Tribute to Marc Schachman

Tenured Oboist with PBO Retiring After 30 Years

With the March 2022 performances of the Albinoni D minor oboe concerto, Marc Schachman will retire from Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra following a distinguished 30-year tenure. Long known for his “heart-tuggingly eloquent” playing (San Francisco Chronicle), Marc was featured on many PBO recordings including Vivaldi for Diverse Instruments. He performed on countless PBO tours, including the 2016 tour to Walt Disney Concert Hall, Montreal, and Quebec City, where he played an obbligato solo with mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter in PBO’s first commissioned work from Caroline Shaw, “Red, Red Rose”, subsequently recorded for commercial release. A longtime resident of New York, Marc and his wife, violinist Linda Quan, hosted memorable garden parties for the Orchestra when on tour at Lincoln Center. Marc was an active member of the Orchestra committee for many years and his kindness and compassion toward late and beloved Board President Ross Armstrong was felt through Marc’s beautiful private performances when Ross was ill. Marc and his wife Linda make their home in El Cerrito and we wish Marc our heartfelt gratitude and warm wishes as he moves forward.

I“ n the early 70’s while a student at Juilliard, I spent summers playing at Festivals in Spoleto and Amalfi and generally bumming around Italy (remember ‘Europe on 5 dollars a day’...?!) At swimming pools and on jukeboxes in cafes a slow, hypnotic piece of classical music with an oboe solo frequently played—much to my surprise and amusement. Many years later, as my career veered into the world of the baroque and historical performance I made my reacquaintance with the slow movement of the Albinoni D minor concerto, Opus 9, #2. This piece has become iconic for oboists, and like Pachelbel’s famous canon, has an almost visceral appeal to audiences. In 2010, to accompany my recording of the concerto (The American Classical Orchestra, Centaur CRC 3108) I wrote in the liner notes: ‘Albinoni seems to favor melodic content and rhythmic interest over technical display. The slow movements represent him at his finest; written in the style of the Italian opera aria they perfectly capture the oboe’s plaintiveness while providing the performer abundant opportunity for improvised ornamentation. The Adagio of Opus 9, #2 is especially magical, with a texture of pulsating eight notes over which is heard a repeated arpeggiated figure in the 1st violins. Above this rich carpet, the oboe soars in a melody of haunting beauty. It is a movement that is not

easily forgotten.”

—Marc Schachman