Claire Brazeau

As the newly appointed principal oboist of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Claire Brazeau has established herself as a versatile soloist, chamber musician, and pedagogue. An awarded finalist in the International Gillet-Fox Oboe Competition, Claire’s command of the instrument has been featured in concerto performances with orchestras and ensembles such as Le Train Bleu at Bravo Vail, the Redlands Symphony, and the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players. As a chamber musician, she has become a fixture in LA Chamber Orchestra’s numerous chamber music series and has made guest appearances with Camerata Pacifica.

An omnivorous musician, she can be heard performing baroque music on period instruments followed by a concert of world premieres with LA-based modern music collective wild Up, of which she is a member. In addition to her concert season, Claire is an active freelance studio musician who has recorded for several film and TV soundtrack recordings.

Claire is part of the woodwind faculty of the Bob Cole Conservatory at California State University Long Beach where she maintains an active oboe studio. Deeply committed to music education, Claire frequently serves as guest clinician at numerous youth orchestra programs in Southern California. Recently, she returned to join the prestigious faculty at the National Take a Stand Festival; a full-scholarship intensive spearheaded by the LA Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel comprised of nationally selected students from El Sistema-inspired programs. Among Claire’s other festival engagements are the Lucerne Festival Academy, Yale School of Music Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Aspen, the New York String Orchestra Seminar, and the Pierre Monteux School. During the 2011-2012 season she served as a Visiting Artist at the American Academy in Rome, Italy.

Under the tutelage of the LA Chamber Orchestra’s former principal oboist Allan Vogel, Claire received an Artist Diploma from The Colburn School. At Bard College and Conservatory she earned a triple major with a Bachelor of Arts in East-Asian studies and piano performance, and a Bachelor of Music in oboe performance. Her principal teachers at Bard were Laura Ahlbeck and Elaine Douvas; she studied piano with Blair McMillen.

Claire loves connecting with audiences on social media platforms and actively curates her Instagram page with concert clips, upcoming performance information, and pictures. To follow, please visit​ ​@oboejones​