Well done. The first one I made that worked well looked surprisingly untidy. I've made some better looking ones since but not one that sounds as good or plays as well.

Exam next week so strictly bought reeds at the moment. Two to choose from but the past two days have been rather hot and they don't feel as good as they did. For once, I hope it cools down a bit.

Wish me luck - tomorrow I am playing Gabriel's oboe in the end of year concert at the music school. Today has just been so hot (over 40?C) that I felt I was wilting when I was practising. They were announcing thunder storms for tonight (which would cool things down) but so far there is no sign of them.

Hope it goes well and that you get some cooler weather.

Good luck.

Hope it goes really well ( and it cools down a bit for you)! x

Ditto!!!

Those long, beautiful phrases are quite exhausting even without heat. Don't wilt!

Somewhat mixed feelings today...

This morning was my last oboe lesson for around 11 weeks (I haven't counted exactly because it's too depressing)
And I'm going away for all of July without my oboe

But on the happy side
I surprised myself with how well I played yesterday. The temperature had dropped to a mere 27-28?C which felt positively cool compared to the over 40 degrees the previous day. And somehow, despite shaking fingers and shaking legs none of my nerves transferred into my playing. (The adult flautist who sits beside me and doesn't play during my solo said my hands were shaking so much she was amazed that my sound wasn't shaking at all and wanted to know what the secret was ). This is the first time in public that I have ever felt totally in control of my breathing the whole time and my husband (who is usually very critical of my playing) said afterwards that he couldn't believe it was me playing because he didn't realise I could play that well

Anyway, at my lesson this morning I said to my teacher (who wasn't at the concert) that I was feeling pleased with myself and before I had even said why he said so was he! He said I was in an "ascending phase" and he had been impressed by my progress this year. He said that the music school director had told him this morning that I had played my solo brilliantly yesterday and my teacher said he hoped that this would mean that I would finally have confidence in my own abilities as in his opinion it is a lack of self-confidence that is holding me back the most.

He also said that he thought going away without the oboe for a month was probably the best thing I could do right now. He claims that stopping on a positive note and having a complete break will enable me to forgot my remaining bad habits and start again with just the good ones. I am not entirely convinced about this but I do remember that the last time I went away all summer without my oboe he remarked that my playing was much more relaxed when lessons started again in September than it had been the previous year.

Congratulations!! Glad to hear that your concert went so well. Well done!

Another big well done! It's great to hear that you are doing so well.

Felicitations, kerioboe!!!!!!!!

It's great to hear all went so well and you are finishing the year on such a wonderful upbeat.

Grade 8 tomorrow It's late in the day so after rehearsals and concerts. It's going to be hard to conserve energy and keep everything together. Last lesson today couldn't hope for a more supportive teacher. Will be in stress mode until it's finally over.

I can now play Bb major two octaves!

terribly...

Good luck.

Hope it goes really well! Not long till it's over - hope you both have a relaxing summer lined up - sounds like it will be well deserved all round after this term.

Thanks for the good wishes. As for the relaxing summer....... Not a chance! One more Grade 8 to go after this and then two residentials and a workshop.

Good luck notmusicmum, hope all goes well


Pleased I managed to get through my G3 Oboe exam today. A few little slips here & there and still need to work on my dynamics. Looking forward to starting some new pieces

Well done Pianophrase - it is a good feeling when it is over.

Notmusimum - Emsoboe must be a glutton for punishment...hope all goes well.

MNW - congratulations...sounds like you are getting on well.

My teacher is trying to get me to up my volume and have a more open sound. Pity my poor neighbours...

Still planning a day at Howarth's on Monday And I should be packing, but I am going to go to bed and get up early in the morning instead to do it. Oh well.

Enjoy Howarths!

It's like going to see Father Christmas ! Let us know what you end up buying

Well I had a lovely day playing lots of different instruments today but I think you two must be much more discerning oboists than me...I could certainly tell that they were higher quality than my current oboe, but aside from that I wouldn't say that I had very strong feelings one way or another.

