STEVENS HEWITT
Assistant First Oboe - Retired -
Stevens Hewitt was born in 1924 and raised in New York City, where he
was introduced to the oboe in Stuyvesant High School, primarily a
school for science. While in high school he had a New York Philharmonic
scholarship to study with Albert Goltzer, and a year's theory
scholarship at N.Y.U.
He studied to be a chemist at the College of the City of New York, a
pursuit interrupted by World War II service in the Signal Corps,
maintaining telephone equipment in Africa and Italy .
Upon return from the service he studied with Clement Lenom, a member of
the Boston Symphony from 1901-25, and graduated Juilliard as a student
of Harold Gomberg.
While a student he was the English horn soloist at Tanglewood in the
Sibelius "Swan of Tuonela" and oboe soloist in Ravel's "Le Tombeau de
Couperin." He also played the Pergolesi Oboe Concerto with Leon Barzin
and the National Orchestral Association.
He has had wide experience in many facets of music including a woodwind
quintet tour with Martha Graham, Broadway shows; the Sadler's Wells and
American Ballet Theatre; the Asbury Park Concert Band; New Orleans
Opera; Dallas, New Orleans and Baltimore Symphonies; the Bach Bethlehem
Festival; and chamber music at Marlboro.
Since 1965 he has been a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra, teacher
of oboe and ensemble at the Philadelphia Musical Academy, and first
oboe at the Robin Hood Dell.
Mr. Hewitt is the author and compiler of method books for his
instrument and has a large library of books and music.
When he has time he enjoys musical detective work and has hunted down
the wind versions of Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata, Op. 31, and Septet,
Op. 20; Rossini's Serenade for Oboe and Small Orchestra; a wind octet
by Jean-Jacques Rousseau; etc.
Mr. Hewitt's wife, Lynn, is a fourth generation Californian, was raised
in Java and South America, and is a Stanford graduate.
