Jaren Atherholt is the newly appointed Principal Oboist of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and Assistant Professor of Oboe at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She previously served as Principal Oboist of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) for eleven seasons. Originally from Fairbanks, Alaska, Jaren left home at the age of sixteen to pursue oboe study at the Interlochen Arts Academy with Daniel Stolper. After graduating from Interlochen, she earned her bachelor's degree in music performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music where she studied with John Mack and a master's degree from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University where she studied with Robert Atherholt. Prior to obtaining her position with the LPO, Jaren spent two seasons as Principal Oboist of the Sarasota Opera Orchestra. She has performed as guest Principal Oboist with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Florida Orchestra, Syracuse Symphony, International Chamber Orchestra of Puerto Rico and the Orquesta Sinfonica de Mineria in Mexico City. She has also performed as guest Associate Principal Oboist with the Pittsburgh and Atlanta Symphonies. Additional orchestral engagements include performances with the Minnesota Orchestra and Houston Symphony. Jaren proudly performs on Lorée oboes. 

   Jaren has been a featured concerto soloist with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Tulane University Orchestra, Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra, Washington Chamber Symphony at the Kennedy Center, A Far Cry, the American Sinfonietta and the Fairbanks Symphony. Jaren serves as a principal oboist of the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where she has performed since 2008. Other festival engagements include four summers at the Marlboro Music Festival, and guest principal oboe with Strings Music Festival in Colorado, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and Wintergreen Music Festival in Virginia. She has also performed as principal oboist with the Hamptons Festival of Music in New York. Jaren previously participated in the Aspen Music Festival, Verbier Festival Orchestra, Music Academy of the West, and Spoleto Festival USA. 

   An active chamber musician, Jaren has also performed for the Grand Teton Music Festival Winter Chamber Series, A Far Cry, Surf and Sounds Chamber Series, Raleigh Chamber Music Society,  and is the founder and Executive Director of Lyrica Baroque, a chamber ensemble and non profit organization based in New Orleans. Chamber music collaborations include performances with the Grammy Award winning Harlem Quartet and pianist Orion Weiss. 

   A passionate and highly sought after educator, Jaren has served on the faculties of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Tulane University. She has given recitals and  masterclasses at leading music schools and conservatories across the country including Rice University, University of Texas at Austin, Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, Interlochen Center for the Arts and the International Double Reed Society among others. Jaren has been a featured faculty member of the John Mack Oboe Camp twice, and has taught at Wintergreen Music Festival and the Vianden International Music School and Festival in Vianden, Luxembourg. She spent five summers as a faculty member at Interlochen Center for the Arts including the Oboe Institutes and Camp teaching with Linda Strommen, Elaine Douvas, Pedro Diaz, Dane Philipsen and Daniel Stolper. 

   Dedicated to her community at large, Jaren believes in the power of music to serve as a life-line. She is equally comfortable  teaching young children through adult amateur musicians and creates unique projects and performance opportunities for the students she works with. Jaren believes fiercely in advocating for and amplifying voices representing historically marginalized and underrepresented communities. She has created repertoire research resources and databases, hosts reading sessions of these works annually, and prioritizes diverse repertoire in her teaching and performing.  

   Jaren enjoys practicing Ashtanga yoga in her free time. She is married to Ben Atherholt, whom she met at Rice University. Jaren and Ben enjoy spending time with their dog, Bes.