Steven Hudson

Biography

Steven Hudson is Section Principal Oboe of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Professor of Oboe at both Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Born and raised in North Yorkshire Steven began learning the oboe at 16. He went on to study at Guildhall School of Music & Drama with Gordon Hunt and Richard Simpson, graduating with a First-Class Honours Degree and winner of the Worshipful Company of Needlemakers woodwind prize. Further studies took him to the Conservatoire Nationale Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris with David Walter, the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music with Christopher Cowie, where he graduated with distinction and winner of the RCM oboe prize. During this time, he was also a member of the Verbier Festival Orchestra and won Second Prize at the Barbirolli International Oboe Competition.

Steven returned to his North East roots when he was appointed Section Leader Oboe of Royal Northern Sinfonia in 2013. During his time with RNS Steven had many highlights that included performances of C.P.E Bach’s Oboe Concerto conducted by Thomas Zehetmair, a tour of Brazil as soloist in Albinoni’s Oboe Concerto in D minor under the direction of Olli Mustonen and dressing up as a bird in the Ross Edwards oboe concerto Bird Spirit Dreaming!

He has also appeared as soloist in David Lane’s Oboe Concerto with Royal Ballet Sinfonia at the English Music Festival, Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto recorded live for Classic FM at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, the Richard Strauss Oboe Concerto with Royal Northern Sinfonia conducted by Clemens Schuldt and Michael Berkeley's Oboe Concerto at the Ryedale Festival.  He directed John Tavener’s Kaleidoscopes from the oboe with the Royal Northern Sinfonia strings and has made solo appearances with the London Concertante and London Mozart Players.

An active chamber musician, Steven has given recitals and chamber music performances in France, China, Japan, South America and at the BBC Proms. He was invited to appear at Lars Vogt’s Spannungen Chamber Music Festival in Germany where he has collaborated with artists such as Christian Tetzlaff and Sharon Kam broadcast live on German radio.

In a performance of the Bach Oboe and Violin Concerto in Edinburgh, The Scotsman described Hudson as 'wonderfully expressive' and 'the combination of oboe and violin was magical, especially as Hudson rolled out what seemed like longer and longer phrases without apparently drawing breath.'  

Steven joined the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in April 2020 and has appeared as guest principal oboe with the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra,  John Wilson Orchestra and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. 
 
Aside from his teaching commitments at Guildhall School and RWCMD Steven has given masterclasses at the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and The Glasshouse International Centre for Music.

In 2017 he was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, and in May 2023, Steven was invited to perform at the Coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey.

In his spare time, he enjoys singing, running and sunny beaches.