Oboe star, fired by Curtis, has no idea why
NewsRichard Woodhams, -retired principal oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, has been told by the Curtis Institute that his contract will not be renewed.
‘My recurring question is why,’ he said.
Curtis has refused to comment, except to say it has no immediate replacement.
Social media are replete with speculation.
Woodhams succeeded his teacher John de Lancie at Curtis in 1985.
It’s a wretched way to end.
He was fired because he opposed the hiring of the “Imani Winds”. Woodhams was not fond of the idea of sharing teaching duties with someone else. Young students need consistency, and not conflicting opinions. This idea was tried out with the Curtis clarinet studio several years ago, but ended up being a disaster…..
That’s not true. He wasn’t in favor, but didn’t go to war over this. Woodhams is gone for other reasons. And guess, what, these are not tenured faculty positions. Curtis has the right to not renew a contract and it’s not the first time. The Imani Winds are not going to be teaching private lesson, only coaching wind quintet rep, giving workshops on entrepreneurship, etc. Woodhams’ doesn’t know the wind quintet rep, particularly as the Imani’s do.
Uhh Woodhams absolutely does know the Wind quintet repertoire. He had played in the Philadelphia Woodwind Quintet for years on top of his job in the orchestra, as well a numerous wind quintet performances during his time at Aspen and Marlboro festivals. He may not have played exclusively in a wind quintet like the imani winds have done, but to say that someone with his experience does not know the repertoire, is just not correct. He has 50 years of chamber music experience, I don’t think anybody in the Imani winds can say that at the moment.
I know very well that Curtis can just get rid of someone without flinching, but there are ways of dealing with things, and Curtis has a history of not having a clue on how to deal with situations. For example, Curtis does not show any respect to elder faculty members, and will come up with lame excuses to get rid of them to make way for the “new”, or make their position a living hell that are forced to leave on their own. This situation with Woodhams comes to mind first, Donald Montanaro, Ford Lallerstedt, Otto Werner Mueller, and I’m sure the list goes on and on.
The Philadelphia Wind Quintet played a narrow repertoire that is a fraction of what groups like the Imani Winds have created through commissioning. There’s a whole world of rep that a Woodham’s wouldn’t have the first clue about as the wind quintet world has expanded exponentially, thanks to the Imanis. It’s not just being a full time group, its about reimagining the repertoire and role of such a group, including commissions of composers such as Wayne Shorter, making improvisation central.
The Philadelphia Wind Quintet certainly did not play a “narrow repertoire”. You’re not looking at it from a historical lens. For its time, they gave premieres of all sorts works, and played new music ALL THE TIME. I have many programs of theirs that they did in the past. Woodhams was part of that once John DeLancie retired.
Not only did both those men increase the wind quintet repertoire, they also increased the repertoire for solo oboe and orchestra, and were part of an orchestra that constantly premiered works. Having studied with Richard Woodhams for four years at Curtis, I can tell you that he was absolutely aware and well versed in all the new works/techniques that were coming out. Just because he is pretty much retired from performing, does not mean he can’t help a student become a musician in the 21st Century. I’m sure the Imani’s are great at what they do, but one can have both. It’s a shame that Woodhams and Imani winds can’t be at Curtis together.
I just love when “undergraduates” give their “hot take” on the players from big 5 orchestras like they know what they are talking about.
Woodham’s is a household name, he will survive the test of time as will all the music dedicated to him and the Philly WQuintet. (Which in quality and quality overshadows anything Imani have done).
If the rumour is actually true and Curtis let him go over Imani, I weep for the future of Classical music and quality of institution.
Curtis traded the master of his craft for mediocrity. They are good salesmen but if we are talking about product quality it is very much subpar. I doubt there is anything musically enriching for the students that will come out of their tenure.
Uh, Eleanor Sokoloff taught piano for 82 years before she passed away last year. She was 106. No one ever tried to get rid of her.
Salute to one of the greatest double reed players of all time. He was truly a musical poet.
Bravo on a phenomenal career as both performer and teacher.
Your music will live forever Dick!
Whoa!! If he hasn’t doing any kind of wrong – why on earth Curtis would firing such an icon / oboe legend??
He definetly deserve better place to teaching!
