Joseph Shalita studied oboe at the Peabody Conservatory of Music and obtained his Master's Degree from the Mannes College of Music in New York. Since settling in Mexico in 1990 he has played with the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra where his is currently the assistant principal oboe and is a member of the Mexico City Woodwind Quintet. He is actively involved with contemporary chamber music with the quintet and has been involved in the premier of many new works.

During his tenure as oboist, the Mexico City Woodwind Quintet received grants from the Mexico Council for the Arts in 1994 and 1997 and in 1999 from the Fund for Culture México/USA for its projects to commission repertoire for the quintet. The Mexico City Woodwind Quintet has recorded 2 compact discs of Mexican music and Latin American music respectively.

Mr. Shalita is currently on the faculty of the State of Mexico Conservatory of Music where he is professor of oboe and chamber music as well as chairman of wind studies. His other teaching duties include professor of oboe and chamber music at the "Vida y Movimiento" (Conservatory of Music), and chamber music coach at the National Center of the Arts.

He is also the author of the widely successful new ebook on oboe reed making called "Making Oboe Reeds. A basic guide to reedmaking".