Zac Hammond joined the Utah Symphony as principal oboe in 2022. Prior to coming to Utah, Zac served as principal oboe of the Charleston Symphony in South Carolina from 2015-2022 and principal oboe of the Syracuse Orchestra (Symphoria) from 2013-2015. Zac also holds the position of assistant principal oboe and English horn with the Colorado Music Festival in Boulder, CO has been invited to perform with various festivals including the Arizona Music Festival, Grand Teton Music Festival and Aspen Music Festival. He has also appeared as guest principal oboe with top orchestras across the country, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony and New World Symphony. He has toured and recorded with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and performed regularly with the Rochester Philharmonic.
Zac has been regularly featured as a soloist throughout his career and in 2019, he performed the world premiere of Yiorgos Vassilandonakis’ oboe concerto with the Charleston Symphony.
Originally from Naperville, IL, Zac studied with Robert Morgan of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Eastman School of Music as a student of Richard Killmer. In addition to his performance commitments, Zac enjoys teaching and maintains a studio of young oboists. He has served as faculty of the College of Charleston and is regularly invited to coach and teach at universities throughout the country.