Julia Simpson, raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is an orchestral oboist and arts administration professional. She splits her time between South Carolina and Ohio—performing with the Firelands Symphony Orchestra as 2nd oboe and English horn, and working for the Charleston Symphony Orchestra as their Advancement Research Analyst.

Ms. Simpson graduated with her bachelor’s degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston, Texas, where she was a student of Robert Atherholt, retired principal oboist of the Houston Symphony. She also completed her graduate studies at The Cleveland Institute of Music with Frank Rosenwein, principal oboist of The Cleveland Orchestra.

Most recently, Julia has performed with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, and the Savannah Philharmonic as their Guest Principal oboist . She has also had the opportunity to perform with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra—under the batons of John Adams, Alan Gilbert, and Ken-David Masur. Ms. Simpson has also spent a myriad of summers playing all over the world at festivals such as the Lucerne Festival Academy, Festival Napa Valley, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, Sarasota Music Festival, Eastern Music Festival, Kinhaven Music School, the Interlochen Arts Camp, and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.