David Vanbiesbrouck

Principal Oboe

David Vanbiesbrouck began his journey with Guelph Symphony in 2013 and played second oboe for many concerts during this time. In 2017, he moved to Guelph and joined the orchestra as Principal Oboe. In 2021, David performed the Marcello oboe concerto with GSO.
David keeps a busy freelance schedule on the oboe and English Horn and has also performed with Toronto Symphony, Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, London Symphonia, Niagara Symphony and Windsor Symphony.
David is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier’s music program and studied with Jim Mason and Graham Mackenzie. His first oboe teacher and inspiring mentor was Shelly Heron. David maintains a private teaching studio and sells a thousand+ oboe reeds internationally every year through Oboerific Reeds. He currently plays a Yamaha 841 Duet+ oboe.

What inspired you to pick up your instrument for the first time, and how has your journey evolved since then?
I was home sick from high school in the early days of YouTube, and stumbled upon a video of Heinz Holliger performing the Mozart Oboe Concerto. It was kind of like how I imagine discovering fire would’ve been for early humans — it changed my life and instantly became a force drawing me in a completely new direction. I feel very fortunate that I found my musical voice through the oboe.

What role does collaboration play in your musical life, and how has it enriched your experiences?
Chamber music is one of the joys and advantages of playing classical music. In 2024, I was 1/3 of a trio with piano and viola (Merkwerdig Trio) and learned and performed Loeffler’s 2 Rhapsodies. In 2025, I joined a string trio and performed Mozart’s and James Rolfe’s Oboe Quartet, and Jean Francaix’s English Horn Quartet. This year I’m excited to play the Mullikin Concerto and Bill Douglas sonatas alongside pianist Beth Ann De Sousa

How do you approach interpreting a new piece of music for the first time?
Aside from studying the conductor’s score and understanding how my individual part fits into it, I rely largely on listening to many recordings from a variety of orchestras to understand how the piece can be interpreted so differently. Weeks leading up to the rehearsals I increase their rotation in my playlists to let the music settle and permeate. I think this allows me to be “off the page” as much as possible for the performance.

What is your favourite GSO memory?
There are many to draw upon, but most involve performances at the Basilica of Our Lady, namely the season opener of 2024-2025 when we played the Firebird Suite by Stravinsky. Something about the reverence of the wide open space adorned with stained glass and marble provokes our orchestra to create an exceptional sound.

Besides your musical career, what other passions or occupations do you pursue?
I’m a bit of a serial hobbyist, always dabbling and collecting new passions. Oil painting, running, and film photography all check the right boxes for downtime activities.

Do you have a current SideQuest?
As an oboist, my side quest remains the same everyday, to try and make the perfect oboe reed! I’ve gotten close a few times...

Favourite travel destination or place to visit?
The Azores islands of Portugal were eye opening for me. That trip was truly like stepping into a technicolor movie having only known black and white. I can’t recommend the island of St Miguel enough!

David's website:
https://www.oboerific.com