Oregon Symphony Musician Bio

Martin Hebert

Principal Oboe

Martin "Marty" Hebert is the newly appointed principal oboe of the Oregon Symphony. He has held that same position with the Florida Orchestra, the Savannah Symphony Orchestra, the Mexico City Philharmonic and the Minería Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed as a member of the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Honolulu Symphony, the Atlanta Symphony, and many other orchestras, ballet, opera, chamber and wind ensembles.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Marty attended the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with John Mack, principal oboe of the Cleveland Orchestra.

Marty has been a featured soloist with The Florida Orchestra, the Savannah Symphony, the Mexico City Philharmonic, the Hilton Head Orchestra and the Mineria Symphony Orchestra. Since 2002, he has been Artist-in-Residence and soloist with the Crested Butte Music Festival in Colorado.

In addition to his orchestral experience, Marty has played with such opera companies as the Hawaii Opera Theater, the Atlanta Opera, and Lyric Opera Cleveland. As a chamber musician, he has performed with the Atlanta Winds, Opus One Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, Quantum Winds and the Florida Orchestra Chamber Players.

Marty has been immersed in classical music all his life. His father, William, was principal piccolo of the Cleveland Orchestra for 41 years. His uncle Richard was also principal bassoon of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for many years. His brother Britton is also a professional bassoon player.

Originally slated to study the flute, Marty soon realized his future did not lie with that instrument. (His father, hoping to get a woodwind quintet out of his seven children somehow, failed in persuading any of them to take up the French horn.) He began playing the oboe at age 10, and has been "turning various shades of red and purple ever since."

Marty developed a strong sense that the musical and instrumental traditions which he received from his teacher John Mack (who himself studied with the famous 20th century oboist and teacher Marcel Tabuteau) are not his to keep to himself, but must be passed on. Accordingly, he has maintained a private studio and has been an oboe instructor at a number of institutions, including Emory University, Georgia Southern University, Armstrong Atlantic State University, University of South Florida and Escuela Perfeccionamiento Vida y Movimiento in Mexico City.

He also has been active as a clinician, adjudicator and even (gasp!) a conductor, working with youth orchestras in Georgia and Florida.

When not performing, teaching or making reeds (an incessant activity for oboists), Marty enjoys bicycling and hiking.

Biography Musician Moment