Igor Leschishin came to the USA in 1992 from The Ukraine to participate in the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee’s Institute of Chamber Music. When I met him then we were both part of the Wind Quintet Air Craft and he barely spoke any English…
While playing in Milwaukee, the members of Air Craft used to have great fun kidding with Igor and his difficulties with the English language. Heused to routinely confuse the words “boss” and “bus,” frequently referring to the supervisor at his part-time job as his “bus” and then tell us he rode the “boss” to work. He accepted our teasing with great humor.
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Igor Leschishin, Oboe
Igor Leschishin is the principal oboist for the Washington National Opera Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, a post he has held since 1998. Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Leschishin served as a member of the oboe section in the New World Symphony Orchestra (Miami Beach, FL; 1996-1998) under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas.
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Our year together as a Wind Quintet culminated in a performance in the Finals for the Concert Artists Guild International Competition in New York City where we performed Joan Tower’s Island Prelude as part of our program. It was a piece overly ambitious for us as a group, but not for Igor, who handled the immense virtuosity required of the oboist with impressive finesse.
The next year Igor was accepted into the Manhattan School of Music to study with the renowned Joseph Robinson, former principal oboist of the New York Philharmonic where he played for 27 years. Immediately after completing his Master’s Degree, Igor won a position with the premiere American training orchestra The New World Symphony under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas.
| Caspian Monday Music – Chamber Orchestra
Caspian Chamber Orchestra – July 25, 2011Alexey Shabalin, concertmaster Igor Leschishin, oboe Andrea Breitenbach, oboe performance at 8pm, Hazen Union Highschool, Hardwick
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Musicians in the New World Symphony are given room and board and a stipend and generally play in the orchestra for a maximum of two years. Igor’s stay was extended to a third year and immediately upon leaving the orchestra he won the principal oboe position with the Washington National Ballet Orchestra, where he has been ever since. He maintains a busy concert schedule playing chamber music in the off season. Below are links to some upcoming concert dates. Most recently, Igor and his wife Anna Bennewig became proud new parents of a beautiful baby girl.
