Dr. Abby Yeakle Held serves as the oboe professor at The Ohio State University, where she was appointed in 2021.
As a performer, Held served as Associate Principal Oboe of the West Texas Symphony from 2017-2023. Held appears with orchestras in her region including the Columbus Symphony, Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, Newark-Granville Symphony Orchestra, and Dayton Philharmonic. Held has performed internationally in Austria and Belgium, including a recital at the United States Embassy in Vienna, Austria.
Dr. Held is also recognized for her unique research. As a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Held studied the Viennese oboe, its history, traditions, current state, and cross-application to the French conservatory oboist. She is the first to publish on the topic in English, making her one of the foremost scholars on the Viennese oboe outside of the instrument’s community.