Pamela Ajango
is 2nd oboe/english hornist with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and teaches oboe at Butler University. As a full-time freelance oboist for over 25 years, her
multifaceted playing style has led her to performances with professional symphonies and chamber groups to the pits of Broadway; from opera and ballet orchestras to multiple world premieres of new music; from Johnny Mathis to rock n’ roll; and almost everything in between. From 1996-2002, Pam lived and worked in NYC. After completing school, she quickly began playing with the area’s top ensembles, including performances with the New York Philharmonic, the New Jersey Symphony, and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra; for the Broadway shows Ragtime, Cats, and Les Miserables; and as a commercial recording artist. She was the alumni assistant teacher for the oboe studio at MSM from 2001-2002. She also worked part-time for various arts organizations (New York Philharmonic, Midori & Friends, Carnegie Hall) in order to pay her rent, learning important arts administration skills along the way.
Since 2002, Pam has lived in her hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, where she has performed as an extra with the Indianapolis Symphony since 2003, frequently serves as principal oboe of the Indianapolis Opera, performs with visiting Broadway shows and artists, and is a top-call recording artist for many music publishers, including Hal Leonard and Alfred Publishing. She has been a featured soloist with the University of Indianapolis Festival Orchestra under the baton of Raymond Leppard (Bach, Concerto for Oboe and Violin, with Austin Hartmann), the Butler University Wind Ensemble with Col. Michael Colburn (Ticheli, Serenade for Kristin), and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra with Matthew Kraemer (Kay, Pieta for English Horn and Strings). She is a founding member of the Circle City Wind Quintet, formed in 2003 with members of the Indianapolis Symphony.
Pam’s past faculty positions include Earlham College, Anderson University, and the University of Indianapolis, prior to her appointment at Butler. She has taught at summer music festivals at Butler and Indiana University, as well as internationally. She has performed and lectured at the International Double Reed Society’s conferences since 2008. In June of 2025, Pam will co-host this society’s annual conference at Butler University. Her students have gone on to study at Interlochen, Juilliard, the Manhattan School of Music, the Eastman School of Music, Indiana, Oberlin, and the New World Symphony in Miami. Pam was fortunate to study with oboists Malcolm Smith, Ralph Gomberg, Joseph Robinson, and Stephen Taylor. She received her bachelor’s degree in oboe performance from Boston University and her master’s degree in orchestral performance from the Manhattan School of Music.
