I just found out that in September of 2005 I was “blog of the week” for Times Online.

BLOG OF THE WEEK

Patricia Mitchell, the principal oboe player for the Opera San José, loves and champions her instrument, possibly because no one else will. When Newsweek reveals in its September 12 issue the “little-known fact about a symphony orchestra: the oboe must first sound a particular note for the other instruments to tune accordingly”, she writes that “at least Newsweek readers will now know we tune orchestras”. But it is the constant travails of being a double-reed player that keep drawing you back: “I play a concert. I hate what I did. Nothing felt right . . . but guess what? Much of the time the audience hasn’t a clue.”

Hmmm. I’m no young’un, and I know my memory isn’t perfect, but I don’t recall seeing this before. Now I guess I’ll have to check the archives and see if I blogged about it. If so, that’s even worse. It’s one thing to forget something. It’s another to blog about it and forget it. If you know what I mean.

Speaking of this blog…
It’s bloglite for now. Maybe it’s just the season. Maybe I should blame Nutcracker (which I mistakenly … not even meaning to make a joke … called “Nutcrapper” earlier today which tells you how fried my brain is). (Oh … and last night’s performance was the hardest Nutcracker ot play ever. In fact, I nearly fell backwards down the stairs as I was going into the pit. Tha’ts tired!) Maybe it’s seeing that not many are reading this blog any more according to the stat counter thing. Maybe it’s that I have nothing left to say. But I keep wondering if I should continue.

Perhaps I’ll suddenly get back to real blogging once I finish the last ballet tomorrow afternoon. Time will tell. But I’m feeling as if I’ve lost it, if you know what I mean. Heck, I’m feeling like I’ve lost it even if you don’t know what I mean. (“You” being whoever is still managing to get to this little spot in the internet world.)

But of course anyone who knows me knows that, in all likelihood, I’ll be back.

26. December 2008 · Comments Off · Categories: Videos

Folks here know I don’t do studio sessions really. Just a few in my lifetime. And they make me nervous. But mostly it’s the nerves before everything starts. When I did one about a month ago I started to really enjoy it. I like that on this video you get to see them yakking about things first.

Now if Yo Yo Ma and/or James Taylor wanted an oboe or English horn … I’d be there in a jiffy. (And yeah, I’d be incredibly nervous.)

26. December 2008 · Comments Off · Categories: Links

Get the beginning of Beethoven’s 5th in your head. Now sing:

Beethoven’s Fifth!
Beethoven’s Fifth
is the most famous symphony in history.
‘Fate knocking at the door ,’
said Ludwig,
‘is its theme.’

Article here. A teacher writes lyrics to famous works to help students remember them.

… at least according to this.

Ave Maria (Biebl)

This is one of my all time favorites. The first time I heard this, after purchasing a CD, I immediately purchased copies for some family members, I was just so blown away.

25. December 2008 · Comments Off · Categories: Christmas, Videos, Watch

Originally a Gaelic carol, this carol is from the Outer Hebrides Islands:

It was translated into English in 1855 (“Christ Child’s Lullaby”):

25. December 2008 · Comments Off · Categories: Christmas, Videos

This brings back memories … both of my being a kid and dying to get to the gifts, and having our own kids waking us because they couldn’t stand waiting any longer.

These days we end up waking them up! Funny how it goes.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

25. December 2008 · Comments Off · Categories: Christmas, Videos

Straight No Chaser

24. December 2008 · Comments Off · Categories: Christmas, Videos

24. December 2008 · Comments Off · Categories: Links, Oboe

Now here’s the thing. I asked him the other day if the oboe was supposed to sound like a duck, which it does when I play it. And he said no! I was shocked because the very day before, he had told me that I was “a great oboist, especially for a BRASS player!”

Is it really supposed to sound like this?? Because I want to get better as fast as I can! Thank you!

Anyone want to help this person out? I have to get ready for the 1:30 Nutcracker, so I can’t get to it.

Of course the quick answer is, “Every oboe student needs an oboe instructor.”

Period.

24. December 2008 · Comments Off · Categories: Christmas, Videos, Watch

Star Of Wonder

I just landed at this my space page and really enjoyed the oboe playing there. Check it out. :-)

23. December 2008 · Comments Off · Categories: Quotes

We have a little discussion about orchestras — and about what orchestral players tend to be like: “They say, ‘Loud or soft, short or long — that’s all we need to know.’”

Found at the end of a Marilyn Horne interview.

23. December 2008 · Comments Off · Categories: Christmas, Videos, Watch

In The Bleak Midwinter

Sometimes reading the “info” part of a video at YouTube cracks me up. Sometimes it’s just too darn cute (younger students). Sometimes merely puzzling.

“Me playing the oboe that needs to go in for adjustment, through a bad quality microphone!”

“I’ve been playing oboe for a little over a year now, so I dunno how great it sounds.”

“I love my oboe.”

“For the more advanced oboe reed destroyers, use your creativity!!” (There are a number of videos of people destroying oboe reeds. Go figure.)

“I messed up a few times, but I’ve only been playing the oboe for about 9 months.”

For those who have made their apologies for their playing: “Bravi tutti! You are well on your way to becoming a professional oboist.” ;-)

And then there are those who scare me. (I’d hate to see that reed go through the soft palette. Ouch!)

Finally, an oboist in the recording studio, playing an arrangement of “Angels We Have Heard On High”. I can’t say I love the arrangement, but she does a good job. I like seeing the camera focus on the hands, too!