Goodbye for now, UCSC

03. June 2011 · Comments Off · Categories: UCSC

And so I’m done. I taught the last student, Karl Spiker … and then was able to attend an awards ceremony with him, as he received an award for his oboe recital! How cool is that? Heck, they even give me a certificate. I suppose it looks good on my UCSC records. So so long, Karl. It’s been fun teaching you!

I haven’t a clue if we have any incoming oboe students for the fall. This year there was a drought. I certainly hope it doesn’t continue in this manner, but I wonder. Only time will tell … and that time won’t be until September. (If any incoming students read this blog, though, please do contact me!)

I was pleased to get my contract for next year, and to receive some nice compliments about my teaching. That’s always good for the heart.

So now I finish up with symphony this weekend and then I’m solely a private oboe instructor for a time. Of course teaching is a passion of mine, so I’m okay with that!

Yesterday … Today … Tomorrow

14. April 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: Opera, UCSC

… all in one blog entry! (Plus some of the days before, just to fill you in.)

I’ve been in a bizarre place since sometime last Saturday. My ear was acting up, and Sunday I woke to find that I had what I call “the dizzies”. No church. No concert I was planning on attending (sorry, Russ de Luna). It was mostly a couch day. Monday and Tuesday were okay, but Wednesday I woke up thinking “Oh no! HOW am I going to play opera AND get to Karl’s recital?” But sleeping in, taking meds, and attempting to deal did the trick.

Last night was Karl’s recital. I had heard his dress rehearsal on Monday so I knew he’d manage to get through the grueling program. Sure enough, he did! And a very fine job he did, too! Bravo Karl!

This is the stage prior to the start (I didn’t take photos during the recital until the encore, and I won’t post that without Karl’s permission):

Fancy, don’tcha think, with that lighting and all? ;-)

Opera began Wednesday as well, and today we had our first sitzprobe. I’ve played Bohème more times than any other opera, so I certainly know it. I also happen to love the opera, so I’m happy to be back at it! I do puzzle over dear Mr. Puccini’s dynamics sometimes … a solo marked pppp? Really? And the most clear solo one played entirely alone: I begin on C (middle of the staff) for two bars to the B right below. Softly. Alone. With a dimunuendo. Did I mention it’s all alone? I have never enjoyed playing this solo … I can’t figure out what the heck to do with it, and I don’t think of those notes as particularly lovely. I’ll see if I can’t take some photos of the pages that are fun or drive me nuts or perplex me at some point … but I didn’t manage to get any in focussed pictures today. (My mistake!)

Today was our first sitzprobe. This morning I woke up with a migraine. Good timing, don’t you think? So it was another couch morning. Fortunately by the rehearsal I was able to function. Whew!

We “met” the singers from one cast before we began. They always introduce themselves at their sitz; it’s the only time I actually get to SEE them. Again, the photos aren’t great — but I’ll put ‘em up … just proof that I really was there:

We are always so thrilled to have the singers join us. We aren’t much of anything without ‘em when we are doing opera, after all!

Tomorrow we meet the other cast. I’m looking forward to it and I’ll try to take more photos. Maybe I’ll even get things focussed, but don’t count on it. I’m just not looking forward to that one C to B solo. Someone wanna play it for me?

As to my ear … I believe this evening I’m finally nearly normal. And nearly normal is about as good as it gets with me!

Congratulations, Karl!

25. February 2011 · Comments Off · Categories: Concerts, UCSC

I’m home from the UCSC Orchestra concert. Karl Spiker, a student of mine, performed the Mozart Oboe Concerto. He was fantastic! I’m so proud of him and how well he played. Bravo, Karl! (If anyone reading this is in the area you could hear it tomorrow night, as they are repeating the concert then. 7:30. Recital Hall. UCSC.)

(Sorry for the poor quality, but I was using the iPhone, didn’t think to zoom in, and obviously wasn’t using the flash, which probably wouldn’t have worked from that distance anyway.)

