Oboist Julie Grasso enjoys an active music career as a performer, educator, clinician and businesswoman. She has served as Principal Oboe and Personnel Manager of the Gainesville Symphony Orchestra and has performed numerous concerts with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Pops Orchestra. She has performed with the Cincinnati Ballet Orchestra, Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, Kentucky Symphony, Richmond (IN) Symphony, Georgia Sinfonia, Greenville Symphony (SC), Columbus Symphony (GA) and Macon Symphony. As an active freelance artist, she has performed with artists such as Johnny Mathis, Al Jarreau, Dianne Reeves, Joni Mitchell, Brian Wilson, The Moody Blues, Michael Bolton, Roger Daltrey, Frank Sinatra, Jr., and Harry Connick, Jr.
With education at the forefront of her mission, Ms. Grasso maintains an active oboe studio. Her students regularly hold positions in regional youth orchestras, participate in All-State events and have gone on to pursue successful careers in music. She has served as adjunct oboe faculty at Piedmont College, and assisted in an educational oboe presentation at the Midwest Music Conference in Chicago. Julie is a founding member of three summer music camps: The Oxford Oboe Camp; The Oboe & Bassoon Camp; and The Southern Oboe Intensive, where she currently holds the position of Director. Her article entitled An Intriguing New Work for the Oboist was published in the 2001 International Double Reed Journal, where it was greeted with positive reviews.
As a sought-after event manager, Ms. Grasso has organized nationally-recognized oboe and English horn events for artists such as Elaine Douvas (Principal Oboe, The Metropolitan Opera), Patrick McFarland (English Horn, ret., Atlanta Symphony) and Linda Strommen (Prof. of Oboe, Indiana University, and Visiting Oboe Instr., The Juilliard School of Music). Julie is co-owner of a thriving double reed business (Double or Nothing Reeds) and is the current president of Envision Oboe. Additionally, Ms. Grasso served as Orchestra Contractor for the Fox Theatre’s (Atlanta) 75th Anniversary Show in December 2004.