Obviously many of his students have gone on to enjoy immense success (it seems that the oboe and double bass studios at Curtis have the highest success rate for alumni winning major orchestra jobs) – but it’s an open secret that his instructional methods- much like those of his teacher de Lancie and Tabuteau before him – could border on psychologically abusive. I personally know a couple of superb oboists who studied at Curtis with him and went on to quit music completely- and they cite Woodhams as the reason. Just something to ponder.
As an unrelated aside, as a horn player myself, I have to say that the late Jerome Ashby, who was the sole horn teacher at Curtis from 2000 until his untimely death at the end of 2007, could not have been more different. An endlessly kind, compassionate, mild-mannered, and supremely gifted man. He remains sorely missed.
Have I missed something here? It says that he is the ‘retired’ principal oboist. Is retired here being used as an adjective or the past participle of a transitive verb? In other words, did he decide to assume that status, or did someone else ‘retire’ him (in which case is this a euphamism for ‘sacked’?).
In any case, if he retired, or even if he was retired, how come he was disappointed that they didn’t renew his contract?
If he is looking for another job, all he would need to put on his CV is that he succeeded John de Lancie, the instigator of Richard Strauss’s Oboe Concerto!
He retired from an orchestra not the Curtis institute.
The Philadelphia Orchestra, not just ‘an orchestra’!
He retired from his principal oboe position at whatever will says the Philadelphia Orchestra is.
“An” orchestra? You mean the one in Philadelphia that is on the short list of uber great? Like the one you play with? Can you believe these trite comments?
For Pete’s sake he retired from the Philadelphia Orchestra – are you new to classical music…..?
Woodhams is a longstanding buddy of Muti. The two men have an affinity and share a worldview. My best guess: he has engaged in the same activities as Muti. Only, Curtis is not ran by Jeff Alexander.
Oh by the way: Woodhams is the man who successfully plotted with Muti to install his protege as principal oboe at the Chicago Symphony, in spite of the audition committee having initially voted to hire a different, Asian candidate. (But who is Boss in Chicago? Certainly not a Canadian)
Yep … listen to that CSO oboe bombing his entrance in the pathetic Italian Masterworks CD, cavalleria, 1:30
pretty much the best Muti and Chicago have to offer these days
That recording was done at the end of the 2016-17 season, and released in 2018 BEFORE Will was even a member of the Chicago Symphony. Whether you like Will’s playing or not, clearly the audition panel were thrilled with him enough to hire him….and that is all that matters.
Thank you. William Welter is a fabulous musician in his own right, and a wonderful, supportive colleague. Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians are indeed thrilled with Will, and the artistic performances he constantly contributes.
Here’s the recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOjhZPzYPxw
Here’s the full score:
https://ks4.imslp.net/files/imglnks/usimg/8/89/IMSLP24694-PMLP46160-Cavalleria_Rusticana_-_No._7.pdf
Please tell me, exactly how does the oboist “bomb” this entrance?
I really, really wanted to fact check for myself who was right, but with the proverbial Muti-Chicago sound in full enveloping swing, I fell asleep by 0:21.
Highly recommended for those of us who have developed tolerance to hypnotics.
This recording actually isn’t the new guy. Released in 2018 and recorded in 2016/2017 season, which would’ve been his predecessor or one of the many guests they had during that time.
I very much doubt that Woodhams’ activities could ever match Muti’s. And I very much doubt that Curtis would enable Woodhams in the way that Alexander enables Muti.
But, like CSO proxies wrote elsewhere on this blog, the public will “discover the truth” by themselves. They will discover how Alexander is enabling Muti’s unacceptable and unprincipled behavior.
Take a nap, watch TLC for your fix of drama, and go to therapy, in that order. Unhinged commentary. Do you even play an instrument?
Is this slipped disc version of “do you even lift”? I like it.
What nonsense! I can tell you for certain that Will Welter was hired with the approval of the audition committee. This is not something I’m making up, it was told to me by several people who were THERE. You sound like an extremely jealous oboist to me.
Oh absolutely, you are correct. The committee approved him, after they had approved the first Asian candidate, and after the Godfather ordered them to undo the first vote and get the second vote right. Or else …
Wrong, and I am sure that someone from the panel will confirm what I had said originally.
Dear Chicagorat, what you have written here is patently false.