And Karl looked quite professional as well. But ‐ oh dear, oh dear ‐ women, if you are going to wear short dressed you really need to sit more carefully. Please!?

Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho

04. January 2011 · Comments Off · Categories: Teaching, UCSC

Yesterday I started teaching again. All of one student out of the three on the schedule. One half hour lesson. That was it.

Today I go back to UCSC. And I have two of the usual three students here at home.

Slowly but surely I’m getting back to work. And I’m currently feeling very poor. Ah well … the life of a musician!

Heigh Ho Heigh Ho

21. September 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: UCSC

Back to UCSC today! I do hope I get some oboe students … so far only one has contacted me about lessons. This is not a good sign ….

Okay, banana slugs, here I come!

UCSC Oboe Students

13. September 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: UCSC

We are nearing the start of the fall quarter, so I’m posting this here, in hopes that I might “catch’ some of you this way. Time will tell:

Fall Quarter, 2010

I am planning to continue teaching on Tuesday mornings. If you would like lessons please contact me so that we can set up a time to meet. I will be on campus on Tuesday, September 21 from 1:30-3:00 to hear you audition for the studio. Please come by then so I can hear you, determine if you are able to sign up for lessons, and work on scheduling things (room yet to be determined … stay tuned!).

Thanks!

(Questions? Email me a pmitchel [at] ucsc [dot] edu)

Ah fall quarter … it’s always a challenge to get the word out to new students. It’s even more of a challenge to schedule the lessons around everyone’s already scheduled classes.

Over The Hill & Back Again

08. June 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: UCSC

Today I taught the final lesson at UCSC for the year.

To those current and incoming UCSC students … do check in with me or check my UCSC page when you are nearing the start of fall quarter. I’ll have information there about meeting up for your audition for lessons. I do hope to continue teaching on Tuesday mornings. Odds are I’ll hear auditioning students on Tuesday, September 21, but I’ll know for sure when we are much closer to the start of school. Feel free to contact me at pmitchel [at] ucsc [dot] com with any questions.

Thanks, and safe and happy summer to you all!

Congratulations!

29. March 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: UCSC

If you have been admitted to UCSC, congratulations! I don’t envy high school students these days; getting into colleges, universities and conservatories is getting more and more difficult. You all are under so much more stress than I was back in the dark ages.

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If you are thinking of a music major, or even if you are just interested in oboe at UCSC, please feel free to contact me at pmitchel [at] ucsc [that dot thing you put here] edu. I’m always happy to meet with prospective students if we can make schedules work. (I am on campus on Tuesdays, so if you are making plans, do keep that in mind, please.)

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You just can’t beat the beauty at UCSC. I really need to post more pictures from the campus.

UCSC Trees

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Here is my starting page for UCSC students.

One Thing About UCSC

19. January 2010 · Comments Off · Categories: UCSC

I could write a ton of things about teaching at UCSC. But right now there’s only one thing that comes to mind: today’s drive was a bit hairy!

Yes indeed, the drive today was not the sort I do frequently. We had quite the storm, and highway 17 had a ton of water on it. Fortunately everyone was driving at a decent speed, aside from two crazy people who sped on by. Guess they must have done okay since I never saw them overturned anywhere.

The drive home was a piece of cake … the way it should be. The way it usually is.

I hear we are going to continue with this storm stuff. I’m hoping next Tuesday we’ll be done with this. For the day, anyway; I LOVE stormy weather!

Ah, Frustration

07. December 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: UCSC

I went to put in grades for UCSC just now. The grading is so much easier and quicker than the written evaluations I have to do, and grades are due sooner, so I thought I’d get them completed before I move on to Nutcrackers.

Sigh.

Not as easy as I thought it would be. One of my hour students isn’t on the roster. Ack! (So, RKH, if you read my blog, please do pursue this … if both of us pester people it might get figured out sooner!)

