Matthew Hudgens
Oboe
Matthew Hudgens picked up the oboe at 11—arguably the most rebellious choice a middle schooler can make—and never looked back. Trained at East Tennessee State University, the University of North Texas, and The Juilliard School, he began his career steeped in classical tradition until early music hijacked his grad-school plans. One listen to a Baroque oboe’s reedy charm, and he was a goner.
These days he’s like a modern-day minstrel, performing with period ensembles across North America—including Philharmonie Austin, American Bach Soloists, Cantata Collective, Lyra Baroque, Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado, Seattle Bach Festival, Portland Baroque, Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and more. Matthew can be seen performing oboes from the baroque to late romantic; and, yes, even modern oboe, if the mood strikes.
When not nerding out over historical temperaments or debating reed setups with colleagues, Matthew is probably curled up with a good book and a coffee, hiking through the Pacific Northwest with his partner, or pretending to “unplug” while secretly brainstorming his next reed adjustment. Based in Portland, he’s equally at home enjoying the incredible food scene the city offers or exploring a sunlit forest—just don’t ask him to choose between the two.