Marie Trudeau’s resume is quite impressive. A New Jersey-based freelance oboist from Detroit, she has performed on renowned stages from Shenzhen, China to Carnegie Hall, New York. She is a member of the Allentown Symphony and principal of Garden State Philharmonic. She is baroque oboe in residence with the Rutgers Baroque Players, and plays oboe’s ancestor instrument, the two-keyed baroque oboe.
Dr. Trudeau’s love for music began when she was in Middle School. “I fell asleep with the classical station from either Detroit or Windsor, Canada in my Walkman headphones,” she recalls. Her grandmother was an amateur pianist, but she suspects her motivation to practice really came from “feeling competitive against [her] older sister, a flutist.” She explains it this way: “She was better at most things academically, but I had a greater affinity for music. Music quickly began feeling like a family member.”
Though she is often associated with classical music, Dr. Trudeau enjoys listening to rap as well. “I used to listen to rap in my younger years,” she admits. Her favorite artist? “Someone I can’t turn off, who is considered a rap artist, is Lizzo. She is a force of independence, self-love, and strength. She’s also funny.”
When she is not teaching, practicing or performing, Dr. Trudeau enjoys reed making. “I have to painstakingly scrape on cane to make my mouthpieces, and I do it for hours each week.” This she does in between hiking, exploring cities, and visiting antique auctions. A musician and teacher, artist and explorer, Dr. Trudeau brings that magical combination of rhythm, melody and joy to students at Lewis.
