© Martin Jehnichen, Leipzig, Allemagne
Philippe Tondre has secured a place among the leading oboists of his generation. Praised for his expressive artistry and distinctive tone - described by the BBC as “breathtaking solo oboe,” by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung for his “amazing sovereignty,” and by The Philadelphia Inquirer as possessing a “liquid gold sound” - his playing combines refinement, lyrical depth and an unmistakable musical voice. As the Bonner General-Anzeiger wrote, he is a “master of the oboe, revealing the tenderest shades with breathtaking melodic spans… where the oboe reaches celestial heights.”
Born in 1989 in Mulhouse, France, he began studying the oboe with Yves Cautrès before continuing at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris with David Walter. He also received guidance from Heinz Holliger, Maurice Bourgue, Jacques Tys and Jean-Louis Capezzali, which profoundly shaped his artistry.
His professional career began early: at just 18 years old he was appointed Principal Oboe of the SWR Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart, a position he held from 2008 to 2021. He later served as Principal Oboe of the Budapest Festival Orchestra from 2014 to 2020 and Principal Oboe of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig from 2016 to 2017. In 2020 he was appointed Principal Oboe of The Philadelphia Orchestra under Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
A frequent guest with many of the world’s leading orchestras, he appears as Guest Principal Oboe with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, the London Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic.
In 2010, Seiji Ozawa personally selected him to become Principal Oboe of the Mito Chamber Orchestra and the Saito Kinen Orchestra, positions he continues to hold today. Since 2019 he has also served as Principal Oboe of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, further reflecting his deep commitment to chamber music and orchestral collaboration.
An internationally sought-after soloist, Philippe Tondre performs regularly with major orchestras and conductors around the world. Among his notable milestones are his debut at the Berlin Philharmonie in 2013, performing Bohuslav Martinů’s Oboe Concerto with the Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and his Carnegie Hall New York debut in 2022 as soloist with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
He was awarded international prizes at the Geneva, Prague Spring, Sony Tokyo Japan, IDRS Gillet-Fox competitions, culminating in winning the ARD International Competition in Munich in 2011. In 2012, he received the Beethoven Ring from the Beethovenfest Bonn, joining an illustrious list of previous recipients including Julia Fischer, Lisa Batiashvili and Gustavo Dudamel.
A dedicated chamber musician and recording artist, Philippe Tondre has released three critically acclaimed albums. His debut recording, Contrasts, devoted to music from Robert Schumann, was awarded both the Diapason d’Or Découverte and Choc Classica. His second album, French Fragrances, celebrating French repertoire for oboe, received the 5 Diapason Award. His newest recording, Eastern Enchantment, devoted to Slavonic and Hungarian repertoire, was just released on 13 March 2026.
Alongside his performing career, Philippe Tondre is deeply committed to teaching and mentoring the next generation of musicians. He was Professor of Oboe at the Hochschule für Musik Saar from 2015 to 2023, and in 2022 was appointed Professor of Oboe at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He also holds the title of International Visiting Professor at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and the Royal College of Music in London, and is a regular guest at the Guildhall School of Music in London, as well as at the Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music in New York.
