Toyin Spellman-Diaz is an American

oboist An oboist (formerly hautboist) is a musician who plays the oboe or any oboe family instrument, including the oboe d'amore, cor anglais or English horn, bass oboe and piccolo oboe or oboe musette. The following is a list of notable past and pres ...

. She grew up in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

where she found a love for classical music through her parents' immense record collection. Spellman-Diaz is known for her significant solo work and orchestra career, as well as her career in chamber music with the group

Imani Winds Imani Winds is a Grammy Award-winning American wind quintet based in New York City, United States. The group was founded by flutist Valerie Coleman in 1997 and is known for its adventurous and diverse programming, which includes both establishe ...

. Spellman-Diaz is active in working to diversify the classical music world especially in the wind quintet and orchestral space.

Early life and education

Spellman-Diaz grew up in Washington, DC. She attended

Oberlin Conservatory The Oberlin Conservatory of Music is a private music conservatory of Oberlin College, a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio. It was founded in 1865 and is the second oldest conservatory and oldest continually operating conservatory in ...

of music where she attained a Bachelors of Music. She additionally attended

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music a ...

where she earned both a Masters Degree and a Professional Studies Degree.

Solo career

Spellman-Diaz has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Chicago Civic Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, American Symphony Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and the Orchestra of St. Lukes. In addition, Spellman-Diaz has been a soloist with the Chicago Civic Orchestra, Manhattan Virtuosi, as well as with the Kennedy Center Youth Orchestra.

Achievements

Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

for Best Classical Compendium, Imani Winds, Passion For Bach And Coltrane * Soloist, Chicago Civic Orchestra * Soloist, Manhattan Virtuosi * Soloist, Kennedy Center Youth Orchestra

Imani Winds

Spellman-Diaz has been a member of the

since its founding in 1997. The

are an American wind quartet based in New York. The group has three

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

nominations and one win. The group is dedicated to diversifying the wind quintet through representation in players and composers. The group has commissioned many pieces by composers chosen for their unique life experience that lend themself to composing on historical and contemporary societal conditions.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spellman-Diaz, Toyin Living people American classical oboists Oberlin Conservatory of Music alumni Manhattan School of Music alumni Classical musicians from Washington, D.C. Year of birth missing (living people) 20th-century American classical musicians 20th-century American women musicians 21st-century American classical musicians 21st-century American women musicians Women oboists American women classical musicians