If there’s truth in these allegations, I’m sorry for these things happening and withdraw my naive response. I frankly try to ignore orchestra politics as much as possible. If true, I believe this type of behavior catches up to everyone at some point. I’m mostly interested in the music, as most folks are. However, I’m not a big fan of Mr. Muti from a musical standpoint – at least in terms of his appropriateness for Chicago – or as an individual.
In the collective bargaining agreements of all major American orchestras, the music director has the right to appoint principal players, though it rarely happens that way.
Probably time to give the new principal a chance.
I’m sad to read this. Mr. Woodhams served Philly so wonderfully over the years. I’m not a big oboe maven, but I really liked his playing. I’ve heard him interviewed on the radio and he seemed like a genuinely likable person too
Richard Woodhams [redacted] has a history of abusing students, verbally, emotionally, mentally and financially. Stories abound of him throwing a student’s oboe against the wall, going into violent rages during lessons, threatening to throw a music stand at a student in front of a whole class, and of students abandoning oboe altogether after graduating from Curtis, many with severe emotional and mental illness. This is not an “old school” dilemma but the story of a sick man who prevented his students from rising to his level of achievement – so much so indeed that in 35 years of teaching at Curtis he has produced no student able to carry on his own legacy in the Philadelphia Orchestra. To claim his demeanor as “old school” is as worthless as claiming the same for Jascha Brodsky, the Curtis violin teacher who sexually abused his underage students. Of course, Richard Woodhams was a fabulous oboist and orchestral player, and to many (who didn’t study with him) actually quite a nice guy. That of course does not represent his demeanor once the studio door was closed. While Curtis has not revealed the reason for his quick dismissal, those who studied with him know all too well what the reasons would be. Richard Woodhams at the very least owes his students an apology for the mistreatment that went on his lessons, and should come clean to them and to the music world with the reasons why he is such a tyrant, destructive instructor. Kudos to Curtis for letting him go.
A “quick dismissal”… after only 36 years.
‘so much so indeed that in 35 years of teaching at Curtis he has produced no student able to carry on his own legacy in the Philadelphia Orchestra.’
I’m in no place to comment on everything else with absolute certainty, but I think this part’s quite a stretch. He’s one of the most prolific teachers in terms of getting students into major orchestras, and it’s a pretty big stretch to put the entire burden of the ‘loss’ of one hotly and controversially contested chair on him.
That being said, with caution not to fill the sordid rumor mill cycle, what you’ve said reflects what I’ve heard about his… teaching style. I first heard about it through an acquaintance who was studying with one of his students, who had adopted this supposed Woodhams style of teaching. Interestingly enough, this student, although not a student of Woodhams, has also noted the oboe/reed throwing phenomena, as well as the full range of verbal teardown. Apparently, this tradition has been passed down…
Know anyone who’s studied with Maurice Bourgue?
A great player and a great teacher!
Bourgue is a complete tyrant. And very abusive psychologically to his students. He’s mean and he’s famous for it.
Yes, a tyrant. He probable expected people to practice. That constitutes a tyrant these days.
“his teacher John de Lancie at Curtis in 1985.”
Q’s father? Fascinating.
Yes.
It is kind of fun to look at old Philadelphia Orchestra videos and think “OMG – Q has been disrupting the space-time continuum for much longer than we realized!”
Yes – Curtis’ Hollywood connection also involves the Zimbalist family – Efrem Jr., the actor being the son of the violinist
By adoption.
Those in the business know that he is a wonderful player and the holder of the torch of the Philadelphia Wind School as first codified by Tabuteau then Kincaid, De Lancie, and others.
However, he has destroyed many young musicians and taken away their joy of making music and that is not something to be proud of.
He has had success, true. But Phil Jackson had success coaching Michael Jordan. If you get the best talent in the world, you’re going to be successful independent of your skill as a teacher and coach.
Perhaps it’s time for a new way of teaching at the Curtis Institute.
It certainly is time for a new way, not just at Curtis, but everywhere. The “Whiplash” style of teaching just isn’t acceptable anymore, and good thing, too. Nobody will miss it, except perhaps a few tough-acting trolls in the comments here.
Woodhams played the Strauss as though he like it. Loved it.
There is a reason why none of the 5 Woodhams musician siblings had none of their children follow in their footsteps.
