Spirit of the Wild

Titus Underwood is the Principal Oboist of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Gateways Music Festival, and co-principal of the Chineke! Orchestra. Underwood is also the Associate Professor of Oboe at the University of Cincinnati College- Conservatory of Music. In addition, Underwood is a faculty artist at the Aspen Music Festival, and National Youth Orchestras at Carnegie Hall. A fierce advocate for amplifying voices of the historically underrepresented, he co-founded the Black Orchestral Network (BON) and Sphinx Orchestral Partners Auditions (SOPA). His personal endeavors in digital media have led to multiple releases, notably the short film A Tale of Two Tails. Underwood also holds the honors of a Sphinx Medal of Excellence award for his ongoing commitment to leadership and community, and an Emmy Award for his work executive producing “We Are Nashville” with the Nashville Symphony. Underwood is a graduate of The Juilliard School, The Colburn School, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Visit www.titusunderwood.com to learn more. 

Theresa Delaplain is an acclaimed oboist, educator, and advocate for contemporary and inclusive music. She performs as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player, serving as Principal Oboist for the Fort Smith Symphony and Arkansas Philharmonic. A champion of new music, she has commissioned, performed, and recorded works by women and BIPOC composers. Delaplain co-founded the SHE Festival of Women in Music and won Second Place in the 2024 American Prize Instrumental Soloist division. Her solo album Souvenirs received critical acclaim, praised for its “fascinating mix of repertoire” (Fanfare) and “mellow tone” (The Double Reed). She tours with the Lyrique Quintette, featured on albums like Arrivals and Departures and Something Old, Something New. An Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas, Delaplain teaches oboe and music theory, presents at international festivals, and co-hosts the oboe reed-making YouTube channel Something to Crow About!