I talk a lot about warmups. How important they are. How you can do all of your practicing on warmups and get better at the oboe. How sometimes scales andContinue readingA Needed Reminder
The End of My IDRS Conference
I have no words. It’s been too much, too great, too inspiring, too stimulating, and finally too exhausting. Over four days in Appleton I heard two of my students outdoContinue readingThe End of My IDRS Conference
My IDRS Conference Day Two
Today was another amazing day at Lawrence University in Appleton. I sat riveted as Aaron Hill put four students through Ferling Etudes in an enjoyable and inspiring masterclass. One ofContinue readingMy IDRS Conference Day Two
My IDRS Conference Day One
The International Double Reed Society is holding its annual conference this week in Appleton, WI. I arrived on campus Tuesday afternoon, having missed the first day of recitals, just inContinue readingMy IDRS Conference Day One
I’m Back!
This past season ended hard. My last two weeks of heavy work were…heavy. I was mentally bruised and physically exhausted. I didn’t have the energy or the willpower to practice,Continue readingI’m Back!
Report from IDRS 2016
I’m in Columbus, Georgia at the International Double Reed Society conference this week, after taking a year off and NOT flying to Tokyo for last year’s event. It’s amazing toContinue readingReport from IDRS 2016
Everyone Makes Mistakes
I’ve been home for four whole days now, and I’m still feeling inspiration from my IDRS visit. Today I’m thinking about mistakes. Everyone made some. I heard 17 individual soloistsContinue readingEveryone Makes Mistakes
IDRS 2014 – Day Two and OUT
I’m writing my Day Two report while all of my colleagues and friends, new and old, are well into their Day Three experience. I was terribly sad to leave NYC,Continue readingIDRS 2014 – Day Two and OUT
IDRS 2014 – Day One
It’s too much. How can you see it all? When there are two and three and four events happening simultaneously, all over the campus in multiple buildings, and when soContinue readingIDRS 2014 – Day One
IDRS 2014 Day Zero
I arrived in NYC yesterday after one of those ghastly get-up-at-3:45-to-drive-to-the-airport mornings, and the first thing that happened is…nothing. I successfully navigated transit to arrive at the NYU address givenContinue readingIDRS 2014 Day Zero