2016 Performers & Presenters

Dwight Parry

Dwight Parry is in his ninth season as the principal oboist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. In 2006-2007, he held the same position with the San Diego Symphony and before that was a fellow in the New World Symphony under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas. He has performed as guest principal oboist with the New York Philharmonic, the Atlanta Symphony, the Los Angeles Opera, and the Deutsche Symphonie of Berlin. Originally from Southern California, he found his passion for music studying piano, voice, and jazz saxophone, but it was not until his sophomore year of high school that he began playing the oboe. Dwight received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California with Allan Vogel and his Masters degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music with John Mack.

In addition to his love for orchestral playing, Dwight enjoys performing as a soloist, both with orchestra and in recital. Concerto appearances have included the works of Mozart, Strauss, Haydn, Bach, Albinoni, Barber, Marcello and Vaughn-Williams. He is currently a member of the ground-breaking, Cincinnati-based chamber group Concert:Nova and regularly performs the music of Bach at St. Thomas Episcopal in Terrace Park. Dwight has taught at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and is currently faculty at Northern Kentucky University and maintains a private teaching studio.

Robert Sorton

Robert Sorton is Professor of Oboe at The Ohio State University, where he founded OBOHIO, The Double Reed Consort. He teaches applied oboe, coaches small/chamber ensembles and teaches a graduate woodwind literature course.

After graduating from the North Carolina School of the Arts, he earned both his Bachelor and Master’s degrees, summa cum laude, from the Cleveland Institute of Music. For fourteen years, he was Assistant Principal Oboe of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra following his position with the Miami Philharmonic. He has also performed with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Columbus Symphony and Charlotte Symphony. He was Principal Oboe of the Eastern Music Festival for seven years and the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra for nine years.

With OBOHIO and the Winds of Wintergreen, he has taught and performed extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South Africa and, most recently, at the Fairbanks (Alaska) Summer Arts Festival. He is internationally acclaimed for his reed making. Mr. Sorton was awarded the OSU School of Music Distinguished Teaching Award. Professor Sorton has been listed in Who’s Who in the Midwest and Who’s Who in Entertainment. He is a member of the International Double Reed Society and Pi Kappa Lambda, the music honor society. He has recorded with London Decca Records, Delos, Artisie 4 (Grammy winner) and Coronet Records.

P. Bailey Sorton

P. Bailey Sorton received a Bachelor of Music degree, magna cum laude, from Appalachian State University with a double major in Oboe Performance and Music Education. At ASU, she was a Presser Scholar, was listed in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges and was inducted into numerous honor societies, including Pi Kappa Lambda, the music honor society. She earned a Master of Music Education degree from James Madison University.

Bailey was a member of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra for 39 years and has performed with the Winds of Wintergreen, Wintergreen Festival Orchestra, WindWorks, Columbus Symphony Orchestra, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus, BalletMet, Opera Columbus, Opera Roanoke, Eastern Philharmonic Orchestra, Winston-Salem Symphony and the Western Piedmont Symphony. She teaches at Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Kenyon College , Midwest Oboe Camp and Oxford Oboes. She has also taught at Wake Forest University, Cannon Music Camp, Roanoke Youth Symphony Summer Institute of Music, Wintergreen Summer Music Festival and Eastern Music Festival and master classes at universities such as The Ohio State University.

Eric Caines

Eric Caines, a performer of both modern and historic oboes, has been involved in many tours of the United States, an international tour of Spain in 2008, and plays occasionally with The Huntington (WV) and Ohio Valley Symphonies. Also an accomplished English hornist, Eric has served for two years as the event coordinator for REEDX2, an English horn seminar with Tom Stacy (New York Philharmonic). Eric’s ‘first love’ is historic performance, particularly the music of the Baroque, and a life-long interest in instrument making led to an apprenticeship with master Baroque oboe maker Harry Vas Dias. Eric currently makes exquisitely detailed reproductions of 18th Century oboes by Denner, Eichentopf, and Delusse, and has worked closely with famed Baroque oboist Geoffrey Burgess. Eric is an active teacher and reedmaker, and is currently finishing a degree in music performance at Marshall University in Huntington, WV. He currently resides in Ashland, KY.