Carolyn Hove joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic as solo English horn in 1988. She had previously held the position of English horn and Assistant Principal Oboe in the San Antonio Symphony.

Following her graduation from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, until she assumed the English horn position with the San Antonio Symphony in 1986, Hove had an active musical career in the Chicago area, where she performed with numerous ensembles and was on the faculties of Elmhurst College and Northern Illinois University. It was at this time that she developed her enduring interest in new music as the result of her association with the prestigious Contemporary Chamber Players of the University of Chicago under the direction of composer/conductor Ralph Shapey.

Carolyn Hove has appeared as a soloist in many venues, including a recital on the acclaimed Dame Myra Hess Concert Series in Chicago, appearances with the La Jolla Chamber Music Society, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Chamber Music Society, and the Philharmonic New Music Group. In 1993, she performed the U.S. premiere of Esa-Pekka Salonen's Second Meeting, for oboe and piano, on the Philharmonic's Green Umbrella New Music Series, with pianist Gloria Cheng. In 1995, she performed the U.S. premiere of Salonen's Mimo II (a work derived from Second Meeting), for oboe and orchestra, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In March of 1999, she performed, to critical acclaim, the world premiere of William Kraft's Encounters XI: The Demise of Suriyodhaya for English horn and percussion. This work was commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and written expressly for her and Raynor Carroll, the orchestra's principal percussionist. In January 2003, Ms. Hove performed the world premiere of William Kraft's Concerto for English Horn and Orchestra with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by its Music Director, Esa-Pekka Salonen. The work was commissioned by the LA Phil and written expressly for Ms. Hove. In addition, she has given premiere performances of works by Gerhard Samuel, Paul Turok, and many others.

In 1996, Crystal Records released her first solo CD, 20th-Century Music for English Horn and Oboe, which includes Second Meeting. In October 2000, Crystal Records released her second solo CD, Ascending to Superlatives, a collection of chamber works for English horn in combination with various instruments, and it includes Encounters XI: The Demise of Suriyodhaya. Both of Ms. Hove's solo recordings have received international acclaim.

She maintains a busy schedule as a teacher, and her activities have included guest lectureships at The American Oboist seminars held at the University of Cincinnati Conservatory, CalArts, the University of Southern California, UCLA, the University of British Columbia, the University of Washington, the Music Academy of the West, the University of Texas, and the Banff Centre. She is presently a faculty member at California State University, Long Beach and is serving on the Executive Committee of the International Double Reed Society.