed from a Haydn piano work
Quintet for Winds, op. 45 by Robert Muczynski with the Fredonia Wind Quintet
World Premier performance of the Concerto Grosso #5, for oboe, oboe d'Amore, English horn and bass oboe, by American composer David Finko
Recent performance of the Petite Symphonie by Charles Gounod, Movement 1 Adagio et Allegretto, with SUNY Fredonia faculty and students
"Getting Dark Again" by Buddy Macdonald performed with multi-instrumentalist Colin Maier from Quartetto Gelato