Department of Music

S. Blake Duncan

S. Blake Duncan (Oboe) has enjoyed a varied career as an oboist, English Horn player, Baroque Oboist, a performer of early music and recorder, and as a teacher. Mr. Duncan served as an affiliate faculty member in the Music Department at Bradley University for 17 years, teaching oboe, recorder, music appreciation, music technology and as the director of the early music Collegium Musicum. He also served on the faculty as oboe instructor, chair of the woodwind department, director of the Collegium Musicum and as a member of the Moveré Woodwind Quintet for the Lutheran Summer Music Program for 15 years and has been a member of the Illinois, Peoria and Cedar Rapids IA Symphony Orchestras playing English Horn and oboe. Mr. Duncan currently plays principal oboe with the Edwardsville Symphony Orchestra and he continues to perform as a member of the Peoria Bach Festival Orchestra, of which he was a founding member. Additionally, he currently performs throughout southern Illinois and the St Louis area as a free lance oboist. In the past he has been a member of the Columbus, Ohio based early music ensemble The Early Interval, and performed as a member of WiZARDS! A Double Reed Quartet in the 2000’s, with whom he participated in several recordings, all of which are still available from Crystal Records.

Mr. Duncan earned a bachelor of music performance in oboe from the New England Conservatory in Boston and a Master of Music in Conducting and Oboe from Binghamton University. While a student at NEC he studied not only oboe and English Horn, but also Early Music Performance Practice, Baroque Oboe, Shawm, Recorder and early dance. As a Baroque oboist he performs regularly with the Collegium Vocale of St. Louis and as a free-lance artist on Baroque Oboe throughout the region.

Mr. Duncan commissioned and premiered a work for solo Oboe from the Cincinnati based composer Brenda Portman. Entitled “Nativity Tapestries” this 6 movement piece focuses on the women of the Nativity narrative. After working with Dr Portman on the works composition, Mr Duncan performed the premiere and in June of 2025 performed the work at the International Double Reed Society conference. And the July 2025 IDRS Journal included an article about the piece which was written by Mr. Duncan.

An ordained Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Rev. Duncan has served congregations in Ohio and Illinois. He served as the Educational Coordinator for the Central/Southern Illinois Synod and continues to teach. Additionally he continues to regularly preach, teach and play organ for congregations in his retirement from active ministry.