John Upton is a freelance oboist in New York City, where he can often be heard performing with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He also frequently performs with The Knights and APEX Ensemble. Before moving to New York, Mr. Upton was principal oboe of The Florida Orchestra for five seasons. He was also a member of the New World Symphony and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Other orchestras with which he has performed include the New York Philharmonic, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra (Canada) and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Upton began his studies at the Eastman School of Music, earning a Bachelor of Music degree. Upon graduation, he was awarded the prestigious Performer’s Certificate, the school’s highest performance prize. Mr. Upton continued his studies at The Juilliard School, where he received his Master of Music degree. After receiving first-prize in the International Double Reed Society’s biennial Young Artist Competition, Mr. Upton was awarded a solo recital at the 2010 International Double Reed Society conference. He has participated in many summer festivals, including the Verbier Festival, Tanglewood Music Festival, and the Mainly Mozart festival in San Diego.