oboeinsight

“…and also played the oboe.”

The above is about Alex Ross. Yes, this Alex Ross.

It says so right here.

I knew there was something about him ….

Heh, no, I’m not going to elaborate! You can decide if “something” is a good or bad thing. I suppose it depends upon what you think about us oboists, eh? ;-)
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Can Mozart Sell Sneakers?

And I ask back, “Will sneakers sell Mozart?” In other words, with the popularity of the ad, might some folks say, “I like that “song”, and I want more!”?
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I was so ready to play my “difficult excerpt” and we never got around to it! Shoot. I didn’t realize we’d be playing every student’s work for flute, oboe and clarinet in the orchestration class. So I had about 5 minutes to talk (at the end) about the oboe and English horn, and no chance at all to demonstrate. Such is life.

It was fun to read the student’s works. Some were very pretty. Some were inventive. One sounded as if the student was in orchestra where they are playing New World Symphony because I could easily have played the English horn solo from the second movement right over what we were playing. Hmmm. Some students didn’t realize that we have to be able to see notes and accidentals and that we also like dynamics and articulations. They are, of course, just learning. So we play what is on the page, and if we can’t see the light pencil marks, play some wrong notes, and never do anything but tongue every note since there are no articulatons marks they learn. I hope.

But anyway, I really enjoyed the class. I only wish we could have more time with them!

Earlier this morning I was listening to the radio … except I wasn’t truly listening so I don’t even know what the segment was about … but a politician said this:

We do believe we can be successful because we have to be successful.

Hmmm. One sure can’t think that way with music … we actually have to not only believe. It takes something more than that. Go figure.

In Other Important News
I was at Mission City Roasting Company (until I had to leave to come home and restart our server) and the “Mysterious Man” was in the place. Seriously. If you don’t know Into the Woods you don’t know what I’m talking about. But this guy … he looked exactly like the MM should look: long white beart, thin, wearing appropriate clothing although maybe not as worn looking. I should have taken a picture!

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I will be talking about and playing the oboe and English horn for a university orchestration class tomorrow. The instructor requested that I “play an easy orchestral excerpt, a hard one, a scale, and student pieces/arrangements” to which I responded … well … anything can be difficult, really!

It’s all about context, you know?

I talked to a class last year at a different school, and I was fairly surprised at what the students didn’t know. I forget that they don’t eat, drink and breathe oboe. (Silly students!) Many aren’t aware that we have to make our reeds. So I give them our whole sob story. I talk about the rebellious reed and the testy instrument. I talk about low notes and pianissimo. I talk about unison oboes. I talk about response and the “donkey” (that sound we get when we first get a higher note before the one we actually want!). I talk to them about high notes … and how much lovelier they can sound on flute. ;-) I talk to them about why musicians who play shiny metal instruments wear lots of jewelry and are cute while we carry razor blades, knives, and are lucky to find a pair of matching shoes.

Well, okay … I don’t say that last part … um … well, not exactly.

Last year I ended my little schtick with “Be nice to us,” and gave them my sad little oboe smile.

Being nice to the oboist is of utmost importance. Every composer should know that.

I won’t tell you what I’m going to play yet … stay tuned for that. But I will tell you I’m looking forward to doing this. I become a bit of a comedian when I talk to classes about what I do. (What can be better than to laugh about this instrument that can make us crazy, don’t you think?) And I LOVE telling them what not make us oboists do!

Whether they follow my requests or not is another story.
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Finally, I’m done. I’ve been on stage playing continuously for just over 30 minutes.

THIRTY MINUTES?! Yikes!

Charles Noble finishes his audition story … and I haven’t gotten to the end yet! I will confess to all of you right now: my heart is POUNDING.

Is that silly or what?

In any case, I will now go read the rest. I wanted to blog first, so I don’t give away the ending to anyone here. I’m nice that way. ;-)
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It’s 11:40 PM. I’m home from opera. Everyone here is asleep. And I’m wired. Go figure.

The opera went quite well. I played a new reed, which can be risky sometimes, but this one behaved, for the most part, and may very well work itself into something quite nice. Then again, you know how reeds are; I might pull it out tomorrow and find it’s decided it isn’t a reed after all. But this is the first performance I’ve played where I’ve stuck to one reed. For the others I’ve played three or four reeds … one for each act and an “extra” inserted here and there. Yeah, it can be crazy making, but Butterfly is a reed eater.

Hmmm. What would someone who hasn’t a clue what I’m talking about thing if the read, “Butterfly is a reed eater”? Hah!

Since I’ve decided to unpack both oboes and have the extra one waiting in case I get water in the octave I’ve only had to use the reserve oboe once. Wouldn’t you know? It’s kind of like taking an umbrella along just to make sure it doesn’t rain. Works nearly all the time!

I think weekday performances should begin at 7:00 or 7:30. I wish they all would listen to my thoughts. And obey them.
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I am sad, sad, sad, sad, sad … um … tired, tired, tired, tired, tired.

Sometimes I’m so tired I think I’m sad until I ponder for a moment.

Yep. It’s tired.

Drove over the hill to UCSC to teach early this morning. Home at nearly 1:00. Now I pick up Jameson and teach two more students.

Then?

OPERA. Three hours of “You’d better concentrate,” opera.

And yes, I know I have colleagues who work longer hours and work harder than I.

But this blog is not about them. So there.

Now I’m going to take a 10 minute nap. Really. (Yes, I can manage a 10 minute nap. Quite well, in fact.)
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