Hi, I’m Jennet, and I AM the Happiest Musician!
I serve oboists by offering high quality reeds, cane, tools, and supplies for sale, by running courses and programs on reedmaking, oboe skills, and artistry, and by being active as an oboist in the world.
I encourage musicians to thrive in their creative careers with my podcast, Crushing Classical, my book, The Happiest Musician, and business and mindset coaching.
YOUR artistry matters, and I want to see you THRIVE!
Upcoming Events
Event Information:
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Mon26Aug20197:30 pmValparaiso University
Faculty Showcase
I'm going to be performing the Donizetti English Horn Concertino. Mostly to prove to myself that I can play the English horn, slightly to challenge myself to make something of this
dippycharming little ditty. Come out and hear how I do - this event is free and open to the public!
Testimonials
Trisha Stacks – Zero to Reedmaker
"Just wanted to say that I played a full rehearsal on one of my own reeds! I honestly thought at best I’d be adjusting reeds better after a couple of months at this and am so grateful that I’ve surpassed that! Truly a Zero to Reedmaker experience!"
Ted Harrison
The Invincible Oboist is a wonderful and immersive experience for people at all levels of oboe playing. Regardless of the level you're at, everyone has something to gain and something to contribute in the group. It is wonderfully collaborative and collegial. Jennet is so willing to meet you wherever you are and work on the things that you're having trouble with and help you become and better and more confident oboist.
Susan Kundert
The Invincible Oboist will change how you feel about being an oboist.
Sally Timm, on FLOW
Participating in FLOW helped me become a much better oboist. Jennet is a very knowledgeable, patient teacher whose love of the oboe is contagious. You won't regret it!
River Sprinkle
Thank you once more for all of your valuable insight. Your class was a thrill to participate in and I have a much better vision for the future of my reed company now thanks to you and your fabulous approach. I hope we continue to cross paths in the future!
Nancy Peppercorn, on Zero to Reedmaker
I really enjoyed the class and finally have the confidence to make and play my own reeds. I made the commitment to play on my own reeds this summer during the class and have stuck to that pledge. They are not all wonderful reeds but I've been successful with enough of them to practice, play and perform happily! I've also got a reed rack with many reeds in various stages of completion. This is a skill that I'm definitely still honing, but have gained so much knowledge and technique from the classes. Thank you! I'm spreading the word about the value of your courses and what an exceptional educator you are!
Kris Krapp
I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for your wonderful reeds! I’ve played oboe for most of my life, but I also have a family and a full time day job.
My own reeds were never that great. Now, I order your reeds, and I can spend my efforts (and practice time!) on the nuances of the music instead of just concentrating on making the notes speak!
The conductor of my community orchestra recently told me that my sound production was at a professional level and complimented my musicality on a difficult piece. And our group also won a local award for best community orchestra.
Thank you for helping me play my best!
Kimberly Grundvig
It is so worth it! The [Zero to Reedmaker] class was great and I learned more about reed making in it than I did all through my college music degree. My reeds and process are more consistent now, and I feel far less stressed out about reed making. Jennet is a natural teacher, and you can tell that she is passionate about the oboe and about helping people succeed. I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in learning more about oboe reed making.
Julie Combs, on The Invincible Oboist
Don't you dare miss this wonderful opportunity to build your oboe and reed skills, interact with like-minded students, get wonderful, helpful positive feedback, and get to surf on the energy of a wonderful group of learners! This course helped me get my groove back and helped me decide that maybe it's not time for me to hang it all up, that I need to play the oboe for myself and to continue learning new ways of doing old things and to reconsider how I may have gotten in my own way in my learning. It was so refreshing to experience improvements in my playing and reedmaking and to get encouraging feedback. You must not miss doing this! I had so much fun, was challenged, had tons to think about, and found real joy in playing. And, I gained so much confidence. The class is an investment in myself and worth the cost and effort. Do it!
Jessica Margolin, Composer
As a composer, writing in collaboration with oboists from Jennet's FLOW class was one of the highlights of our composition course with Joseph Sowa. First, it was a lot of fun! But beyond that, there's something particularly gratifying for the composer about interactions with the performer. There is not only the interpersonal connection, but also insights that aren't easy to come by any other way.
