Sure, we all know about clarinets, trumpets and saxophones, but what about the oboe—the mysterious woodwind instrument? What about the Nation’s most decorated oboist?

Liang Wang is the world’s “it” oboe guy. If you didn’t already know, today you’ll gain a knowledge wrinkle on your brain. 

Liang is a renowned Chinese-American Oboist with the New York Philharmonic. Coming from a musical family, he had a passion for the arts from a young age. His dedication and discipline to the arts can be seen in his list of accolades. From being the Alice Tully Chair to being accepted into the Curtis Institute of Music, his achievements are nothing but exceptional. 

With the blessing of his family, Liang moved alone to The United States at the young age of 15. He came to this country solo, but with a dream. He wanted to be on that stage, and in the spotlight. During his time at Idyllwild he was the Jack Smith Award Winner at the Pasadena Instrumental Competition, a two-time winner of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Fellowship, and a winner at the Spotlight Competition of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. All of this led up to his acceptance into the Curtis Institute of Music, one of the most prestigious conservatories in the world.

After completing his studies he joined the New York Philharmonic as Principal Oboe in 2006. He has had  a fruitful career over the decades. Some of his performances include his debut performing Richard Strauss’s Oboe Concerto, led by Xian Zhang, in Hong Kong during the Orchestra’s 2008 tour of Asia, his Carnegie Hall solo debut in April 2011 performing Chen Qigang’s Extase, Mozart’s Oboe Concerto with Les Violons du Roy, China Philharmonic, and Shanghai and Guanzhou Symphony Orchestras. One of his most memorable moments was in 2014, President Xi invited him to perform with the Orchestre Colonne de France at Versailles, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of French-Chinese diplomatic relations.

As life would have it, Liang would experience some personal and career turbulence followed by the global health crisis. Liang decided he would channel his energy and create something positive during hard times via his masterclass with eConnect123. A virtual learning platform, eConnect123 gives students easy access to top musicians and artists. He wanted students from all backgrounds to learn, not just a select few with exclusive access.

As Liang triumphs toward 2022, he continues to perform with the Santa Fe Music Festival, The Philharmonic, The Vail (Colorado) Music Festival and other elite engagements.

For more on Liang, follow him on social media @LiangOboe