Stéphane Rancourt

Stéphane Rancourt was born in Canada, where he studied with Jacques Simard, at the Conservatoire de Musique de Quebec, and in Europe, with Thomas Indermuhle, at the Rotterdam Konservatorium and the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik in Karlsruhe.

In Canada, he was the first oboist to win the Sylva Gelber Award, given by the Canada Council for the Arts, and was also the prizewinner of the 1991 Prix d`Europe.
As an orchestra player and soloist, he has performed in most European countries as well as South America, Russia, Canada, Japan and Australia.

Before taking up his appointment as Principal Oboe with the Halle Orchestra in 2003, he was Principal Oboe with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for 8 years.

His discography includes Alan Rawsthorne’s Oboe Concerto, nominated for a Gramophone Award, Samuel Barber’s Canzonetta for oboe and string orchestra and Capricorn Concerto, selected as a Gramophone ‘Editors Choice’.

Under the Halle label, He has recorded Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto, and recently, under NMC label, he recorded a live performance of: Apollinaire’s Bird, by John Casken, a piece written for him and commissioned by the Halle Orchestra.

Stéphane Rancourt is Senior Oboe tutor at the Royal Northern College of Music, teaches oboe at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, and is a visiting oboe tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Stéphane Rancourt has been trusting Rigoutat since 1985.