This teacher smashed his students’ oboes against the wall? How instructive or destructive is that? Such a beautiful and delicate instrument. If he had thrown triangles or gongs I would have forgiven him.
Curtis should give their reason(s) so we don’t all have to speculate based on the posts of jaded oboists.
What I find difficult to believe about the behaviour described in this thread, particularly the throwing of a student’s oboe against the wall, is that he was not summarily dismissed at the time. This is ( alleged) misconduct of the highest order ; the fact that dismissal did not follow calls the accuracy of the story into question
Does that mean you also do not believe Jascha Brodsky assaulted Lara St. John? Or is oboe-throwing a more heinous crime than forcing yourself on a teenage girl?
Given the Lara St. John story, it’s not hard to believe they used the same treatment on Woodhams’ student (if s/he even reported it to administration): No one will believe you, and even if it’s true, no one cares.
First, there is a difference between being fired/dismissed and not having your contract renewed.
Second, while I don’t have any connection to Woodhams, I know people in the oboe world who years ago told me about Woodhams being, well, let’s just say difficult as a teacher and best avoided. So this probably doesn’t come as a shock to a lot of people.
With the emergence of more tuition free music conservatories in the US, Curtis can no longer afford to allow such behavior.
He’s not the only one…Gary Graffman has resigned, as has Jennifer Higdon. The once great Institution is falling to its knees. Has been in a steady downward spiral since Roberto Diaz took over, failed to replace Otto Werner Müller, and decided that touring himself around the world is what would make Curtis great again. Maybe it’s time this small time viola player with the greatest chip on his shoulder made way for someone who needs Curtis to be great rather than to promote Roberto Diaz.
I will repeat this. Gary Graffman is no longer on faculty….the most successful teacher of the last 20 year and a legend, gone.
For what it’s worth, I studied with Richard Woodhams for four years at Temple University. His expectation was that you showed up to EVERY lesson prepared and ready to perform.
I repeat “perform”.
I’d arrive for my lessons feeling nervous, palms sweaty and a knot in my stomach. But that was exactly why I wanted to study with him. I knew he was demanding before I auditioned. Surely subsequent students who entered his class had done their homework and also knew.
Did he ever throw my oboe, break my reeds or verbally abuse me? Never.
Did he make me feel what it was like to do a professional audition each and every week? Yes.
Did I win the first professional audition I took at age 21? Yes.
I won because no one on the judging panel had as high an expectation as Mr. Woodhams had placed on me over the previous four years. That’s why you seek out the best.
I may be ‘old school’ but if you can’t take the heat, then get out of the kitchen. Don’t close the kitchen to those who want to be pushed by the best.
There are all kinds of teachers out there to suit all types of personalities. Some teachers will be your buddy, some your mentor and some will make you tremble because they are such exquisite performers that you hope to be worthy of their time.
While I didn’t crack under the pressure, I did eat an entire
Sara Lee cheese cake after every lesson.
So, Mr. Woodhams, I thank you for your decades of inspiring musicianship and your dedication to handing it down.
The Sara Lee factory thanks you too.
Sounds like the powers that be who are so enamored with the flashy French guy got their way in their mission to ruin American oboe playing. Tondre can’t hold a candle to Tabuteau, DeLancie, and Woodhams. For some reason, the Philadelphia music crowd wants to destroy a great orchestra, and perhaps it’s coming from the conductor. I’ve already questioned his musical ideas, which are quite strange from the performances I’ve heard. This is a disaster for American wind playing.
I heard (about 10th row center) Woodhams’ remarkable farewell performance of the Strauß oboe concerto with the Philadelphia orchestra a few years back.
I wept at the poetry and beauty of both Woodhams’ playing and Herr Strauß’s wondrous and aching recapitulation of wisps of his tone poems and operas. [Yes, the great Meister almost forgot that the oboe player has to breathe, but with Woodhams (or Heinz Holliger) you’d never suspect that.]
Afterwards at a nearby parking garage in Philadelphia, I was there as Woodhams was surrounded by his adoring and accolading students as he prepared to leave.
The entire event, something to never forget. These things come along fairly rarely in music.
Money. The dirty word no one wants to say. Money, good old fashioned green was why he was fired. Pay less for a similar product never mind if quality suffers.