At the beginning of the quarter I couldn’t check my rosters online for some unknown (and new, as this had never happened in the past 6 years) reason. But I did see that all my students had registered for lessons by looking at their class lists that they showed me before I was allowed to teach them. Unfortunately that doesn’t show the instructor, but only that they are enrolled in lessons. So now I haven’t a clue how to resolve this. I’ll assume, though, that the music office folks will somehow figure this out. They are smart that way.

I don’t know if the inability to access a fall roster was due to my being adjunct faculty or not. I’m trying not to take it personally.

But I’m not a happy camper right now.

Bye for now, UCSC

02. December 2009 · 3 comments · Categories: UCSC

I finished up the fall quarter yesterday. This is the first time I’ve not had to schedule make up lessons for students on finals week. So next week, when Nutcracker begins, I’ll actually have one extra morning that I haven’t usually had. Not sure I’ll get anything accomplished, though; I seem to be a bit lacking in energy these days.

The hardest thing about teaching at a school is grading. I really hate grading. How does one grade oboe playing? And different students have different capabilities. Some come in much more advanced to begin with. Others not quite so. Contrary to what I thought when I began there — there’s no “orientation” or anything for new adjunct faculty teaching instruments — I don’t take beginners … why I thought I had to, I don’t know, but for the first year I did actually teach beginners. But I ramble … mostly I need to hunker down and grade and write my evaluations. (UCSC used to be a “no grades” school and all instructors were required to write evals. Now we do grades and evals. My students already know what I’ll write, I’m sure, as I hand them a sheet of paper at the end of each lesson with notes for them. This year I have collected those so the evals will be a bit easier for me.)

I wish my UCSC students a wonderful break! (But no broken reeds.)

Okay … trying to put up my assignment sheet … let’s see if this works!

Going Off To School?

14. August 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Ramble, UCSC

Some readers may be preparing for their first experience at college. If you are an oboist (or any musician, really … but I’m oboe centric as you all know!) I would suggest that you attempt to contact the instructor if you plan on private lessons. Some schools allow anyone to take lessons (rare), some allow music majors and minors to take lessons, and for some you must audition. So if you think you are going to be taking lessons, but haven’t investigated this, now would be a good time to inquire.

In addition, I suggest you check into orchestra and/or wind ensemble auditions. Some students aren’t quite in “college mode” yet and think they can sign up, just like they did in high school, for a band. In most instances you must audition first! At UCSC I know our orchestra auditions are held a few days before classes begin (the wind auditions are on Tuesday, September 22). You have to go to the music building and sign up for these auditions. Some schools have repertoire for the auditions. Some don’t. So as you can see, you have to do a little investigating to find out what is required of you.

I always feel a bit sorry for students who, in the first week, come in to my room to see if they can have lessons; usually by then I’ve set up my schedule and have signed up those I’m able to teach.

Note to UCSC students: If you take private lessons you must also be in a major performing ensemble.

So this is a little heads up for those of you who are new to this college experience. You’re on your own now! Mom and dad won’t be assisting you (and they shouldn’t … I am always dismayed when parents try to set up things for their college-aged children). If you are planning on UCSC, send me a note, introduce yourself, and we can set up a meeting time on September 22 for an audition.

Recital Planning

31. July 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Recital, UCSC

Every other year I am required to give a recital at UCSC. I really enjoy playing chamber music, and we are allowed to do that rather than do solo works. The trouble, though, is finding the time to rehearse. In addition, most of us live distances away from each other, and teach on different days at UCSC. I’m sure this year will be a challenge, as always.

So far we have this: the date (November 6), location (UCSC Recital Hall), and four players (flute, oboe, clarinet and horn). We have to wait on what we are hoping will create a woodwind quintet, as we are having to hire a new bassoonist. I’m hopeful we’ll know who that is by next week and can get moving on all of this. What we don’t have, aside from that fifth player, is repertoire. I have some works that are good possibilities, and there is a composer who might be composing a work for oboe, clarinet and bassoon … it would be fun to do a brand new work!

