Charis Lai
Oboe
Charis Lai is a London-based oboist and cor anglais player originally from Hong Kong. She is passionate about music as it connects people across cultures and backgrounds. Charis graduated with distinction from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, completing both her undergraduate degree and the Orchestral Artistry Master of Performance programme, where she studied with Alison Teale, Gordon Hunt, and Steven Hudson. She was a Junior Fellow at Guildhall (2024-2025) and the Orpheus Sinfonia Foundation Programme (2024-2025). She is a member of the CATIL Quintet since 2022 and the co-founder of the Reed'iculous Two, partnering with Thaïs Bordes.
A versatile and experienced soloist, chamber, and orchestral musician, Charis performs regularly on both oboe and cor anglais. She has held trial positions as Principal Cor Anglais with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Her freelance engagements include performances with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, Thames Sinfonia, and Sinfonia Smith Square. Charis is the recipient of the Guildhall Cor Anglais and oboe Prize (2022 & 2023) and has participated in a range of prestigious festivals and courses. These include the British Isles Music Festival (2019), the Chipping Campden Music Festival (2023), and the Taipei Music Academy and Festival (2024 & 2025). She was also selected to join the Asian Youth Orchestra Festival in 2020. With CATIL, she has particularly enjoyed our outreach work in Norwich and Norfolk, bringing music to schools and young musicians, as well as more relaxed highlights like hotpot and pottery at Lily's house! She has also been involved in other education and community projects, including the Batten Disease Project at Richard Cloudesley, workshops with the LSO in primary and secondary schools, and various Guildhall Young Artist workshops across London and Norfolk.
Charis loves crocheting, cooking and reed-making with Netflix in her free time!