Where Are All The Oboists These Days? Options

[pianophrase]

Thanks for your thoughts about my G3 pieces. My teacher suggested/helped me choose them and having listened to the other pieces on the CD I am pleased with them. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Keriobe good luck with your final preparations, sometimes waiting is the hardest part (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Maybe take it as a compliment that your teacher does not have too much to correct (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[flobiano]

What do people do in the run-up to their exams?

My exam is just under two weeks away and I'm not sure that I can do much more to the pieces at the level I am at at the moment. (Of course I would like to be able to play Saint Saens with a tone like Albrecht Mayer on the CD I have of it but that is obviously not an achievable aim). .... Part of me is bored with them but part of me thinks I ought not to be playing anything else (and I don't have scales, sight-reading or aural to do).

I was also getting quite stressed about reeds - I only had one that I felt happy with so I spent last weekend trying to make another one. I scraped three, two were not much better than what I already have but one felt like it might be very good so I got cold feed and didn't scrape it to completion. I asked my teacher to finish it for me this morning and it is (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) Only problem is I now can't decide how much to play it so that it stays the way it is.

It can be tricky if the preparation comes together before the day. When I did my last exam I had two pieces that were pretty much there a month or so before and my teacher told me not to overplay them but just run through a couple of times a week. My third one I still felt quite insecure on so I focussed mainly on that (plus scales, sight reading etc). She did give me something non exam to look at as well though so really don't feel that you shouldn't play anything non exam related! Sounds like you really need to find something else to play and work on!

I got in am absolute panic about reeds before my exam as well - I'm sure some of it is psychological...or maybe it is the bit that is hardest to control! I ended up making an emergency visit to my teacher about 2 days before my exam because I was convinced that none of my reeds would work! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif)

I am sure you will do excellently, sounds like you are really well prepared! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Roseau]

Maybe take it as a compliment that your teacher does not have too much to correct (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

I think it's part of his anti-stress policy. He was quite careful this morning to say that what he was suggesting was just to perfect it and that I could carry on playing it the way I was already playing it. But actually I'm not used to him saying that things are good and nor am I used to playing through a whole piece (let alone two) in one lesson so I don't quite know how to deal with him having nothing to correct (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

She did give me something non exam to look at as well though so really don't feel that you shouldn't play anything non exam related! Sounds like you really need to find something else to play and work on!

The only other thing I've got is the Vivaldi but this makes me feel that I don't know how to play it all so I don't think that psychologically it is a good thing to be playing just before an exam. Maybe I need to have a look on my shelves and find something which can just be "fun".

I got in an absolute panic about reeds before my exam as well - I'm sure some of it is psychological...or maybe it is the bit that is hardest to control!

I read something somewhere that said naturally anxious people are attracted to the oboe because the reeds provide them with something on which to focus their anxiety (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) Maybe I should just try and focus all my pre-exam anxiety on the reed on the theory that reeds always work better when my teacher is present (even if he doesn't touch them) and he will be there in the exam so therefore I can worry about the reed before the exam secure in the knowledge that it will work once I get into the exam room (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif).

[katica]

I've never felt that prepared! I'm very envious!!! My teacher seems to believe very strongly in not overworking pieces and as got leaving the peak to the last minute down to a real art - even with the orchestra/band too. I find it quite scary. I never quite feel I'll be ready in time (and sometimes I think I really haven't been) .

flobiano's advice sounds really sound - and a good idea to focus on scraping reeds, even if you end up not using any of them.

Missed lesson and band yesterday. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Roseau]

I've never felt that prepared! I'm very envious!!! My teacher seems to believe very strongly in not overworking pieces and as got leaving the peak to the last minute down to a real art - even with the orchestra/band too. I find it quite scary. I never quite feel I'll be ready in time (and sometimes I think I really haven't been).

