John de Lancie

Born on 26 July 1921 in Berkeley, California, American oboist John Sherwood de Lancie studied at the Curtis Institute with Marcel Tabuteau, joined the Pittsburgh Symphony, served in the US Army and then joined the Philedelphia Orchestra, where he was principal oboist for nearly a quarter of a century. He asked Richard Strauss to write an oboe concerto, and commissioned and gave the first performance of l'Horloge de flore ('The Flower Clock') by Jean Françaix.

De Lancie also taught oboe, and was Director of the Curtis Institute from 1977-85.

John de Lancie died on 17 May 2002 in Walnut Creek, California, USA, aged eighty.