I narrowed it down to the XL's and Marigaux 901's. I tried 3 new XL's (including a cocobolo one) and 2 new Marigaux 901's. I also tried a second hand Marigaux 901 and second hand XL. Of the 3 Marigaux, I honestly liked the second hand one marginally more - of the XL's, one of the new ones was the best. Between the best of the Marigaux and XL's I honestly couldn't choose between them, so I have bought the cheaper one home on approval.

I think it comes down to how it compares with my current oboe...and whether the difference is sufficient to warrant trading up. I don't think I would be prepared to buy a brand new pro model at the moment as I think I need to develop my playing before I can make a more informed choice between the options.

I'll see what my teacher says on Wednesday about the Marigaux. It does feel more "refined" than my current oboe (good though it is), intonation is just a bit more centred, the key work more responsive, it is easier to play quietly and loudly in tune,and it feels that bit more comfortable to play....so maybe worth it....

I will ponder it for a few days.

I also bought a few reed making things that my teacher recommended, the Luft studies, Vivaldi Sonata in C minor, Richardson's aria and Allegretto, Reizenstein 3 concert pieces. So lots of nice new things to play.

Nonmusimum - how did Emsoboe's exam go?

I've heard exactly the same thing said about Marigaux. I like the look of the keywork on the 2001 - but it's quite a price.

It'll be a while before I look to upgrade though (maybe )

I think the "refinement", for me, was more generally the pro vs graduate model rather than specifically the Marigaux.

pianophrase - belatedly, I hope you get a wonderful result on your G3

All the best to emsoboe on the G8

And to pushpull - I imagine your G6 is in a few hours. Hope it all goes swimmingly! Come to Stalybridge and tell us all about it!

flobiano - I really don't think I'm very discerning. My patricola was beginning to get a bit past it and it wasn't difficult to feel the difference. I suspect a lot of what I really liked about my XL was quite subjective and it was quite a leap in the dark. Maybe with a bit more experience I'd have found things I didn't like. The second-hand Marigaux sounds worth considering. It will already have the advantage of already having been "opened". In your shoes, though, I probably would stick with the S45 if you're not entirely won over by the upgrade - unless you know you're going to need those extra little bells and whistles soon. I have to say I was really impressed with your "stick" (as my new boss insists on calling my oboe ) last year. Good value for money, those S45s, I think. It'll be interesting to hear what your teacher says about the Marigaux.

I liked a Marigaux I tried at Howarths but it was heavier and more expensive than the XL. I liked the sound of the XL just as much and found it generally easier so it won the day.

You could bring a couple of your new purchases to Stalybridge so we can see what they look like!

I am feeling distinctly nervous as I haven't had time to work on Oblivion and it seems as though my playing has gone backwards in the last few weeks. At the last minute my exam was suspended (thank goodness) in favour of a short performance at the "best student" recital. I played a very simple piece to cello accompaniment and managed to make two stupid mistakes I'd never made before. As it wasn't a well-known piece I'm just hoping my hasty cover up left the audience none the wiser.

Hope those of you going to Stalybridge have a wonderful time - wish I could join you!

What she said.
I'm not sure I explained myself very well - I can definitely feel/ hear a difference between the pro models and my graduate model. So in that case I can see some sense in the upgrade - as I mentioned, the intonation is more centred, better dynamic range, more responsive keyworketc

What I struggled with, was finding significant differences between the different pro models that I tried. I am not sure that I could conclusively say that I definitely preferred the XL to Marigaux to the Loree. They were all "better" than my current oboe in that they were all good pro models. The only one that I definitely didn't like was one of the XL's and the person who was helping exchanged it saying that he had given it me by mistake and that there was fault with it - so at least I managed to pick that up. I did make some random decisions based on how easy there were to play but I'm not convinced that on a different day I wouldn't have made a different decision. With that in mind, an upgrade would definitely be a second hand Marigaux rather than a new XL because I couldn't honestly say one was better than the other but one is about ?2000 cheaper than the other...both of them are noticeably better than my current model. Upgrading to a second hand model is significantly less of a step up financially and I can then step to a brand new pro - if I want to - in a few years time when I may have more of a distinct preference for one brand over an other. It does mean 2 smaller investments rather than 1 big one which I think appeals more. Will see how my comparison goes over the next few days and what teacher thinks tomorrow. She currently plays a marigaux so I think she will like it.


