Don’t wait for it. The lowest notes on the oboe are notoriously difficult to play. They don’t want to speak, they MIGHT splatter, they are SLOW to respond, they feelContinue readingDon’t Wait For It
Micro Rests
For oboists, endurance is a huge problem. We can play an endlessly long phrase, because of the way the instrument is constructed, but we can really only do that aContinue readingMicro Rests
On the generosity of Instagram practice accounts
Classical musicians are trained to make it perfect. To make all the notes correct, to make it sound like the CD, to do it the way everyone else has doneContinue readingOn the generosity of Instagram practice accounts
COMMUNICATING Through the Mask
I was just trying to pick up my kid’s prescription at the pharmacy. No, it’s INGLE. EYE ENN GEE ELLL EEEE. Between the mask covering half my face andContinue readingCOMMUNICATING Through the Mask
When to Cheat
I got an email from an oboist a while ago, back before COVID. After thanking me for the reeds I had sent, and complimenting the warm tone they had, theyContinue readingWhen to Cheat
Generosity in Programming
I had the most interesting conversations with a few of my students after my first recital performance last weekend. One thanked me for exposing her to so many interesting newContinue readingGenerosity in Programming
Be the Hero
I judged a university Concerto Competition recently and heard some great playing. But I was disappointed to hear some contestants play their concerto like an etude. An etude they hadContinue readingBe the Hero
Upcoming Concerts: Siegfried
I haven’t shared anything about my playing work for quite a while. These past two weeks have been overwhelmingly busy, filled with driving and performing – three different organizations, sevenContinue readingUpcoming Concerts: Siegfried
Resonance
When my students get too MOUTHY with the oboe, I put them in a corner. Really. They tend to play the oboe only from the TOP of their body, northContinue readingResonance
Fun to Practice
I LOVE practicing West Side Story. I realized today, as I was working through the fugue portion of “Cool” in the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, that I wasContinue readingFun to Practice