Osborn, Barker, Hausmann, Fair, & Jackson
Composer and clarinetist Sean Osborn will be joined by three Seattle Symphony Principal musicians, Jeffrey Barker, Ben Hausmann, and Jeffrey Fair, along with the “bassoonist with whom everyone wants to play,” Dana Jackson, in performing their American Quintets program, featuring an original composition by Mr. Osborn, Preludes and Counterpoints; Samuel Barber’s Summer Music; and John Steinmetz’ Quintet.
Sean Osborn, youngest clarinetist ever hired into the NY Met., left that post after eleven years to pursue composition and solo performance. He remains one of today’s most gifted clarinetists— "...a miracle," Boston Globe; "...a master,” Grammophone— and has composed extensively, with works performed by the London Philharmonic and ensembles of the NY and LA Philharmonics, Marlboro Music Festival, and NY Met. He has appeared as guest principal clarinet of the NY Phil., Pittsburgh, Seattle, and American symphony orchestras; recorded dozens of CDs for London, Deutsche Grammophone, Sony, and Albany Records; premiered works by Glass, Adams, Corigliano, Yi, and Higdon; and given more than 100 master classes worldwide.
Jeffrey Barker, appointed Associate Principal Flute of the Seattle Symphony in 2015, graduated from Eastman School of Music under Bonita Boyd and Carnegie Mellon University under the famed Jeanne Baxtresser and Alberto Almarza. He has performed with America’s leading symphony orchestras and is a sought-after chamber musician, most recently performing in the Seattle Chamber Music Society Festival under artistic direction of celebrated violin soloist James Ehnes.
Benjamin Hausmann, Associate Principal Oboe of the Seattle Symphony, has served as Principal Oboe in L’Orchestre symphonique de Québec, Savannah Symphony, and Hollywood Bowl orchestras. A frequent guest of the LA Phil., NY Met., San Francisco, and Baltimore symphony orchestras, Mr. Hausmann is a noted composer and virtuoso pianist whose rare experiences have shaped him into an inimitable artist, receiving critical acclaim in the US, Canada, and Europe.
Jeffrey Fair, The Charles Simonyi Principal Horn of the Seattle Symphony, whose fearless playing is described as “compelling,” “evocative” and “full of finesse and assertiveness,” has also served as guest Principal Horn of the Los Angeles Phil. and National Symphony orchestras. Mr. Fair, a sought after festival performer, completed a Master‘s degree at The Juilliard School under Jerome Ashby and currently serves as artist in residence, Univ. of Washington School of Music.
Dana Jackson, Seattle Symphony Orchestra Bassoon, has performed with soloists Emanuel Ax and Yefim Bronfman on the Carnegie Hall stage and Yo-yo Ma in a sold out concert of chamber works in Chicago’s Symphony Center—the ensemble’s Tango noted by The Chicago Tribune as having “it’s most seductive effect when led by Dana Jackson’s bassoon.” She has played under the batons of famed conductors Gustavo Dudamel, James Conlon, and Leonard Slatkin, and shared the stage with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra led be Mitsuko Uchida.
