Oboist Ryan Klein '08 next Alumni Concert Series artist

Oboist Ryan Klein will perform at Skidmore's Arthur Zankel Music Center at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, as the latest artist in the College's the Alumni Concert Series.

Klein, a 2008 Skidmore graduate, has distinguished himself as a multi-dimensional musician. Klein returns to the college from recent performances at Lincoln Center, Symphony Space, and Crash Mansion. Pianist Tanya Gabrielian will join Klein onstage from her recent solo recital at Carnegie Hall. 

Gabrieliancombines emotional vulnerability with thoughtful artistry, captivating audiences worldwide with her gripping, commanding performances. Born in the United States in 1983, Gabrielian began studying piano at the age of three. In 2000 she moved to London, where she received bachelor's and master's degrees from the Royal Academy of Music. In 2009 Gabrielian moved to New York City as the only candidate accepted for the Juilliard School's prestigious Artist Diploma program, an extraordinarily selective post-graduate residency program, where she completed her studies with Robert McDonald and Matti Raekallio.

Initially, Klein studied exercise science and music, while also playing the oboe and varsity men's ice hockey. Klein realized that the oboe is his passion and focused on music in his junior and senior years.His decision to go with music was made easier by a stream of calls for gigs with regional musical ensembles such as the Lake George Chamber Orchestra, the New Opera, and the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra. He also played with the college's orchestra; woodwind quintet; double reed trio; and the eight-piece Skidmore student band, Nat Osborn and the Free Radicals, whose original compositions fearlessly blend elements of rock, classical, and jazz. "The great thing about quitting varsity hockey and freeing up so much time was how it expanded my musical horizons," says Klein. He is currently a master's degree candidate in oboe performance at the California Institute of the Arts.

Admission for the Nov. 18 Ryan Klein performance is $7 general admission, $5 seniors, and $3 students. For advance reservations visit  www.skidmore.edu/zankel  or call the Zankel box office (518) 580-8381 for more information. The Zankel Music Center is wheelchair accessible and offers listening devices for the hearing impaired. For more information, please visit  www.skidmore.edu/zankel.