I've never felt my teacher's left me enough time to prepare properly when he's got me to play in pupils' concerts but never having taken an exam before I don't know what he usually does for exams. I'm inclined to think that he miscalculated partly because I practise more seriously than his other pupils (I know this because he's told me) and partly because the "imposed" piece is too easy for me. (My elder daughter is retaking her cello exam at the end of the same week and her "imposed" piece is certainly far from ready and if I'd had to learn something like the Saint Saens from scratch I doubt I would have been ready either).

Missed lesson and band yesterday. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/thereThere.gif)
I hope you manage to get to next week's one.

[flobiano]

Missed lesson and band yesterday. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/thereThere.gif)
I hope you manage to get to next week's one.

So do I! Sounds like life is a bit chaotic at the moment.

My oboe playing week started badly but has got better.

I had a truly horrendous orchestra practise on Tuesday, I couldn't get any of my reeds to work and every entry either didn't speak or gave a horrendous squawk! Despite my reed having played beautifully in my practise the day before of course! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Lesson on Wednesday started badly when I just fell to pieces on my first study (Ferling no 26) which I had worked so hard on, but which sounded as if I was sight reading it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) But did get better when we moved on to other pieces. I also got a nice new reed and we tentatively agreed that I would do Grade 8 in Session C. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Also had a chat about potential pieces for Staleybridge - she has leant me a piece called Arioso by Fiocco to try, which seems very nice. She also recommended I get Sarabande and Allegro by Grovlez as another option. That has arrived today but looking at YouTube performances it seems I would have to only do half of it to be within the time constraint. We've also finally managed to arrange a date with 2 of her other pupils so that we can do some trio playing....this has been talked about for over a year so this is a huge step forward! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[katica]

I had a truly horrendous orchestra practise on Tuesday, I couldn't get any of my reeds to work and every entry either didn't speak or gave a horrendous squawk! Despite my reed having played beautifully in my practise the day before of course! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Lesson on Wednesday started badly when I just fell to pieces on my first study (Ferling no 26) which I had worked so hard on, but which sounded as if I was sight reading it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) But did get better when we moved on to other pieces. I also got a nice new reed and we tentatively agreed that I would do Grade 8 in Session C. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Isn't it just ghastly when that happens! If all your reeds were affected I guess the most likely cause is a change in the weather/atmosphere. That happened to me a couple of months ago but fortunately not at a critical moment. The worst time was just before our oboe recital last September. My teacher had last minute (during dress rehearsal) made me a new reed (always a bad idea but my last good one had just bit the dust the night before) and they switched the air conditioning on. I was just playing a scale backstage during applause before going on and the reed just seized up! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) I was playing part 2 in the duet but it was more like some kind of weird improvised accompaniment. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Cross fingers my reeds can take the weather change between Costa Rica and Stalybridge in July!

Also had a chat about potential pieces for Staleybridge - she has leant me a piece called Arioso by Fiocco to try, which seems very nice. She also recommended I get Sarabande and Allegro by Grovlez as another option. That has arrived today but looking at YouTube performances it seems I would have to only do half of it to be within the time constraint. We've also finally managed to arrange a date with 2 of her other pupils so that we can do some trio playing....this has been talked about for over a year so this is a huge step forward! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Also had a chat about potential pieces for Staleybridge - she has leant me a piece called Arioso by Fiocco to try, which seems very nice. She also recommended I get Sarabande and Allegro by Grovlez as another option. That has arrived today but looking at YouTube performances it seems I would have to only do half of it to be within the time constraint. We've also finally managed to arrange a date with 2 of her other pupils so that we can do some trio playing....this has been talked about for over a year so this is a huge step forward! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Ooooh, how exciting. Just looking up Fiocco on the web... I see it's on the OboeClassics Goossens CD but I don't have that one... I hope you find something you'll really enjoy playing.

Any other oboists planning to turn up? emsoboe, maybe???
I'd so like to put a few more faces to Forum names!
pushpull, you absolutely SURE you have to work that day? Don't fancy an oboe choir? Or melodeon and oboe??? Or a beer in the pub afterwards (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Roseau]

I had a truly horrendous orchestra practise on Tuesday, I couldn't get any of my reeds to work and every entry either didn't speak or gave a horrendous squawk! Despite my reed having played beautifully in my practise the day before of course! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Reeds (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

Also had a chat about potential pieces for Staleybridge - she has leant me a piece called Arioso by Fiocco to try, which seems very nice. She also recommended I get Sarabande and Allegro by Grovlez as another option.

