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Robert Sorton

Robert Sorton

Robert Sorton

Associate Professor

sorton.1@osu.edu

Areas of Expertise

  • Oboe

Education

  • MM, Cleveland Institute of Music, 1974
  • BM (summa cum laude), Cleveland Institute of Music, 1970

Robert Sorton, recently retired from the School of Music, taught applied oboe, coached chamber ensembles and taught a graduate woodwind literature course. He is the oboist of the Scarlet Winds Quintet. Prior to his appointment at Ohio State and following a position with the Miami Philharmonic, he was assistant principal oboe of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for fourteen years. As a soloist, Mr. Sorton has presented numerous recitals and has frequently played concerti with various orchestras. He has performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony, the Columbus Symphony and the Charlotte Symphony. He was principal and solo oboist of the Eastern Music Festival (North Carolina) for seven years and the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra (Virginia) for nine years. He has also performed at the Casals Festival (Puerto Rico), Siena Music Festival (Italy), Brevard Music Festival (North Carolina), Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival (Alaska), the Swannanoa Music Festival (North Carolina) and Oboes on the Ohio (Ohio). In 1990 Sorton founded OBOHIO, the Double Reed Consort, which, along with the Winds of Wintergreen (a Harmoniemusik ensemble) have performed throughout the United States and abroad. He has taught and performed extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and South Africa.

Currently Mr. Sorton teaches at two summer oboe camps, Oxford Oboes Camp and the Midwest Oboe Camp. Before to coming to Ohio State, he taught at Florida International University, Wayne State University and Oakland University. He is internationally acclaimed for his reed making. Mr. Sorton was awarded the OSU School of Music Distinguished Teaching Award. Professor Sorton has been listed in Who's Who in the Midwest and Who's Who in Entertainment. He is a member of the International Double Reed Society and Pi Kappa Lambda, the music honor society. He has recorded with London Decca Records, Delos, Artisie 4 (Grammy winner) and Coronet Records.

See also Double Reed Honors Invitational, April 14, 2018.