Stephen Key, Oboe
Stephen Key is an Oboist, Composer, Arranger, and Pedagogue in the Washington DC Metro area. A member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Key began his studies on piano and voice with his mother when he was only three. Landing on the oboe at 11, he made his solo debut at the Kennedy Center at 15. He has performed throughout the United States, Russia, and Europe as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player.
Currently, Stephen serves as the Principal Oboe for the New Orchestra of Washington and the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival, as well as the adjunct Associate Professor of Oboe at Shenandoah Conservatory. In addition to concerto performances with NOW, Key arranged and performed Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin about which New York critic, Oberon’s Grove, said, “gorgeous performance… terrific, notable solos… rich, warm tone.” As a soloist, he has performed with the New Orchestra of Washington, Washington Chamber Orchestra, Washington Master Chorale, University of Texas Symphony Orchestra, and Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra.
As a recording artist, Professor Key just released for streaming his adaptation of Lili Boulanger’s Clairières dans le Ciel for Oboe and Piano with Italian pianist, Matteo Cardelli, recorded in Switzerland under the DF Recordings Label. He has also recorded with Grammy Award-winning studio Sono Luminus, the Centaur Label, and Albany Records.
In addition to Stephen’s work as an international soloist and chamber musician, his orchestral work has included regularly performing with the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, and frequent guest Principal with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he has performed with the National Symphony, Austin Symphony (TX), Richmond Symphony, and the New World Symphony.
In addition to performing, Key is both a composer and a devoted pedagogue. His compositions have been performed throughout the Washington, DC region, from the Shenandoah Valley to NYC, and even in Europe. As a teacher, Key reaches beyond his role at the conservatory with a highly regarded private studio which trains students to get into top conservatories, summer festivals, and even performances at Carnegie Hall, all in addition to co-directing Shenandoah Double Reed Camp; he has lead master classes at Universities of Michigan, Maryland, Texas, and Oklahoma, as well as at Höchschule für Musik Trossingen in Germany.
Key studied at Oberlin Conservatory and the University of Texas at Austin. He has worked with Rebecca Henderson, James Caldwell, Rudolf Vrbsky, Carol Stephenson, James Moseley, Richard Killmer, Elaine Douvas, and Katherine Needleman.