Coming up in Philly music: Richard Woodhams and colleagues

The Philadelphia Orchestra won’t be the only organization affected by the retirement of its principal oboist. Richard Woodhams has been a regular, highly valued guest at chamber-music concerts throughout the Philadelphia region, and he’ll join the Philadelphia Chamber Ensemble on April 27 and 29.

The ensemble started making music 41 years ago under the direction of the Orchestra’s associate principal clarinet, the late Donald Montanaro, and his wife, Orchestra harpist Margarita Montanaro. The group draws its musicians from every section of the Philadelphia Orchestra and its programs tend to feature interesting combinations of winds and strings.

Woodhams is generally considered one of the world’s leading oboists, and the chamber repertory contains some of the best music created for his instrument. The Philadelphia Chamber Ensemble will end its season with two pieces that showcase Woodhams’s abilities as a chamber musician: a quintet for oboe and string quartet by Luigi Boccherini and a Mozart divertimento for oboe, two horns, string quartet, and bass.

The other two items on the late April program are a serenade for flute and string trio by the Israeli composer Paul Ben-Haim and a lighthearted 1920s serenata for clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, violin, and cello by the Italian composer Alfredo Casella. Chamber Ensemble concerts take place in a building with notably refined acoustics and are followed by one of the city’s better post-concert receptions.

The Philadelphia Chamber Ensemble will present its 2018 Spring Concert Series on Friday, April 27, at 8pm and Sunday, April 29, at 2pm at Old Pine Street Church, 4th and Pine Streets, Philadelphia. Tickets are $25 ($5 for students; free for up to two teens accompanying a paying adult) and they’re available online, by calling 215-542-4890, and at the door.