Reid Messich

Reid Messich is Professor of Oboe at the University of Georgia, where he is a member of the Georgia Woodwind Quintet. He also serves as Co-Principal Oboist of Memphis’s IRIS Orchestra/IRIS Collective, under Maestro Michael Stern, and as Principal Oboist of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, under Maestro John Morris Russell. Each summer, he teaches oboe and woodwind literature at the MasterWorks Music Festival, hosted at Liberty University.

An in-demand performer, Messich maintains an active national and international career. He has appeared as a recitalist and guest artist at the International Double Reed Society on numerous occasions and has presented recitals and lectures at music institutes and universities around the world. Under the direction of Joseph Silverstein, he toured Japan with the Curtis Chamber Symphony, and in 2017, he performed and taught at the Harbin Summer Music Festival in China. He has also served as guest principal oboist with the Cleveland Orchestra, Charleston Symphony, Augusta Symphony, and Greenville Symphony. His students have gone on to hold positions in premier ensembles, including the Cleveland Orchestra, United States Navy Band, United States Coast Guard Band, and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.

Messich’s recordings include Chroma with the Georgia Woodwind Quintet (Mark Masters label), available on iTunes, and Bozza’s Suite brève en trio. In 2016, he gave the world premiere and served as the recording soloist for Christopher Stark’s Velocity Meadows for solo oboe, wind ensemble, and electronics.

Messich earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, studying with Richard Woodhams, and both his Master of Music and Doctor of Music degrees from Florida State University, studying with Dr. Eric Ohlsson. He performs on a Yamaha YOB-841 oboe. Outside of music, Messich enjoys weightlifting, focusing on physical health, and spending time with his wife, Kaitlin, and daughter, Lowry—especially their trips to Disney.