I stopped having music lessons before Easter as I'll be leaving school soon . I want to get some new music and have no idea where to start! I'm about grade 5 standard. My (ex) teacher recommended something with a cd accompaniment (I'm really bad at sight reading ) but i've never seen any of these in my local music store. I have a flute book with a CD but some of it goes too high.

Any recommendations? Can I buy online?

My daughter uses the playalong Disney books - she has two of them. She is around the grade 4 mark and finds some of the pieces quite challenging. What I am trying to say is that they are not particularly easy pieces and some are quite fast too. She has really enjoyed playing them, but she is only 10 - you must be older if you are leaving school. However, my 14 year old also likes playing them.

What kind of music do you enjoy listening to? I never liked playing along with recordings on the oboe - I prefer to find a recording of some oboe music that I enjoy and then get the part from Howarths or wherever and learn it that way.

At grade 5 you're a little limited as to the repertoire, but you are just on the edge of being able to play some really nice stuff. Is there no way you can carry on lessons once you leave school?

Well I'm going to uni in september so will be in 2 different places so couldn't really have regular lessons.

There is a series of books called "music minus one" which come with CDs. The one called "Oboe Classics for Beginners" is about Grade 5 standard (despite its title). It has several pieces which are, or have been, on the grade 5 syllabus. I think they are American but can probably be ordered through a music shop. (I bought mine from e-bay).

My advice (as a perpetual student) is find a teacher wherever you go to uni, and make clear that you won't be around in the breaks. You may well find that after the first year you stick around uni over the breaks, and that'll make it all easier.