That's really good. Grade 8 in 2 years must take a lot of practice and a good teacher. Yep, not many people play the Bassoon. People say that the Oboe is an endangered instrument but there seems to be so many poeple who play it.

Just a bit more to add based on the original topic strand. I believe the quality of the music education is excellent at a speicialsit school and they really bring out the best musically in a child. Plus practice time is timetabled throughout the day. However it is also tough - the day is extremely long and intense whether you are a boarder or day pupil. Also the education is narrower - although there are many musical experiences, there are not many opportunities for sports for example, and the curriculum choices are smaller than other schools. I don't honestly think you can know whether it is for your child or not until they get there - and children do often leave on grounds it doesn't suit them. However many flourish and love it. The aspect of boarding needs a lot of consideration as well, especially in ones so young.

Yes, originally my daughter was going to do the oboe as her 'fun' third instrument but her school orchestra wanted a bassoonist. Chets only has a few oboists so seems they are also endangered. I love that instrument so i can't see why more people don't take it up. I also love the mellow sounds of the bassoon now.

I started the oboe in year 9 because I wanted to play a woodwind instrument of some kind and bassoon was far too big and loads of people played flute/clarinet so it had to be oboe.

2 years later and it's defo my first instrument even though I was about grade 6 piano when I started. I think I knew that it was going to be my first instrument very early on because I loved playing it so much.

Thank you for the info.

I can so empathise with Flute and technique. We've recently changed her Recorder Teacher as she managed to get to G7 with any specialist help or learing technique. If my daughter auditions it will probably be with Oboe as her first instrument and possibly Recorder as her second.

Is she thinking of auditioning for Chets? They generally seem to want to hear them on all their instruments and then they decide which will be first study although this is usually straightforward. Oboe is a desired instrument at Chets.

Maybe I have a bit more than 1 in a 100000 chance of getting in then. (19th march audition)

Good luck. I'm sure you stand a very good chance. What year are you going into?

Thanks. I hope to start from sept 09 (i'll be starting AS levels then). I sent the form in January which was a bit late...

Yes it's Chets we are thinking of for 6th form, it will depend on lots of factors, my daughter is currently a year 9.

Both oboe and bassoon are expensive instruments both to hire and to buy. Unless you are loaned one by your music centre or already have one in the family it's much cheaper to start on flute or clarinet. It's also easier to get flute and clarinet teachers. So much depends on the opportunities in your area for learning the rarer instruments - it's a vicious circle.

Also, bassoon is very limited as a solo instrument and until you get very good the orchestra parts can be dire. Oboe is seen as a very classical instrument, whereas flute and clarinet can be used in jazz, etc.

BM you have hit the nail on the head. Emsoboe wouldn't be playing now had she not started on a loan instrument with free lessons from our Music Service (although this doesn't seem to be available in all areas).

The main reason she started playing Sax was to persue Jazz, she does play Jazz on Flute but there are limited opportunities compared to Sax. I believe there was a Jazz Oboist but I think someone told me he had retired, perhaps that's a niche market for when shes older

Yes I am becoming aware of the immense costs of the bassoon (and my daughter is one who has always depended on a loaned bassoon) although I know nothing of the costs of an oboe. However I really was only referring to the sound of the instrument at that point. and I do feel the bassoon is underated and has a beautiful sound. When my daughter focused more closely on the bassoon I did think of the limitaions in genre of music although she still plays the piano and flute and did used to play piano in a jazz ensemble and a big band. However she now plays in a bassoon quartet and a wind quintet as well as orchestras which have broadened her knowledge of music and are a delight to hear. And although the bassoon is not traditionally a solo instrument, it plays an important role in the orchestra and has its moments of glory, although I admit limited. So in the end it's down to personal choice.although I am well aware of the financial limitations of choices. I don't know about where other people live but in my county oboe and basson lessons for children are heavily subsidised by the local authority and they provide instruments on loan.

It sounds very much like your daughter has similar interests to mine One of the reasons Emsoboe took up Sax was to give her the opportunity to play in Swing Band and do more Jazz.

Playing Oboe has many of the benefits that you describe for Bassoon with the advantage of having solo pieces. To be honest my daughter was offered Oboe, having only experience of Recorder before, when these things are agreed to at the outset you have know idea where they will go. Thoughts about the cost of buying our own Oboe certainly come into it when she first asked for lessons.

Oboes themselves are not as expensive as Bassoons to get a reasonably acceptable model. Then there is also the added expense at some point of buying a Cor Anglais, not essential but desirable if you are serious about the instrument.

Drifting off-topic here, but wanted to say there seems to be a great camaraderie amongst bassoon players who in my very limited experience have great individuality and character (e.g. it came as news to our bassoonist offspring, an otherwise viledin player, that her bassoon should have a name or it would feel neglected). In this southern (English) county, learner bassoons are available but if you progress I think you have to look outside (Benslow etc) or buy. In our case the school and then the informal network worked until we were able to buy. As far as I know, bassoon/oboe lessons are not subsidised by the responsible teaching organisation (ours came through school, first term free and then kindly scholarship-underpinned). But there doesn't seem to be a shortage of bassoonists where we are - and certainly not at school where Grade 8 distinction does not guarantee you a place in the school orchestra (nothing like keeping the competitive spirit going).
Massed bassoons are awesome - our daughter played in a group of 8 at a local music festival last year and they scored highly - maybe novelty helped. (Although the adjudicator had seen bigger groups; one of over 20 I think he said.)
I'll let you get back to back to Specialist schools now...

It seems to me that the original poster needs to make some serious choices about their child's education.
If the child is very able musically there are many choices regarding their musical education.Private lessons/specialist music school/Saturday junior school alongside regular education.
The child is probably proficient in many areas and other interests could well take precedent as time progresses
It is difficult to make a living from a musical career. Many musically trained pupils will end up as teachers ( an admirable position) but perhaps these talented young people would be happier making a living in other areas of life and keeping their music as an interest and a hobby.