Noteworthy

Hailed by critics for her “exquisite solo work” (The Globe and Mail), “luscious tone” (Toronto Star), and her sensitive musicianship, Sarah Jeffrey is the Cathy and Liddy Beck Principal Oboe of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. A regular soloist with the TSO, Jeffrey has also appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras across Canada, performing works by Bach, Mozart, Vaughan Williams, Marcello, Haydn, and Mozetich. She is also an active recitalist and chamber musician, making frequent guest appearances with the Amici Chamber Ensemble, the ARC Ensemble, and Trio Arkel.

A devoted performer of new music, Jeffrey has commissioned several chamber works, including Chaconne for Oboe, Horn, and Piano by Erik Ross, and Rhapsody by Ronald Royer. Jeffrey is a recipient of the Ontario Arts Council’s Chalmers Award for Creativity and Excellence in the Arts, and teaches regularly at Canada’s finest music schools. A passionate and devoted teacher, Sarah is on faculty at The Glenn Gould School at The Royal Conservatory and the University of Toronto, and spends her summers at the Orford Arts Centre and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. She can be heard discussing the finer points of the oboe on CBC radio, both as a performer and as a guest on several podcasts.

She joins our latest Symphony City spotlight interview for an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at her artistry, and discusses features about the oboe such as why the instrument is used to tune the orchestra.