Stephen Hammer plays and teaches oboes of all periods, recorders, and Renaissance reeds, and is active as an instrument-maker and music administrator. He has participated in
solo, chamber, recital, and orchestral appearances playing baroque, classical, early romantic, and modern oboes and recorders in Europe, North and South America and Australia. He has performed with
The Bach Ensemble (founding member, 1978-present), Boston Handel and Haydn Society (principal oboe and recorder, 1986-present), Concert Royal (principal oboe and recorder, 1978-present), Clarion Music Society (1984-present), The New York Collegium (principal oboe 1998-present, artistic director 1998-2000), Aston Magna festival (1977-present), American Bach Soloists (1999-present), Neptune Philharmonic jazz trio (wind synthesizer, 2006-present), Smithsonian Chamber Players and Chamber Orchestra (1981-2001), Amadeus Winds (founding member, 1983-94). Additionally he has performed with the Academy of Ancient Music, the Metropolitan Opera, Great Performers at Lincoln Center, Boston and Berkeley Early Music Festivals, and the Bruges, City of London, London Proms, Regensburg, Ravinia, Blossom, Tanglewood and Mostly Mozart festivals. Ad-hoc orchestral and chamber ensemble performances in the Boston and New York areas and elsewhere include the American Classical Orchestra, Calliope Renaissance Band, Clarion Music Society, Boston Baroque, Boston Pops, Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra, Berkshire Bach Society, Berkshire Opera, Columbia Festival Orchestra, Dinosaur Annex, Philharmonia Virtuosi, Amor Artis, Dallas Bach Society, Ars Lyrica Houston, and many others.