An Interview with Elizabeth Koch Tiscione
Q&A: Elizabeth Koch Tiscione, ASO's Principal Oboist
October, 2024
Elizabeth Koch Tiscione, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s
principal oboist is our featured soloist for Francaix’s L'horloge
de flore (The Flower Clock). Liz, who joined the orchestra at the
age of 21 in 2007, is a part of the rich tapestry-woven artistry of
the ASO.
ASO: When did you first begin playing your instrument?
When did you know you wanted to pursue performance?
EKT: I was ten years old, in fourth-grade public school. I had
previously played piano and percussion, but as soon as I tried
oboe, everything changed. I like to sing, and playing oboe felt
like singing through an instrument – I could easily identify with it.
I went to Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan during my
last two years of high school, and it was life-changing. I was
surrounded by artists and those who loved music as much as
I did, and it solidified my decision to study music and pursue
a career. I applied to top music schools, and got into my top
choice, the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, where I studied until
accepting my position with the Atlanta Symphony.
ASO: How has the orchestra transformed since you joined in
2007?
EKT: I’m really inspired musically and seeing the growth in
the orchestra, our musical flexibility and our expression has
transformed. Our sound is changing with Nathalie – an exciting
change.
ASO: You’ll be performing Françaix’s The Flower Clock oboe
concerto this season. Can you tell us about this piece?
EKT: Françaix is a prominent composer for woodwinds. It’s a
difficult and fun piece to play. I love how Françaix’s use of music
to create characters from flowers within each movement. It’s
really engaging.
ASO: Tell us more about Françaix’s floral characters.
EKT: Well, the first movement takes place at 3 a.m. It’s still and
quiet, depicting a flower blooming in the middle of the night.
The midday movement is dancelike and lively. As the piece
moves into the evening, it becomes lush and beautiful, gorgeous
and lazy, then gets peppier as the night returns.
It holds a special connection to my schooling and the
Philadelphia Orchestra. John de Lancie, who commissioned
the concerto taught my teacher. It also features the principal
clarinet and principal flute, and my colleagues are awesome, so
I’m excited to play it.
ASO: What are you most proud of within your career so far?
EKT: Being able to perform a lot of the major oboe concertos
with the Atlanta Symphony, like Strauss, Mozart, Vaughan
Williams, and the Brandenburg Concerto No. 2. Most recently,
I performed the Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, K. 297b with
my colleagues and recorded Gandolfi’s Sinfonia Concertante,
“Imaginary Numbers,” for release. It’s a big honor to be the
person who gets to interpret these pieces and bring them to
the audience in Atlanta.
ASO: So much time and dedication is spent preparing these
pieces, as a soloist and as a member of the orchestra. What
is it like to share this dedication with your spouse and fellow
ASO musician Michael Tiscione?
EKT: We get to share each other’s career highlights, share in
the victories, in the debates. We understand everything that we
have to do offstage and at home. It’s been amazing. Mike is the
acting principal trumpet currently, so getting to hear him play
all the big trumpet repertoire in the last three years has been
rewarding.
ASO: What pieces are you most looking forward to performing
in the 24-25 season?
EKT: I’m looking forward to the Beethoven Project with Nathalie.
I’m also excited to perform Fountains of Rome –
a piece I first heard after checking out a CD from my library, which featured
my future teacher performing with Eugene Ormandy and the
Philadelphia Orchestra. It changed my life.
Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances is a meaningful piece for
me. We performed it in my trial week with the ASO in 2006
while touring Florida.
Quick Questions
Hobbies: Cooking, hiking, yoga.
My son is one and a half and he’s
my hobby right now! When he
hears an oboe on the radio or the
phone, he’ll say, “Mama!” He has a
good ear.
Favorite thing about Georgia: The Spring and Fall –
there’s no place better than
Georgia. I love the excitement of
being in Atlanta. It’s a bustling
and exciting place to live.
One orchestral work that everyone should hear:
Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Symphony.
It’s accessible, romantic and
passionate. It’s a great intro to
the symphony.