Benjamin Brogadir
Oboe/English Horn
A native of San Diego, California, Ben Brogadir currently holds the position of English horn with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. Prior to joining the San Francisco Opera in 2024, he held the same position with the Oregon Symphony for their 2023/2024 season. In high demand on both oboe and English horn, he has occupied the principal oboe chair of the Berkeley Symphony since 2022, as well as making numerous appearances as a guest musician with the San Francisco Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, and Pacific Symphony. This also includes performances as guest principal oboe with the San Francisco Symphony during their 2022 summer season. Brogadir served as principal oboe of the 2021 Ojai Festival Orchestra and has participated in numerous international music festivals including the Oregon Bach Festival, Pacific Music Festival, Music Academy of the West, Aspen Music Festival, Music from Angel Fire, Colorado College Music Festival, and the National Orchestral Institute.
In the International Double Reed Society’s 2021 Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox Oboe competition, Brogadir, being the only American candidate, was one of five finalist and received an honorable mention. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with globally esteemed artists such as Emanuel Ax, Andy Akiho, James Conlon, David Geber, Karyn Dreyfus, Nokuthula Ngwenyama, and Pedja Mužijević.
A graduate of the Colburn Conservatory, he received his Bachelor of Music degree studying under second oboe of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Anne Marie Gabriele and former principal oboist Ariana Ghez. Brogadir went on to receive a Master of Music degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under the mentorship of Eugene Izotov, principal oboe of the San Francisco Symphony. His other principal teachers include SF Opera Principal Oboe Mingjia Liu, San Diego Symphony English horn Andrea Overturf, and Daniel Stolper former instructor of oboe at Interlochen Arts Academy.