Matthew Fossa

A native of Upstate New York, Matthew Fossa joined the Mobile Symphony Orchestra in the Fall of 2004. He is also the Principal Oboist of the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra and the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Fossa has also performed as Guest Principal Oboist of the Richmond (VA) Symphony Orchestra, Co-Principal Oboist of the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra, and been a regular member of the oboe sections of the Orchestra of Northern New York and the Albany (GA) Symphony.

Over the years, Mr. Fossa has had several solo appearances with various regional orchestras and bands. In addition to this, he is on the faculty of the Pensacola Junior College and maintains a large private studio consisting of students of various age and ability levels. Besides being an active performer and teacher, Mr. Fossa is also a prolific composer. Having written works ranging from solo instrument pieces to compositions for full band and orchestra.

His music has been performed in various venues across the United States and has been distributed to performers living as far away as England and Brazil. The Fall of 2007 saw the world premiere of his own Oboe Concerto with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Peter Rubardt and with Fossa as the soloist.

In the Spring of 2008, two movements of Mr. Fossa’s “Harrington Suite” for Symphonic Band were premiered by the Niceville High School Wind Ensemble and, in the same concert, Mr. Fossa performed as oboe soloist on Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Variations on a Theme of Glinka.”

Mr. Fossa received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance and the Performer’s Certificate from the Crane School of Music in May of 1998. He was awarded his Master’s Degree in Oboe Performance at the Florida State University in December of 2000. His teachers were Gene-Marie Green, Glenn Guiles, and Eric Ohlsson.