Bio

Belchertown Massachusetts native, Aaron Lakota has a vested interest the local arts culture of  New England. He hopes to promote music and the arts through performance, education, and community involvement.  He has been educating young musicians in his community for over fifteen years, and has been performing professionally for nearly as long. He believes that in order for a society to thrive, it must have access to music, the arts, and the more subtle beauty of life. All communities must  have access to high-level performance, Aaron encourages artists to build a local economy in their areas of passion, so that the community will benefit from their individual talents. He also encourages the community to show their appreciation for the arts by helping to support those artists that remain part of their local community.

Aaron Lakota began his collegiate studies at Holyoke Community college and holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in oboe performance from the University of Massachusetts. His main music mentors are Fredric T.Cohen and Tamara Field. He studied oboe performance philosophy and techniques with  Basil Reeves and Kirsten Lipkens.  He has also studied improvisational techniques with Robert Ferrier and Michael Daves.  Aaron has performed with many orchestras, symphonic bands, and choruses throughout New England. He performed The Grandval oboe concerto with the Farmington Valley Symphony, and the Vaughn Williams oboe concerto with  Holyoke Civic Symphony. On April 29, 2023, he will premier Greg Brown’s concertino “Shores Unseen” with Valley Winds. He is an active chamber musician. Recital series include the Mohawk Trail concerts, Tuesdays in Bezanson at the University of Massachusetts, Tuesday Morning Music Club, The Orchestra In The Orchard series as well as many other chamber and solo recitals throughout New England. Aaron is proud to be the principal oboist, a founding board member and artistic adviser of the Valley Winds, a professional-level wind ensemble based in western Massachusetts. He was named principal oboist with the Pioneer Valley Symphony, now in its 81st season, making it one of the nation’s oldest orchestras.  Aaron also plays principal oboe with Tundi opera productions and  Pan Opera,  he plays second oboe with Juno Chamber Orchestra

Aaron Lakota takes pride in passing his love of music onto the next generation of musicians. He currently teaches oboe at Dartmouth college and from his home studio in Northampton MA.  His students are represented in many top-level programs throughout Massachusetts and nationally. He is proud to see his students representing a large percentage of the oboists in the district and all-state festivals.   Aaron’s students have been recognized nationally as recipients of the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke scholarship and have appeared on National Public Radio’s “From the top”. Some have gone on to study music at the Manhattan School of music, the  Berklee college of music, MIT, the University of Massachusetts,  and Boston University.  Acting as a professional reed maker when he is not performing or teaching. His businesses, A.Lakota Reeds and Mallar Reeds, supply reeds to oboists throughout North America.

 

Aaron Lakota is an oboe teacher at

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Summary
Photo ofAaron Lakota
Name
Aaron Lakota
Website
Job Title
oboist, teacher, reed maker
Company
A.Lakota Reeds
Address
10 Merkel Ter,
Holyoke , MA, 01040