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Described as “brilliant oboist” (San Francisco Chronicle) and noted for his “sweet tone, liquid legato and immaculate technique” (Chicago Tribune), Eugene Izotov maintains a demanding schedule of orchestral, solo, teaching and chamber music engagements. Appointed by Daniel Barenboim in 2005, Eugene Izotov is the principal oboist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and has previously served as principal oboist of the Metropolitan Opera, associate principal oboist of the San Francisco Symphony, and principal oboist of the Kansas City Symphony, as well as guest principal oboist with the Boston Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic.  Eugene Izotov is the first Russian-born musician to hold a principal oboe position in any major American symphony orchestra. His numerous awards include top prizes at solo competitions in Saint Petersburg, Moscow, New York, and most recently the First Prize at the 2001 Fernand Gillet International Competition. Izotov appears regularly as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and has also been a featured soloist with the Boston Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, United States Army Orchestra, and San Francisco Symphony, performing works by Mozart, Strauss, Marcello, Krommer, Hummel and Bach. His debut solo recording “Sound in Motion” has been released on Boston Records and includes works by Rachmaninoff, Silvestrini, Pasculli, Bozza, and Ravel. An avid chamber musician, Eugene Izotov has collaborated regularly with the MET Chamber Ensemble throughout its residence at Carnegie Hall, as well as with Yefim Bronfman, Pinchas Zukerman, Jamie Laredo, Yo Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax, James Levine, André Watts, and Michael Tilson Thomas. Mr. Izotov teaches at DePaul and Roosevelt universities and has previously taught at the Juilliard School and San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Additionally, he continues to present regular master classes at conservatories across the nation and abroad, such as New World Symphony, Boston University, Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, San Francisco Conservatory, University of Michigan, University of California at Berkeley, Mannes College, Tanglewood Institute, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, and Interlochen Center for the Arts. In 2003, at the invitation of Maestro James Levine, Mr. Izotov joined the woodwind faculty of the Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland. Since 2005 he has served on the International Principals faculty of the Pacific Music Festival founded by Leonard Bernstein in Sapporo, Japan. Born in Russia, Izotov studied at the Gnesin School of Music with Ivan Pushechnikov and Sergey Velikanov and at Boston University School of Fine Arts with Ralph Gomberg.