I will bring a selection of music if you would like to have a play through anything! Anything you particularly want to have a go at?

I'm sure you did fine. Sounds like you managed to cover up any slip. I wouldn't worry about Staleybridge. I think everyone will be nervous (I am too!) Just do what you can do on the day! It is meant to be an enjoyable event - and you can only do your best, everyone there will be predisposed to enjoy your performance and keen to focus on your best and not notice the minor slips that all of us will make (I am sure!)

Thank you. It wasn't bad at all. I felt quite grown up warming up in the waiting room today

Pieces were pretty good, just the odd (expected) slip. The Jacob Limerick was much better than I've managed previously - though I did approach it erm, cautiously.

I think I was let off the hook with scales and arps. None of the really horrible ones cropped up.

Aural I thought was surprisingly good. Even the sight singing. Of course the marks may tell another story.

Sight reading was a bit disappointing. My usual display of randomness, but at least I kept going.

So hopefully a good outcome.

Sounds promising..... Hope you get a fab result

At least you didn't get the sympathetic enquiry from the examiner asking if you had been playing all day.

Well dare I show my face in here I wonder..I know its been a long time since I posted on this forum and its not for any other reason than there has been a lot going on and I simply haven't had the internet time other than for essential stuff..Ageing familie's dont help when it comes to sitting down and catching up with all thats going on here at the ABRSM forum..

I hope all you good folks are well..I see there have been many developments and exams taken I hope everyone did well and is enjoying their playing..I'm still loving playing and doing my Loree thing..(French Fence post I know but I love it..)..Glad to see that a few people have upgraded and that Howarth XL's are proving popular..Had a nice chat with Mike Britten (Howarths) the other day..we go back over 20 years and he is still the benchmark for all things Oboe and a nicer man you couldnt ask to meet..allround decent bloke and knows a thing or three about Oboes..

Am mainly specialising in baroque music at the moment though Just played a big concert with Roccoco Variations for Cello and Orchestra (Tchaik), Slavonic Dances (Dvorak), and a whole host of other bits and pieces including a Hungarian Rhapsody for Cello by Popper which was incredibly fast (note some considerable editing by me on the orchestral oboe part ) First class cellist though she rocked the building completely..standing ovations from a packed house and well deserved..

So just thought I would stop by and say hello..apologies for my abscence but there has been an awful lot of family stuff going on and which is ongoing..

Kindest rgards

Andrew

Hey there Andrew. Good to hear from you. Glad you are still hard at it, oboe-wise.

While I'm posting - I just a lovely session with my teacher and another student having a play through some oboe/cor trios. Great stuff. Beethoven Op 87. Coo!!

Welcome back

Fantastic to have you back

Andrew is baaaaaack!

Sorry about your family troubles. We've missed you.


Sounds very encouraging, pushpull! Well done!

I do hope emsoboe wasn't put off by that very odd remark... I'm sure it was well intentioned.

Wondering when I am going to get some time to work on Oblivion for Stalybridge. So far it's only been a few minutes here and there and mostly just a sanity-saving break ... Just emerged from a productive but gruelling staff residential retreat and still have team meetings right through the weekend. This time in a week I should be on my way to the airport...

Greetings campers..so nice to be welcomed back so warmly..I almost expected a raspberry given my absence for so long..

All is well..just had a marathon on family wise..we lost a sister sadly at 61 years of age to the dreaded cancer..never smoked or drank and was as fit as a fiddle then she was gone in 9 months poor darling..Then I chopped my left thumb off with an axe (yes really) cutting firewood..thank god for superb surgeons as I had it all re connected and it works like nothing ever happened..incredible surgeons..

Currently playing a lot of Teleman and Bach which I love ..have no desire for anything modern at all..oh and yes, I am off to Paris I think soon to get a second Oboe from Loree..that or maybe a ludwig frank we shall see..

Hope everyone is ok and having a good weekend, thank you all for such a lovely welcome..I'm touched..

Andrew

x

Just had the result for my first Oboe G3 exam - 128 (Merit)

Well done again. Hope to see more of you around these parts.

Good for you!!!

It's out!!!!...

