Joanne Alme – Oboe

Oboist Joanne Alme has an active freelance career on oboe, english horn and saxophone that spans over 25 years. Growing up in Minot, North Dakota, Joanne was introduced to the stage through the world of jazz by sitting in with her father’s big band and backing up many musicians including stars of the Lawrence Welk Show. It was shortly after this that she also started her freelance oboe career playing with the Minot Symphony Orchestra and in the pit orchestra for the Western Plains Opera Company.

Jazz continued to play a big role when Joanne had the privilege of playing with the Village Vanguard house band in and numerous studio big bands in New York City while living in Connecticut. Because of her flexibility to jump between jazz and classical styles, she was introduced to work as a woodwind sub on Broadway as well as an oboe sub with the AmericanBallet Theatre Orchestra. Joanne also had the honor to perform on oboe and english horn in multiple multi-artist collaborations on stage at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Harvey Theater and on stage at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. Her orchestral credits include Minot Symphony Orchestra, Lawrence Chamber Players in Lawrence, Kansas, Greenwich Symphony Orchestra, Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra and the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra in South Carolina.

While living in Connecticut, Joanne opened her own music school where she taught early childhood music and movement classes. Over the years she has had the privilege to teach every level of student from infants in a mother’s arms to retired adults starting a new skill. In addition to teaching general and instrumental music at the elementary and middle school levels, Joanne has served as an adjunct member of the woodwind faculty at Georgia Southern University teaching oboe pedagogy and reed making.

Above playing sits Joanne’s passion for music education, community outreach and advocacy. She has been a guest clinician in middle and high schools as well as teaching a large private studio with students on oboe, english horn and saxophone. She enjoys working with small groups helping them to see new potential through music. Near and dear to her heart is her ongoing summer faculty position as an oboe instructor at The International Music Camp located in North Dakota on the border between the United States and Canada.

Joanne’s “free time” is spent with her 2 children and husband. As a family they enjoy hiking, exploring and playing games like “whose socks got the dirtiest today.” She finds strength and unwavering support from the rock solid anchor of the family, her husband David, who always supplies the socks.

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