I remember rejecting the Arioso a couple of years ago because it had nowhere to breathe (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) Perhaps I ought to get it out and have another look at it. I bought a copy of the Grovlez last year but haven't yet tried playing it. I found it hidden away on a back shelf in Virgin Megastore (of all places) with the price still in Francs! I thought they would look up the uptodate price on the computer but instead the cashier got a manager to come and convert it into euros so it was very cheap (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I discovered this morning that my oboe exam has changed date and venue. It is now on the 17th (probably just as well as this afternoon I discovered that there is a meeting at work on the 16th which I really ought to go to). However I am a bit upset about the change in venue. It was supposed to be in the room that is used for pupils' concerts, which is a room I like and have played in quite a few times and have been having my lesson in there for the past couple of weeks (my teacher's theory being that that way I will feel really at ease with the acoustics). It is now being held in an annexe of the music school, in a small concert hall (with a stage) in which I have never played (although I have been there to listen to other people). I can't see that I'm going to be able to try the room out before my exam because a) it is a good 15 minute walk from the main school so I can't just pop in there during my lesson and b) even though it is only a 2 minute walk from where I live they only open it when there is a concert going on so I can't even go and try by myself (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) .

[katica]

Ever seen a hamster on the oboe?

I think he ate most of the reed!

[notmusimum]

Any other oboists planning to turn up? emsoboe, maybe???

I'm afraid Emsoboe is a little too young for an Adult Learners event (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

She also recommended I get Sarabande and Allegro by Grovlez as another option. That has arrived today

Emsoboe has been playing this though it's resting at the moment as it's not one of her chosen grade 8 pieces. She is enjoying playing it on Sax too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Arundodonuts]

Also had a chat about potential pieces for Staleybridge - she has leant me a piece called Arioso by Fiocco to try, which seems very nice.

How weird. My teacher presented me with that one a couple of weeks ago as an exercise. What in, I'm not quite sure.

She also recommended I get Sarabande and Allegro by Grovlez as another option.

That's lovely. Certainly something I want to have a go at when I'm good enough.

......Or a beer in the pub afterwards (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Now you're talking.

Ever seen a hamster on the oboe?

I think he ate most of the reed!

Eh?

[plonkee]

Haven't been about the forums for ages - other things have come up.

But, thought should say that after I asked what to do about pain playing oboe about 20 pages ago in this thread, things have improved.

I now use a stretchy sling, and have raised the height of my music stand. This means that it's easier for me to concentrate on relaxing my right arm, which was (of course) really the problem.

The lack of stamina otherwise seems to be improving with practice.

Thanks people. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

[katica]

I'm afraid Emsoboe is a little too young for an Adult Learners event (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Oh yes, I keep forgetting! She's so much "older" on the oboe than me! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[katica]

I now use a stretchy sling, and have raised the height of my music stand. This means that it's easier for me to concentrate on relaxing my right arm, which was (of course) really the problem.

The lack of stamina otherwise seems to be improving with practice.

Thanks people. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

That's good news! I've been thinking of trying one of those sling things... but my issue is more in the hands so I am very gratefully accepting the generous donation of a special thumbrest from another Forumite first. Good luck with getting your stamina back. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[pikkoloflautist]

I've been sort of hovering around this thread for a while, observing from afar but I thought I'd finally dip my toes in!

I started playing the oboe in May 2009 after a poor start on the clarinet and doing my g8 flute. I have completely fallen in love with it (although it would appear I'm not the only one!) and sat my g8 last term.

However, now there is the dilemma of what to play! Has anyone got any suggestions for some repertoire-expanding things? I was thinking of taking a look at the Telemann A minor sonata...

Thanks! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)