The Musicians
Claudia Minch (Oboe)
Member of the JSO: Since 1979
Education: Earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the New England Conservatory of Music, Applied Oboe
Hometown: Born in Elmhurst, Illinois; grew up in California; went to school in Boston and moved to Florida to join the Symphony
Other Instruments: English horn and oboe d'amore (plays both with the JSO)
Performance experience: Claudia has performed all across the US, in Italy and in Russia. She has toured with the New England Ragtime Ensemble under the direction of Gunther Schuller, and has performed with the Portland Symphony, Savannah Symphony and the Brunswick Chamber Orchestra. While in Boston, Claudia performed in the Quintet de Legno, which won the Young Artist's Guild Competition and was given a Carnegie Recital Hall debut. Claudia has appeared as soloist with the Jacksonville Symphony three times and with the Brunswick Chamber Orchestra once. She performs in local Chamber Music concerts in Jacksonville and is in the UNF Faculty Woodwind Quintet. Claudia has been on the faculty of the University of North Florida since 2004 and also maintains a large oboe studio at home.
Music festivals: Has participated in the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, Spoleto and the Cullowhee Music Festivals
Teaching: Claudia gives private Oboe and English horn lessons and also teaches at the University of North Florida. She even makes reeds for herself and all of her students.
Family: Married to Michael, a computer programmer, daughter Jessica (former Miss Florida US, 2008) and son Andrew (a sophomore at UF studying Accounting, and also studying abroad in London this Fall), plus two mini dachshunds, Greta and Sophie.
Favorite moments with the JSO: Five years in a row, in December, my daughter would dance on stage for the Nutcracker while I played English Horn down below in the pit.
Hobbies: Collecting and restoring antique dolls! I am also a miniature enthusiast and have a twelve room Victorian dollhouse, a two room car garage, an antique store, bridal shop and diner all in miniature, that I've built, electrified and decorated. I love anything that is small and detailed!
Favorite composers: Ravel, Debussy, Berlioz, Shostakovich and Prokofiev