Originally from El Paso, Texas, BOBBY HARRIS has spent time as principal oboist in the Lux Solaris Philharmonia, the Gilbert and Sullivan opera company orchestra, and as a guest soloist with the El Paso Symphony Orchestra and El Paso Winds. He has also performed with the Las Cruces Chamber Ballet in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Mr. Harris is now a freelance oboist based in San Marcos, Texas. Here, he has appeared as an instrumental soloist with choirs in the area, a chamber musician, and has performed with the Mid - Texas Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Harris also appeared as a concerto soloist with the Texas State University Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he teaches private lessons to young students in Hays County.
Mr. Harris’s summer activities include attendance at the Rocky Ridge Summer Music Institute outside of Estes Park, Colorado where he studied with Peter Cooper and Jason Lichtenwalter, two oboists from the Colorado Symphony. In 2024, he was invited as a winner of the Young Artists program at the Victoria Bach Summer Music Festival in Victoria, Texas. In addition, Mr. Harris has spent other summers in Twin Lake, Michigan where he performed with the Blue Lake Festival Band live on the radio, played in various chamber groups, and has served as a teacher and staff member.
Mr. Harris currently studies oboe at the Texas State University School of Music under Dr. Ian Davidson. Masterclasses at Texas State include John Dee, Andrea Ridilla, Johanna Cox Pennington, Mark Ackerman, Stephen Caplan, and Jared Hauser.