Alexandra von der Embse’s passion for chamber music and presenting classical music to new audiences has defined her career. She is the principal oboist of the Breckenridge Music Festival, she has the opportunity to work closely with music director Steve Schick, whose visionary programming combines old and new works comprising a diverse body of composers for the full orchestra and smaller chamber ensembles. In 2011, as oboist and artistic director, she founded Ensemble39, a chamber group inspired by the Prokofiev Quintet that has performed throughout the United States, South America, and Europe. They have commissioned twenty works and collaborated with organizations such as Pennsylvania Ballet, Philadelphia Fringe Arts, and the Savannah Music Festival. From 2016-2018, Alexandra served as principal English horn and associate principal oboe of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra. In addition to her duties on the stage, highlights of her job included the annual collaborations with Virginia Opera and Richmond Ballet. A champion of works by living composers, she has worked with Kinan Abou-Afach, Vin Calianno, George Crumb, Richard Danielpour, Jennifer Higdon, David Ludwig, Steve Mackey, Rene Orth, Steve Reich, and Gabriella Smith. Alexandra is pursuing her Doctorate of Musical Arts at the Juilliard School under the tutelage of Nathan Hughes. She graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2012, where she studied with Richard Woodhams, and the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music in 2008, where she studied with James Caldwell, Laura Griffiths, Alex Klein, and Robert Walters.