about reed & word
once upon a gig...
Jane and Greg met at a shared performance in 2013, and immediately bonded over a love of Bach. They teamed up to present a self-curated recital focalizing J.S. Bach’s Wedding Cantata “Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten” BWV 202, which lead to subsequent recitals in the Greater New York City area, all received by enthusiastic audiences. Inspired by their shared passion for thoughtful concert programming, the discovery of overlooked and underrepresented composers, and the cultural relevance and impact of live performance, Jane and Greg created Reed & Word.
Reed & Word takes the classic pairing of oboe and soprano from early music into the 21st century, focusing on thoughtful and approachable programming that combines historic gems, recent works, and creative arrangements.
the founders
Greg Weissman
A native of Northern New York, oboist Greg Weissman performed in regional honorary ensembles before entering academia, and attended the NYS Summer School of the Arts School of Orchestral Studies under the tutelage of the Philadelphia Orchestra's musicians. He obtained his bachelor's from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and completed his master's at the Mannes School of Music. He was a resident young artist at the inaugural Lake Tahoe Music Festival Orchestra Academy in 2010, and attended the Tafelmusik and Oberlin Baroque Performance Institutes on baroque oboe. He has performed with orchestras throughout the Tri-State area, most notably The Chelsea Symphony, with whom he soloed in Mozart’s Concerto in C Major for Oboe and Orchestra and Sinfonia Concertante in E flat Major, and Copland’s Quiet City. He has premiered works with the Paula Kimper Ensemble (Patience & Sarah), New York Composers Circle, Mimesis Ensemble, and Glass Farm Ensemble.
Jane Hoffman
Coloratura soprano Jane Hoffman is a true singing actor who brings an engaging stage presence and expressive voice to a variety of repertoire. She is particularly in demand as a performer of new works; she recently premiered scenes from The Contract Player with OperaRox Productions, and she has premiered multiple works as a Core Company Resident with the Fresh Squeezed Opera Company. She has performed with the Victor Herber Renaissance Project, Pasadena Opera, Utopia Opera, Amore Opera, and the Emerald City Opera Artist Institute. She has sung roles such as Elizabeth ‘Baby Doe’ Tabor, Adele, Olympia, and Le Feu, and has been a soloist in works by Bach, Couperin, and Britten. She is an alumna of Sarah Lawrence College and the Manhattan School of Music. Jane grew up in Pasadena, California, where she first became interested in music while singing with the Los Angeles Children’s Choir. She is a student of David Jones.
photo: Billy Bustamante