Leslie Reed joined the LA Opera Orchestra in 1996. In 2009, Music Director James Conlon appointed her to the principal oboe chair, a position she currently holds. In addition, Ms. Reed is currently principal oboe of the Los Angeles Master Chorale Sinfonia. Her past positions include principal oboe of the Los Angeles Mozart Orchestra, Glendale Symphony, Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra and the Long Beach Symphony.
She has appeared as guest principal oboe with the LA Chamber Orchestra, Pasadena Symphony, San Diego Symphony and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. She was invited to serve as acting associate principal oboe of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the 1994-95 season under music director Esa-Pekka Salonen, including tours of Asia, Europe and the Eastern United States.
She was associate principal oboe of the Carmel Bach Festival for ten years, has performed extensively as solo oboe with Camerata Pacifica and has appeared with Jacaranda, La Jolla Summerfest and the Ojai Festival. Ms. Reed has appeared as soloist many times with local ensembles performing the concertos of Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi, Vaughan-Williams, Richard Strauss and David Newman. Her career has also extended to the Hollywood Studios participating in the scores for hundreds of films.
Ms. Reed was a first prize winner in the 1985 Coleman Competition and a semi-finalist in the 1988 Bert Lucarelli International Competition for Solo Oboists. She is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music. Her principal teachers include Wayne Rapier, John Mack and Allan Vogel.
