Alex Klein (A.Klein), Oboe

Biography

Alex Klein began his musical studies in his native Brazil at the age of
nine, and made his solo orchestral debut the following year. At the age
of eleven, he was invited to join the Camerata Antiqua, one of Brazil's
foremost chamber ensembles. During his teenage years, he toured and
performed as a soloist, recitalist, and as a member of several
professional orchestras in Brazil. He then studied at the Oberlin
Conservatory with James Caldwell, earning two degrees in music
performance.

After a year at Oberlin, Mr. Klein won first prize in the first
Lucarelli International Competition for Solo Oboe Players, held at New
York's Carnegie Hall. He has received many awards worldwide, including
at the 1988 International Competition for Musical Performers in Geneva,
Switzerland, in which he was the first oboist to be awarded first prize
since Heinz Holliger, three decades earlier.

Mr. Klein joined the Chicago Symphony as principal oboe in 1995. He has
performed as soloist with the Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra,
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, and Chicago Sinfonietta. He has
recorded for Teldec, Boston Records, Newport Classics, Musical Heritage
Society, and Cedille Records.

Alex Klein won the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist with
Orchestra for his recording of the Richard Strauss Oboe Concerto with
Daniel Barenboim and the Chicago Symphony. Klein left the Chicago
Symphony in July 2004 due to the onset of Musician's Focal Dystonia. He
currently performs as a soloist and conductor, and also teaches.