Barry Kroeker


Biography

Barry Kroeker began his oboe studies when he was nine years old, and joined the Marion Philharmonic Orchestra as second oboist just three years later. When he was 13, he won the first annual concerto competition sponsored by the Marion Philharmonic, performing both the Cimarosa Oboe Concerto and, on piano, a movement from Haydn's Piano Concerto in D Major. He continued his studies at Wheaton College, taking lessons with Ray Still, principal oboist of the Chicago Symphony. He received his Master's degree from the Hartt School of Music where he studied with Bert Lucarelli.

Mr. Kroeker has participated in the Aspen, New College, Sedona, and Penns Woods summer music festivals. For two seasons he was principal oboist with the South Dakota Symphony and the Dakota Wind Quintet, until he accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Music at Penn State University; a position he held for eight years. He has recorded two compact discs, American Wind Music and American Wind Music II with the Pennsylvania Quintet, which is the resident faculty wind chamber ensemble at Penn State. He was principal oboist of the Altoona Symphony from 1985 to 1995.

Mr. Kroeker was invited to the 1988 annual convention of the International Double Reed Society, held in Victoria, British Columbia, to perform a program of new music which he commissioned, including and oboe sonata by Leslie Bassett; he has since appeared on IDRS convention programs in Maryland, Louisiana, and Frankfurt, Germany. Tours and engagements as a soloist and chamber musician have taken him west to Arizona, and to a variety of performance venues in the east and midwest.

Current activities include regular performances as principal oboist with the Nittany Valley Symphony. Mr. Kroeker has performed as a soloist with this ensemble and many others, including the Penns Woods Philharmonia. He also maintains a desktop publishing business. Mr. Kroeker is employed as a technical writer for the CANNON Instrument Company in State College.

Mr. Kroeker lives in State College, Pennsylvania, with his wife and their five children.