Donna Peterson, on FLOW
Being part of a community of oboists, with a teacher who learns about each of us and adjusts to our learning styles created an atmosphere of belonging. I went from shyly playing a short piece in front of others to looking forward to performing in a recital. That kind of confidence and progress was a natural result of this wonderful course. I now feel invincible and my music flows! I highly recommend it no matter your level of experience.
Cheryl Foster-Herzberg – Zero to Reedmaker
It's kind of like I've been handed a rosetta stone of reedmaking. In the past, I certainly arrived at similar reeds with similar qualities. But it does TAKE longer to get there. And the results vary. As I get "good" at the curl, it'll definitely reduce time and frustration.
Brian Shaw
I truly appreciated the time Jennet took to work with me. She listened to my thoughts and feelings, asked careful questions, and was able to help me put together a thoughtful and thorough plan of action to push my career in a more inspired and fruitful direction. She draws on years of experience as an entrepreneur and small business owner, and is able to synthesize her own experiences into valuable lessons and suggestions. I would highly recommend taking 20 minutes to let this hard-working and compassionate person into your life!
Brenda Schuman-Post, Uncomplicate Your Articulation
Jennet, you are brilliant, extraordinary, kind, compassionate, considerate. The thought and care you've put into this program is fantastic and tremendously appreciated.
I mastered double tonguing 40 years ago, and despite occasional re-visiting and practice, have remained mystified at the sluggishness of my single tonguing.
In just a few sentences and suggestions, you made it possible for me, with very minimal practice, to understand the issues and to almost instantly, radically increase the speed of my single tonguing.
Mystery dispelled. I'm awed, inspired, and grateful.
Barb Timmerman
I highly recommend Oboe Reed Boot Camp for anyone who wants to improve their reed making. You have the chance to practice and experiment. Spending an entire weekend laser-focused on improving my reeds has been extremely helpful to me. Jennet is enthusiastic and patient. She will help you become a better reed maker. EXTROBOE is great for anyone who wants to improve their playing and to find joy in learning with other oboists.
Barb Black
About two years ago, I decided to learn to play the oboe so that I could provide a much-needed instrument for our community band. I am a life-long flute player with a degree in music performance. However, after months of private oboe lessons, I found myself "stuck" and frustrated . Practice sessions were not enjoyable or satisfying, as I had no idea how to make the oboe "sing", and I held some major misconceptions about what was involved in creating a "correct" embouchure. My oboe sound was awful, and I simply could not figure out what to do next. My reeds never worked well, but I had no idea how to make them better. Then, to my delight, I discovered Jennet's Five Minute Reedmaker videos online, and loved how she explained things. It all just "felt" so right.
So when I had an opportunity to study reedmaking with her through the on-line Zero To Reedmaker course, I immediately signed up! I registered for the VIP version--two incredible private sessions with Jennet and a month of Reed Club included. And I am so glad I did! I also joined her 6-session Warm-up series and watched the Demystifying the Upper Register class. I am not being hyperbolic when I say that the past two months with Jennet have taken my playing and reedmaking confidence to a whole new level. I even learned how to adjust my own instrument--greatly increasing my ability to hit those really low notes with ease! Jennet gives you the "whys"--not just a bunch of rules. She works so hard to understand the challenges faced by each student (including many of us "older" adults), and her metaphors make understanding the innumerable subtleties of the oboe so much more accessible.
I can't wait until our band finally gets together again later this year. So looking forward to performing and showing off greatly improved oboe skills. Thanks to Jennet!!!
Anne Sneller
Oboe Reed Boot Camp is a great way to improve your skills and get the confidence to be the reedmaker that you want to be. Jennet helps you diagnose what your problems are and how to fix them yourself. There is nothing better than in person learning. Getting away from the distractions that you face at home really enhances your learning. Making several reeds in a row can really help you see what it takes to make good reeds from start to finish. EXTROBOE was so much fun! There are not many places you get to play with so many oboes and English horn players with no competition, just fun.