Music Department Faculty

Donald L. Oehler
Professor

Office: 101 Hill Hall
Email: dloehler@email.unc.edu
Phone: 919-962-1042

Donald L. Oehler (Professor of Music) performs with the Carolina Wind Quintet, instructs clarinet, and directs the University Chamber Players. Professor Oehler is director of Chapel Hill Chamber Music, the Corso Internazionale di Musica da Camera, and coordinates the UNC Canterbury Christ Church University College exchange program in music. A graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, Professor Oehler joined the UNC faculty in 1971.

"Oehler's performance was outstanding. The technical work in fast passages was flawless. The subtle use of dynamics in phrase structure indicated not only a fine understanding of this unusual instrument, but a real love and respect for the score."

--- Dr. Jim Smith. "Longview Symphony opens with near-perfect performance," Longview News-Journal, 13 March, 1994.

Donald Oehler has drawn high praise as a soloist, chamber musician, conductor, and educator. His performing and teaching activities have taken him throughout the United States, Central America, Canada, Great Britain, Eastern and Western Europe, as well as the Middle East. He began his career as principal clarinet of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Teheran, Iran. Since joining the faculty of the University of North Carolina, he has performed regularly with St. Stephen's Chamber Orchestra, the Mallarmé Chamber Players, The Carolina Wind Quintet, and Sonsa. Additionally, Mr. Oehler has appeared with the North Carolina Symphony, the Handel and Haydn Society (Boston), Banchetto Musicale (Boston), the 18th Century Players (New York), and Ensemble Courant. From 1976 to 1990, Mr. Oehler played principal clarinet for the Saskatchewan School of the Arts Faculty Wind Symphony.

"Throughout the years our few contacts and mutual students have re-enforced my admiration for your work, your investigation of new music and the knowledge and inspiration you give to your students."

--- Leon Russianoff, Clarinet Faculty, The Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music

For over twenty five years Mr. Oehler has placed a priority on his role as educator. In addition to all his other activities, he has developed a highly respected studio during his tenure at the University of North Carolina; has been conductor of both high school bands and youth orchestras, and serves the community as conductor of the Village Orchestra. The demand for his conducting, chamber coaching, and teaching skills in the studio, in master classes, and clinics continues to grow at an exciting pace.

Eager to explore all facets of clarinet performance, Mr. Oehler was one of the early U.S. clarinetists to become active on classical instruments, including performance on the basset clarinet. He has, likewise, steadily sustained activity in the performance of new literature for the clarinet, having recently given the world premiere of Peter Lieuwen's Trio for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano in Aberystwyth, Wales and the U.S. premiere of Peter Maxwell Davies' Sonata for Clarinet and Piano at ClarFest in Tallahassee, Florida.

"We might have been in another century as our senses were lulled by the dream-like purity of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet." (Don Oehler, USA, with the Haydn String Quartet).

--- Gordon Lewin "ClarFest at Ghent, July, 1993. Collected Impressions." Clarinet & Saxophone Official Publication of the Clarinet & Saxophone Society of Great Britain. 18/3 (Sept. 1993):16.

It is in chamber music, both as performer, teacher, and director that Mr. Oehler focuses the greatest part of his energies. He is founder/director of the University Chamber Players, past director of the UNC New Music Ensemble and founder/member of the Q'Appelle Winds, a Canadian-US wind octet. Mr. Oehler founded and directs Chapel Hill Chamber Music, an annual workshop in chamber music and is co-director and host of Clarinet Chamberfest, a workshop in clarinet chamber music performance. He is director of the UNC Summer Study Abroad Course in Chamber Music. As such, he serves on the faculty of the Corso Internazionale di Musica da Camera in Tuscania, Italy.  He serves as director of winds for MusicFest in Aberystwyth, Wales, where he is also a featured performer and is on faculty of the Utah State Music Festival. Other chamber performances have included the Bartok Festival in Szombathely, Hungary, and the International Clarinet Festival in Ghent, Belgium. He has been heard on the BRT I and BRT III in Belgium and the CBC in Canada. Mr. Oehler has appeared with numerous string quartets, including the Haydn Quartet, Chester Quartet, Ciompi Quartet, the North Carolina String Quartet, and the North Carolina Symphony String Quartet. Mr. Oehler has studied with Joseph Allard, Bernard Portnoy, and Jack Brymer.