OBoze features three talented performers in a delightful ensemble of double reed instruments. Their repertoire spans several centuries of musical styles around the globe. You will hear music from Handel’s “Fireworks,” Beethoven’s trios, Jacob’s trio with a Scottish flair to jazzy tunes and everything in between! Join OBoze for a concert of unique and uplifting music that will please the young and the young at heart.

Lorna Nelson is the principal oboist of the Bozeman Symphony  and has performed the Strauss Oboe Concerto with the symphony. Over the span of her career she has played with every symphony in the state of Montana. She  is also  a founding member of OBoze and  the Gallatin Woodwind Quintet which has toured Japan and Singapore.  She has performed oboe/organ recitals in several states as well as in Copenhagen, Denmark and Paris, France.  A native of Sidney, Montana, she received her music degree from the University of Montana and also spent a year studying both oboe and organ in Denmark.  Addicted to travel, she has visited  35 states and over 30 countries, the latest being with the MSU orchestra to Southeast Asia, where she and  other colleagues performed a chamber music concert at the US Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam.  She has taught in the MSU music department, maintains a large private oboe studio and is also an accomplished organist.  Lorna has two married daughters, Wendy a registered dietitian at the VA hospital in Helena and  Dr. Perri Gallagher who teaches at Ohlone College in California.  Rounding  out the family are two great sons-in-law and 2 grandchildren in CA  Amelia (9) and Aaron (6).

Laurie Hickman, oboe and English horn holds both a bachelor and master’s from MSU in Bozeman.  She is a Helena native.   As an undergraduate she studied clarinet at MSU and at the U of Oregon.  She recently completed a two year term as president of the Montana Bandmasters. She is the band director of Sacajawea Middle School in Bozeman and often serves as a band clinician  and adjudicator throughout the state.  She also maintains an active clarinet studio.  She and husband Lowell, recently retired Montanans and MSU Chorale director, have three children.   Married daughter Suzanne teaches clarinet at Wichita State, another  daughter Katherine is a forest service ranger and cross country ski instructor.  Son Steven, a graduate of the Naval Academy, has completed  five years of service as a Naval officer.

Gretchen Dickie, oboe, has played with the Bozeman Symphony and OBoze for several years.  She holds bachelor’s degrees in medical technology and microbiology from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.  Another multi-talented lady, she returned to school at MSU and received a master’s degree in Computer Science and is employed at RightNow Technologies in Bozeman.  She enjoys camping and hiking  and she and husband Scott are parents of Matt and Rachel.  Matt, a musician, teaches guitar in Bozeman and Rachel is attending the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs studying forensic science.