About Hugo

I was born into and raised around a musical family. Life simply didn't exist without music when both of my parents were and still are professional musicians and music educators. They encouraged me to try everything that interested me. My mom taught me piano. I took lessons from my aunt on the flute and learned violin in school. My introduction to oboe didn't happen until my teenage years. I saw an oboist perform in a concert and told my pai (dad) that I wanted to play that instrument [the oboe].

So, at the age of 14 I picked up an oboe and haven't looked back since.

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The oboe has been part of my educational, professional, and personal journey for over 20 years.

 

As I progressed in my studies throughout high school, I realized this was my passion, my calling, how I wanted to express myself. I went on to earn my bachelor's degree in Oboe Performance at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), where both of my parents serve as faculty in the music department. This was my opportunity to continue my studies with the person I heard in concert, the man whose playing sparked my love of the instrument.

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Upon graduating, I began teaching music to young children. I felt it was my way of giving back to a community that gave me so much. This experience opened my eyes to what music can do for all ages and only made me a better performer. Why? Because, in hindsight, I was teaching what I needed. I wasn't just teaching them musical skills, I was teaching them to have fun through their music, to express themselves, and not lose sight of their own creativity. I was continuing my own studies on oboe and had the great opportunity to study with the late Maestro Humbert Lucarelli at a masterclass in Luxembourg. Little did I know that meeting Maestro Lucarelli was going to change my life forever.

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Soon after that masterclass, I began studying with Maestro Lucarelli at SUNY Purchase. It was my first time in the States, my first time conversing and reading in only English, and my first time in the cold. It was a lot of firsts and, to be honest, it was exhilarating and exhausting. Maestro wasn't just my oboe professor, he was my mentor, cheerleader, and never gave up on me. He was there for me even after I graduated with my Master of Music in Oboe Performance, so much so that I wanted to continue my studies with him.

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I decided to stay in the States (just couldn't get enough of that snow ... I'm kidding, why is it so cold?) and study with Maestro Lucarelli at NYU. I was in an artist's diploma program to further develop my musicianship.

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Sometimes we just need to trust and have faith that it will all work out.

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With an administrative glitch at one university which shall remain unnamed, I began my studies at NYU the fall of 2012. That administrative glitch postponed my education and stressed me out beyond belief and gave me the greatest gift. If I didn't go to NYU, I wouldn't have met my wife or some of my dearest colleagues. It was also where I got clarity on what to do next in my life.

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Fast forward to the summer of 2013 and I am getting ready for DMA auditions. I met with the esteemed professors at Yale, the Eastman School of Music, and the Manhattan School of Music, and thus began my preparation. 

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If you would have told me back when I was starting my time at Purchase that I'd be moving to a cloudier, colder location than NYC, I would have told you no thank you. But God knows the plan and sent me and my then girlfriend to Rochester, NY.

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Eastman was transformational on so many levels. Not only is Mr. Killmer an incredible teacher but he is also, much like Maestro Lucarelli, your biggest fan. The studio never had less than 16 students at a time, and he went to everyone's performance. He taught me the refinement and a deeper understanding of the artistry of oboe playing, as well as the human side of music; the side full of collaboration, understanding, cheering your colleagues on, and learning how to not compare yourself to someone else because we all have our own journey.

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These lessons have continued to show up in my professional life. Going into my second year at Eastman, newly married, I am on a plane back to Brazil to audition for an oboe professor position at my alma mater. Mind you, my wife is still navigating a new life in Rochester and growing her career. But life has a funny way of presenting things. This position was a dream job! I knew if I didn't go for it, I would regret it. So, the summer of 2016, I'm in Natal, Brazil and round after round, I am advancing. In the final round, I give my last presentation and performance only to wait for the results surrounded by loved ones. I was deeply proud of my performance that day and elated when I won the job. I ended up teaching there for two years and my wife and I, like many artists, had a long-distance marriage.

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During this time, we worked on my green card with many Zoom sessions with our lawyer. It was bittersweet since we knew what this was going to mean for me. I ended up taking a sabbatical from my job in 2018 and returned to Rochester to continue my studies. This is when my career started taking off. I was gigging more than ever and could see myself building a great career in the States. So, I decided to resign from my teaching job in Brazil and go all in.

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Then the pandemic happens ...

 

I'm a new dad (our son was born in February 2020) and I lost all of my gigs except the freelance work I was doing with the Columbus Symphony. Somehow, they figured out how to keep the musicians employed and I would drive from Connecticut (surprise! we moved during the pandemic with a 3-month-old to be closer to my wife's family) to Ohio in one shot. I wore double masks, did the whole thing like so many of you and made it through. This was not an easy time. My job in Brazil would have provided more stability and I knew it was something I couldn't keep looking back at.

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As time went on and restrictions were lifted, I started to see more work come in from Columbus and Chautauqua. In 2021, the principal oboe job for Columbus opened up. I had just moved my young family to Chautauqua for the summer so I could play as acting principal oboist for their symphony. My wife just quit a dream job to help me follow my dreams so the pressure was on. Let's keep it short, I moved my family once again to start with the Columbus Symphony for the 2021-2022 season. Additionally, I was welcomed on as a member of faculty at Capital University’s Conservatory of Music.

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Columbus continues to be a place of innovation, educational & musical excellence, and an amazing place to raise a family. We now reside in Reynoldsburg where I love spending time with my wife, son, and daughter.

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If you made it this far, thank you. I hope some of my story resonated with you.

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Muito obrigado -H.S.