Press materials
Bios:
Dr. Jenna Sehmann is the Assistant Professor of Oboe and Music History at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. She holds degrees from the University of Iowa, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Eastern Kentucky University. Professionally, Dr. Sehmann performs regularly as a with the Longview Symphony, Taneycomo Festival Orchestra, and Wild Prairie Wind Quinet, and the Stone Fort Wind Quintet. Previously she has held teaching positions at Southeast Missouri State University, Mount Mercy University, and Cornell College. In addition to performing and teaching, she enjoys spending time with her retired racing greyhound, Peggy Sue.
Dr. Jenna Sehmann is Assistant Professor of Oboe and Music History at Stephen F. Austin State University. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Oboe Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa, Master of Music degree in Oboe Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree in both music performance and music industry from Eastern Kentucky University. Major influences on Dr. Sehmann's career include Dr. Courtney Miller, Dr. Mark Ostoich, and Dr. Julie Smith.
Prior to joining SFA’s faculty in the Fall of 2023, she previously served as Instructor of Double Reeds and Music History at Southeast Missouri State University, oboe faculty at Cornell College (Mount Vernon, IA) and oboe faculty at Mount Mercy University (Cedar Rapids, IA).
Professionally, Dr. Sehmann performs regularly as a member of the Longview Symphony, Taneycomo Festival Orchestra, and the Stone Fort Wind Quintet.
Additionally, she has performed with the Quad Cities Symphony, Orchestra Iowa, Dubuque Symphony, Paducah Symphony Orchestra, Ottumwa Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic, Evansville Philharmonic, and the Bach Ensemble of St. Thomas. Jenna has also performed in orchestral and chamber music settings at the Bay View Music Festival, Sewanee Summer Music Festival, Marrowstone Music Festival, Trentino Music Festival, and Sault Ste. Marie Opera Orchestra.
Dr. Sehmann is an accomplished soloist and has won several competitions and awards. Most notably, she was the Kentucky chapter winner of the 2018 National Society of Arts and Letters Woodwinds competition, competing nationally in Chautauqua, NY in May 2018. She was also the second-place winner of the Mary Ann Starring Memorial Award in Woodwinds/Brass as part of the 2018 Sigma Alpha Iota Triennial Graduate Performance Awards. Other accomplishments include the 2017 MTNA Woodwinds Young Artist Competition (Kentucky division winner), and the 2016 recipient of the NAfME Carolyn Nelson Double Reed Award.
In addition to performing, Dr. Sehmann has developed and taught several musicology courses, and completed her secondary area studies in musicology during her doctoral degree. Her research focuses on literary connections and narrative in instrumental music. This research can be found in her Doctoral capstone project, which features recordings of works for oboe inspired by literature. This project highlights two of Jenna’s greatest interests: oboe performance and theatrical literature and performance. Dr. Sehmann was named the sole recipient of the 2020 Sigma Alpha Iota Doctoral Grant to further her studies on this subject. Additional areas of interest in musicology include ethnomusicology and American popular music.
A devoted chamber musician, Jenna is the oboist and Director of Operations of the Wild Prairie Winds. The mission of the Wild Prairie Winds [501(c)(3) Non-Profit] is to promote the performance, education, and accessibility of chamber music through diverse programming and creative concert settings. In addition to performances throughout the Midwest, the group serves as Artists-in-Residence at the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory in Milford, Iowa.
Jenna resides in Nacogdoches with her retired racing greyhound, Peggy Sue.