Jose Maria Azkue, Oboe

Born in Zumaia (Spain) in 1975, Jose Maria first got in contact with music when he started singing in the local church child choir. He started his music education in his hometown at the age of 8 playing the accordion and the piano.After a few years he gave up his studies but was persuaded into starting the oboe a few years later. He learnt with Jon Berruezo, an oboe teacher at the Pasaia Musical Conservatoire in Pasaia, a little town near San Sebastian. After a few years he started having lessons with Francisco Javier Lekumberri, the Basque Country National Orchestra oboe soloist. Following his advise he auditioned at the Conservatoire National de Region Baionne Cote-Basque (France), where he continued his education with the eminent teacher Mr. Jacky Morel . He finished his oboe and chamber music studies with the highest qualifications, Gold Medal in oboe and Silver in chamber Music.

In 2002 he moved to London to continue his studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under the tutorship of very prestigious oboe teachers such as David Walter, Jane Marshall ,Neil Black ,Gordon Hunt, and Richard Simpson.In 2004 he graduated in a Master Degree In Music Performance.He has been awarded scholarships from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama , Needlemakers Company and by the "Excelentisima Diputacion de Gipuzkoa".He has been working as co-principal oboe at the Southbank Sinfonia Orchestra in London. Actually he lives in London working as a freelance player for different orchestras.