Dr. Sarah Southard is the oboe instructor at Hope College and a member of the Holland and Midland Symphony Orchestras. As an active performer, Sarah also plays regularly with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, the West Michigan Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck, and the Free @ 3 Concert Series in Holland. As an advocate for new music, Sarah has been involved with several commissions for chamber music that includes oboe and has performed at both the International Double Reed Society and National Flute Association conferences. Additional concert performances include groups such as the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra (NY), the New World Symphony Orchestra (FL), the Cincinnati Symphony Opera Orchestra (OH), and the Madison Symphony and Chamber Orchestras (WI).

In the fall of 2017, Sarah had the pleasure of teaching at Michigan State University while her former teacher, Jan Eberle, was on sabbatical. Additional teaching experiences include positions held at Central Michigan University, the University of Michigan-Flint, Northern Kentucky University, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and the Interlochen Center for the Arts All-State Orchestra and All-State Band.

Southard received her Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from Michigan State University with oboist Jan Eberle, her Master’s Degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with Mark Ostoich, and her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying with Marc Fink.