Congrats to Lani Spahr!

In 2016 BBC Radio 3 presented an hour-long show about his “Accidental stereo” reconstructions in "Elgar Remastered" (SOMM 261-4). His work can be heard on SOMM, Music & Arts, West Hill Radio Archives, Naxos, Boston Records and Oboe Classics, and he has worked for Sony/France on historic restorations of the recordings of George Szell. In 2020 he was awarded an Honorary Membership in the Elgar Society for his work on the recorded legacy of Sir Edward Elgar.

Formerly a leading performer on period oboes in the US, Lani Spahr was a member of Boston Baroque, The Handel & Haydn Society Orchestra of Boston. In addition, he has appeared with many of North America’s leading period instrument orchestras, including Tafelmusik, Philharmonia Baroque, Tempesta di Mare, Apollo’s Fire, Washington Bach Consort, The American Classical Orchestra, Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra, Mercury Baroque and many others. Also, a modern oboist, he was the principal oboist of the Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Opera Festival, the American Chamber Winds, the Maine Chamber Ensemble and made his European solo debut in November of 1999 playing the John McCabe Oboe Concerto with the Hitchin Symphony Orchestra in England. He has served on the faculties of Colorado College, Phillips Exeter Academy (New Hampshire) and the University of New Hampshire Chamber Music Institute. He has toured throughout North America, Europe and the Far East on period and modern oboes and has recorded for Telarc, Linn, Koch, Naxos, Vox, Music Masters, L’Oiseau Lyre and Musica Omnia.

Lani lives in Lewes, with his wife, Judy, and is an active volunteer for Coastal Concerts where he is a popular lecturer for the premier classical music organization. His lectures, Performance Insights, are designed to enhance the concert experience, as well as to entertain and educate. As the name implies he “presents insights,” using audio and visual aids, into various facets of the concert focusing on, but not limited to, composers, works being presented, historical perspectives and anything that might help the audience have a fuller understanding of what they are about to hear.

 

You may access Lani's previous Performance Insights Archive here.

The most recent Performance Insights video is below.

Alternatively, you can attend one of the classical music concerts next season to experience his lectures in person.