Titus Underwood is the principal oboist of the Nashville Symphony in Tennessee. In February, he became the first Black tenured principal oboist of an American orchestra. Originally from Pensacola, Florida, Underwood attended the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Juilliard School, and the Colburn School, studying with legendary oboists John Mack and Elaine Douvas. This year, Underwood was a recipient of the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, an award given by the Sphinx Organization recognizing extraordinary classical Black and Latinx musicians. Underwood was also cited recently in the New York Times, calling for audition reform alongside colleagues from the Phoenix Symphony and the Metropolitan Opera. In September, Underwood spoke with VAN about his journey and vision for the future of American orchestras.
Cultural Gumbo
An Interview with Titus Underwood
