Who is this guy???

Good question! Here’s the official scoop:

Born in Philadelphia, Joseph Shalita began his musical journey at the age of 10 with the clarinet. Not long after, he picked up the oboe and never looked back. As a young musician, he became a member of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, studying under Rhita Smith and Stevens Hewitt, and honed his skills in the woodwind quintet program at the Settlement Music School under Shirley Curtis.

Joseph went on to earn a Bachelor of Music from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, studying with Joseph Turner, followed by a Master of Music from the Mannes College of Music under the guidance of John Ferrillo.

In 1990, he moved to Mexico as the Assistant Principal Oboe of the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra and was later appointed Principal Oboe in 2005, a position he still holds today.

Alongside his orchestral career, he is a passionate chamber musician and educator, performing with the Mexico City Woodwind Quintet since 1993. With the quintet, he has toured Europe and the United States and recorded three albums, primarily featuring contemporary music.

Beyond performing, Joseph is deeply committed to music education. He serves as a faculty member at the National Center for the Arts, the Ollin Yolitzli School of Music, the Pan American University, and The School of Orchestral Studies Carlos Chávez, teaching oboe and chamber music.

He is also the proud owner of Shalita Oboe Reeds, formerly Weber Reeds, where he shares his expertise in crafting high-quality American-style oboe reeds for musicians worldwide.