21st Century Oboe

Mmm, interesting. I like the "stacked" trill vents (Fossati already do this on one of their models) and the LH C# (Howarth will stick one of those one their existing models if you want one). I don't think I need one yet though

Yes, it's not quite as different as I was expecting... so I will have egg on my face on a facebook post in which I said this was the first new oboe design since Gillet. It did sound a bit like that when I talked to Howarths about it and it seems like Chris Redgate is still planning further work such as a 4th octave key (now, why on earth would I want a 4th octacve key!).

Apparently it's not getting it's official airing until November. But I will be saving my pennies for something else, I think. Still, I'd like to hear Chris Redgate put it to work...

Very interesting project from Chris Redgate..he is something of a modern music leader and has gone all out in this development with Howarths and I am sure it will continue to be in development for awhile yet..That aside he has to be admired for such a technical knowledge leading this development forward and pushing the boundries and moving the goal posts and stretching what we think can be done..

Its not for me at the moment..I simply dont have the technical standard to warrant what may prove to be an unnesacery re jig of the keywork..its not on my list of must haves..for now I will stick with the Oboes I like,,French made by Loree and with all the keys and buttons where they usually are..

Andrew

So nice to have you back, Andrew. Very sorry to hear about your sister, and about your accident. Glad to hear you are on the mend, and still playing. sounds like a difficult time and painful time.

Congrats to Pianophrase on an excellent result.

I'm still um-ing and ah-ing about the Marigaux. My lesson went pretty well, I was working on Niobe so I played it on the Marigaux and then my Howarth. The difference was very striking in the tone colour, general intonation, dynamic control. So far so good...BUT I am not entirely convinced on the intonation on this one. I find that the B (middle line one) tends to come out quite flat and the C# above that comes out very sharp. I can "lip" them in tune so not sure whether it is me or the oboe (but it is something my teacher picked up on too). I know that it is near impossible to find any oboe that is entirely in tune with itself and we have to learn the picadilloes of our own instruments, so I may find I get used to it...and sometimes it is in tune - so it is probably as much me as the instrument. Confused...I think part of it is just because it seems like such a large amount of money that part of me wants it to be perfect and I am a bit worried about making the "wrong" decision so I maybe being over critical. I need to decide by Wednesday as it needs to go back.

It might be you need to experiment with reeds a bit. Note the comment about "synergy between oboe, reed, embouchure, our physical attributes and breathing" in this article (a review of Marigaux oboes - there's a coincidence ).

http://www.geoffreybridgeoboe.com/Geoffrey...ux_Reviews.html

very interesting link, thanks. I did wonder whether a different reed would help. I picked a terrible fortnight to get an instrument to try, away twice, and only 1 lesson as have family member staying...oh yes and have family member staying so can't do too much practice, and I also managed to split my best reed yesterday. But also not very often I have two trips to London within 2 weeks to be able to pick up an instrument and take it back.

edit: a different reed did help, also had a chat with Howarth's about the history of the instrument which answered some of my other concerns. As a result of that have decided to buy it and am very pleased with my decision.

Oboe results arrived!!! 130 for G8 which we are over the moon about. Particularly the 27, 28, 29 for pieces the exam was at the end of a long tiring day after rehersals and ccncerts.

Congratulations Emsoboe

Well done Emms..I bet your thrilled to bits..well done Berni as well..I know the support you give and the effort it all takes..Emms your'e a talented and lucky girl...

Andrew

Good for you! Looking forward to hearing it soon!


Excellent news. Congratulations to emsoboe!

Well done Em - you deserve it, with all the hard work you put in.

Chris x

Excellent. As a matter of interest what did she play (and don't say "the oboe" )?


Oh good that's nice to know.

Just popping in to say hello at the end of a very busy, hectic term!

No oboe exam results this term, but some brilliant piano ones. My oboe pupils are all above grade 6 now and so we are spending much time embedding technique in readiness for the big one for one or two and making the huge transition from ABRSM G8 to ATCL for others. Think I'm in need of some new beginners now, but my books are pretty full.

Congratulations to Emsoboe and others for good results.

Watching Howarths with interest as my trusty S10 (yes its true) and my old S2 really are in need of a new, radically improved brother. Poor old S2, whilst a beautiful instrument, is really ready for retirement!