Nicholas Stovall has served principal oboe of the National Symphony Orchestra since September 2008 and made his solo debut with the orchestra in December 2014. In addition to regular appearances with the Kennedy Center Chamber Players, Stovall has frequently collaborated with pianist Christoph Eschenbach in chamber music performances. He is a member of the Washington-based Eclipse Chamber Orchestra and has been featured as soloist in concertos of Vaughan Williams, J.S. Bach, and Jean Francaix with that ensemble. He has also performed as guest principal oboe with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.

Stovall has taught and performed at the Aspen Music Festival and School, Indiana University, the Interlochen Center for the Arts, and the Round Top Festival-Institute in Texas. He is a former faculty member of the Bard College Conservatory of Music and currently teaches at the Catholic University of America, as well as in the National Symphony’s Youth Fellowship Program and Summer Music Institute. After completing studies at the Interlochen Arts Academy with Daniel Stolper, he earned degrees at the Cleveland Institute of Music and The Juilliard School as a student of John Mack, Elaine Douvas, and Nathan Hughes.