Bede Hanley

Born in Saskatoon, Canada, Bede Hanley began learning the oboe at ten, eventually going on to earn his Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Following several seasons with Spain’s Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia, Mr Hanley, admired for his “gorgeous tone and buoyant phrasing”, first joined the Auckland Philharmonia as Principal Oboe for the 2008 and 2009 Seasons. He was then appointed Principal Oboe of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Canada, a position he held for four years, before rejoining the APO in 2013 as Section Principal Oboe.

A frequent soloist, Mr Hanley has an extensive concerto repertoire.  His performance of Christopher Rouse’s oboe concerto, a premier outside the US, was praised by the composer for its “beauty and aplomb”.  In October, 2020, Mr. Hanley performed the world premiere of Gary Kulesha’s Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra with Giordano Bellincampi and his colleagues in the Auckland Philharmonia.  John Daly-Peoples of the New Zealand Arts Review wrote “Bede Hanley gave a thrilling performance.  In his long faultless solo he managed to span the full range of the instrument, both musically and emotionally.”  This tour-de-force concerto was written for Mr. Hanley.

Mr Hanley has performed with many symphony and opera orchestras internationally.  He is a busy soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and teacher, and a Yamaha Artist.

Mr Hanley is married to Auckland Philharmonia violinist Rachel Moody.