Oboist Jared Hauser and pianist Willis Delony will bring their longstanding musical collaboration to Vanderbilt’s Blair Master Series on Thursday, October 1, at 7:30 p.m. in Turner Recital Hall.
The recital follows the July release of their latest album, Conversations, and features music by Howard Levy, Yusef Lateef, and Brian Raphael Nabors. Together, the selections highlight the oboe’s expressive range, lyricism, and versatility while reflecting the performers’ shared commitment to imaginative programming and contemporary music.
“I’m particularly excited to share these pieces with our audience,” said Hauser. “I love that the aesthetics of these composers don’t fall neatly into any musical classification but instead each composer brings together different musical influences in a way that feels natural, fluid, and immediately engaging. The repertoire on the program draws from contemporary American composition while reflecting influences from French Impressionism, jazz, and diverse global musical traditions, but what connects these pieces for me is not a particular period or genre, but the sense of musical dialogue between the oboe and piano, which are equal partners throughout.”
The program opens with Levy’s Sonata for Oboe and Piano (2014), followed by Lateef’s Romance for Oboe d’Amore and Piano. Following intermission, Hauser and Delony will perform Nabors’ Sonata for Oboe and Piano (2016), whose three movements move from “Restless” through “Contemplative-Ethereal” to “Con moto.”
Hauser, associate professor of oboe at Blair, is an internationally recognized performer, recording artist, and advocate for new music. He has commissioned, premiered, and recorded works by leading contemporary composers and performs with the Blair Woodwind Quintet, Nashville Opera Orchestra, and Intersection. His performances have been featured on NPR’s Performance Today, CBC/Radio Canada, and BBC Radio 3.
Delony, Boyd Professor of Piano and Jazz Studies at Louisiana State University, has earned acclaim over four decades for his work across classical and jazz traditions. His career encompasses international performances, recordings, premieres, and collaborations with contemporary composers.
Their October 1 recital offers audiences a chance to experience that musical partnership firsthand through a program spanning distinct compositional voices.
Blair Master Series: Jared Hauser, oboe; with Willis Delony, piano
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, Turner Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $13.50 | Reserve Tickets
– Free parking is available in the Vanderbilt West Garage on Children’s Way, directly across from Blair School of Music.