Appointment of Erik Andrusyak as Principal Oboe of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra

We are pleased to announce that auditions for the position of Principal Oboe were successfully held on Monday, May 20, and Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the First Presbyterian Church of Hartford. We were thrilled to see applications to come in from around the country, from California to Florida and the New England states. Over 50 talented musicians auditioned, and after careful consideration, the audition committee has appointed Erik Andrusyak as the Principal Oboe of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra.

Erik Andrusyak was appointed principal oboe of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra in May 2024. He is also the co-principal oboe of the United States Coast Guard Band and the principal oboe of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra.

He was previously the principal oboe of the Elgin Symphony and a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, a training program under the Chicago Symphony Orchestra directed by Ken-David Masur.

Throughout his career, he has participated in prestigious music festivals including the Pacific Music Festival and the Music Academy of the West. He has been invited to perform as a guest with ensembles such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New World Symphony, New Haven Symphony, Springfield Symphony, Albany Symphony, Illinois Symphony, Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet, and the Chicago Philharmonic. Additionally, he has been featured as a soloist with the Connecticut Symphony, Masterworks Festival Orchestra, the Eastern Connecticut Symphony, Yellow River Music Festival, and the Civic Centennial Celebration Bach Marathon, where Yo-Yo Ma served as the creative consultant. This performance was broadcast live on WFMT. He has made solo appearances in Japan, Korea, China, and Russia.

In addition to maintaining his own private studio in Norwich, CT, he currently teaches at the Neighborhood Music School in New Haven and the Thames Valley Music School in New London. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from DePaul University, where he studied with Alex Klein, former Principal Oboe of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Other mentors include Grace Hong, Scott Hostetler, Eugene Izotov, Lora Schaefer, and William Welter.