Elizabeth Priestly Gehrke is originally from Sugar Land, Texas USA and is a graduate of Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She then went on to study with Richard Killmer at the Eastman School of Music where she graduated with a Bachelors of Music and the distinction of being the first and one of the only students in the school's history to ever receive two Performer's Certificates as an undergraduate.

Elizabeth is currently Principal Oboist of the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet Orchestras, a position she has held since 2008. She has performed frequently throughout the world as guest Principal Oboe with orchestras including St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, Mainly Mozart All Star Orchestra, Orquestra dos Sonhos, San Antonio Philharmonic Orchestra and additional performances with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra. Her former positions include Principal and Second Oboe with The Grand Teton Music Festival, Principal Oboe with Orquestra Classica da Madeira, Principal Oboe with Orquestra Sinfonica de Mineria and Second Oboe with Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra.

Elizabeth has made frequent solo performances throughout her career with orchestras including the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra of Saint Luke's and Houston Ballet Orchestra. At the age of 22 she made her international solo debut with the Orquesta de Camera de Mineria. She was invited two years later to perform as a soloist for the first time in Europe with Orquestra Classica da Madeira. She was sponsored by F. Lorée, Paris as a headlining soloist at the International Double Reed Society annual conference in New York City performing Foss Concerto for Oboe on the conference’s final performance and also a Lorée sponsored solo artist for IDRS in Indianapolis. She has made several solo performances as part of the Goppisberg Musikfestival Orchester performing as a soloist in different cities in Switzerland. Through the years Elizabeth has also success in solo competitions including winning the Eastman Concerto Competition and prize winner in the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist Competition. She was second prize winner in the world's most prominent oboe competition, the Fernand Gillet Hugo Fox Competition sponsored by the International Double Reed Society, and has been the highest ranked American in this competition since 2007.

Her performances have brought her all over the world on radio and television with performances on America's top classical radio program Performance Today and a televised solo performance on Portugal's Porto Canal. She has performed in the most prominent festivals in the United States including Lincoln Center Festival.

Elizabeth has been inspired by many wonderful teachers. In addition to Richard Killmer, she has studied with Bob Atherholt and Robin Hough.

In addition to being an oboist, Elizabeth is also a neuroscience based meditation guide and teacher and is a black belt martial artist.

Elizabeth plays exclusively on Lorée oboes and is currently playing on a Lorée Royal 125 Amethyst.

Copyright © Elizabeth Priestly Gehrke