Oh … and we now have the name of our recital too:

No Strings Attached

Fun, eh? :-)

UCSC Concerts May 13-17

13. May 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Concert Announcements, UCSC

Friday @ 4

Leah Bowden and Camille Chitwood
Percussion Recital

Friday, May 15, 2009 – 4:00 p.m.
131 Music Center

Admission: Free

Concert Choir

Friday, May 15, 2009 – 7:30 p.m.
Music Center Recital Hall

*Admission: $10 general, $8 senior, $6 student

Indonesian Gamelan Ensembles
West Javanese Gamelan and Balinese Gamelan orchestras

Saturday, May 16, 2009 – 7:30 p.m.
Music Center Recital Hall

Traditional music and dance from West Java, and the world premiere of a new gamelan composition by Nano S. The program features traditional music and dance from South Bali, played on the village-style gamelan angklung, and classical works for the court-style Semar Pegulingan.

*Admission: $10 general, $8 senior, $6 student

ELECTRONIC MUSIC CONCERT

Synthesesia: adventures in sound and light by Peter Elsea and students of the Electronic Music and the Digital Arts and New Media programs.

Sunday, May 17, 2009 – 7:30 p.m.

Music Center Recital Hall

Admission: Free

1.) Event Parking:
$2 permit from vending machines or attendants evenings and weekends (valid A-permit is OK)

Please arrive with adequate time to park your car, purchase a permit, pick up your tickets, and be seated before the program starts.
You may need to park at Porter College or another location if the “Performing Arts” parking lot is full when you arrive.

*2.) Purchasing Discount Tickets:
in advance:
UCSC Ticket Office
Theater Arts Center
12-4 pm Tuesday-Saturday
at the door:
Tickets go on sale at the Recital Hall beginning 1 hour before concert.
Doors open to the public 30 minutes before the concert is advertised to begin.

3.) Discount Ticket Eligibility
The Music Department provides the Ticket Office with an updated list of eligible names each month. If your name is not on that list, please contact the Music Department.
They will add it to the update for the following month.
Music MAJORS / MINORS: 1 ticket at $2
May be purchased in advance during regular Ticket Office hours OR within the first 30 minutes of business at the Recital Hall window (i.e. between 6:30 and 7:00 pm for a 7:30 pm concert).

NO MAJOR/MINOR DISCOUNT TICKETS WILL BE ISSUED TO STUDENTS AFTER THIS TIME.
Any purchases after this period will be charged at the regular advertised student price. No exceptions.
Music GRADUATE Students: 1 ticket at $2
May be purchased at any time (in advance OR at the performance).
Music STAFF & FACULTY: 2 tickets at $2 each
May be purchased at any time (in advance OR at the performance).
Non-Music Department discounts:
UCSC STAFF/FACULTY & ALUMNI: 2 tickets @ the student price
Must show valid UCSC staff ID or Alumni Assoc. membership card

Tomorrow

24. April 2009 · Comments Off · Categories: Baseball, Ramble, UCSC

Tomorrow is gonna be a tough day, I think. It’s not that I won’t like what I’m doing, but it’s that I’ll be very, very tired.

I begin at UCSC. At 10:00 AM. According to the schedule I finish at 5:00 PM. I’m working with the orchestra as they go through all of Marriage of Figaro. I think I have a lunch break of 45 minutes in there, but I’m not sure there’s another break. I suppose I should check the schedule.

Then of course I have Carmen at night, beginning at 8:00 and ending at 11:00.

Oh yes, I’m going to be tired. So as soon as the Giants get this game over with (it’s 5-1 right now, in favor of the good guys, with only one inning left) I think I’d better hit the hay. (Lincecum has been amazing … 12 strikeouts!) I’m guessing you won’t see a lot of posts tomorrow; there isn’t any wireless access in the UCSC concert hall, which is where I’ll be sitting.

I do have some things I want to blog about … just no time or energy at the moment to get into it. Later, folks!

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