Kathleen Carter Bell

Whether in lessons, reed-making sessions, or masterclasses, Kathleen Carter Bell—Auburn's Lecturer in Oboe and English Horn—equips students to become vibrant musicians and their own best teachers. By building a strong foundation in fundamental techniques, she teaches transferrable skills that apply to any piece of music. Her systematic approach to the oboe studio’s curriculum focuses on enabling students to convey their musical ideas effectively through study of the major oboe repertoire, orchestral excerpts, reed-making, and audition techniques.  

Kathleen also has a great passion for performing. She has played with orchestras across the Midwest, including the Indianapolis Symphony and Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and at summer music festivals including Brevard, Banff, Masterworks, and Credo. Kathleen also represented Indiana University at Seoul National University's 2019 Winter Chamber Music Festival.

Kathleen is ABD toward a Doctor of Music degree at IU, where she studied with Linda Strommen and Roger Roe. She received her Masters and a Performer Diploma in Oboe Performance from IU, and her Bachelor of Music degree from Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory. In addition to teaching oboe at AU and maintaining a private studio, Kathleen serves as oboe instructor for the IU Summer Music Clinic. Fascinated by the interdisciplinary arts and music’s place within the broader context of art and culture, she is researching how the ancient Greek aulos influenced Wagner’s use of the oboe in his operas. Kathleen was one of six graduate recipients of the 2012 Barbara and David H. Jacobs Fellowship, granted for “excellence and leadership in the world of music.”