One of my new favorite online oboe followings are the youtube videos that Karen Birch Blundell has been making... they are a great online resource for oboe students!!!
In this video, she discusses getting back to the oboe after some time away, but other topics include vibrato, and rehearsal etiquette.
http://www.youtube.com/user/klbtree#p/u/3/0H4n9KtghDA
Enjoy, in celebration of my new teaching gig :)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Lets do this...
Well, go figure...
The HR department for the school district called this afternoon and they want me to come to an orientation to start working on Friday.
Looks like the job as the CCSD oboe parapro is going to work out after all, which is exciting but it also means that there is a lot to do in only a few short days:
Update oboe student\studio policies
Finish a few more student reeds
Track down a few extra method books
Get some bookkeeping\office supplies
Get the car checked out (This means lots of driving!!!)
It is great to start this job, it is going to be a great opportunity and a great way to meet some members of the music community here!
I've also sent out some educational packages to the schools in St. George- including the magnet school, it would be great to get involved with some higher level, serious students. While I love teaching the little ones, I really need experience with some upper level players.
Anyway, it is very exciting to think that this time next week I will be teaching the young oboists of Vegas! Hopefully this is the first of some great opportunities for me here!
The HR department for the school district called this afternoon and they want me to come to an orientation to start working on Friday.
Looks like the job as the CCSD oboe parapro is going to work out after all, which is exciting but it also means that there is a lot to do in only a few short days:
Update oboe student\studio policies
Finish a few more student reeds
Track down a few extra method books
Get some bookkeeping\office supplies
Get the car checked out (This means lots of driving!!!)
It is great to start this job, it is going to be a great opportunity and a great way to meet some members of the music community here!
I've also sent out some educational packages to the schools in St. George- including the magnet school, it would be great to get involved with some higher level, serious students. While I love teaching the little ones, I really need experience with some upper level players.
Anyway, it is very exciting to think that this time next week I will be teaching the young oboists of Vegas! Hopefully this is the first of some great opportunities for me here!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Teacher Tuesday
So I didn't really explain WHY I ended up in the desert in the first place. The reason has nothing to do with the oboe- that is probably why I didn't bring it up.
I am a newlywed and my husband, Tyler is a middle school band director out here at Hughes Middle School. This is his first job, so like me he is really learning a lot about being on your own for the first time but also being really excited because you are finally making a living doing what you love to do- it just so happens that for him... it is teaching music rather than playing.
It is great to have a music teacher husband- I get the inside scoop on great music programs in the area and have made a few connections through him as far as building my teaching studio. The most important connection has been to the school district, thusly presenting the idea for a district oboe parapro.
The best part is just having someone to share my passion for music with- he is so supportive and understanding of my goals and dreams. So there you go- a tiny explanation about my musical personal life without going into mushy details.
I am a newlywed and my husband, Tyler is a middle school band director out here at Hughes Middle School. This is his first job, so like me he is really learning a lot about being on your own for the first time but also being really excited because you are finally making a living doing what you love to do- it just so happens that for him... it is teaching music rather than playing.
It is great to have a music teacher husband- I get the inside scoop on great music programs in the area and have made a few connections through him as far as building my teaching studio. The most important connection has been to the school district, thusly presenting the idea for a district oboe parapro.
The best part is just having someone to share my passion for music with- he is so supportive and understanding of my goals and dreams. So there you go- a tiny explanation about my musical personal life without going into mushy details.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Deserted Oboe
I have been living in the desert for sixty nine days- 6-9... its just over two months and I would love to tell you that it feels like time is flying by but two months has felt like two years.
I knew that living here would be hard, especially right after living in San Francisco- basically OZ for anything to do with the arts. Well... to do with anything- I really loved living there... it is an amazing city.
I had somehow convinced myself though that it would be a good challenge and that it would even in some way be fun to see what I could do in a new place. Rather than being any type of fun challenge- it has just been difficult.
We live outside the city, so I'm isolated from any type of musical community and there is only one professional orchestra in Las Vegas- it also isn't a full time gig. Because there are few oboe gigs, the people that have them are pretty protective of them which I can appreciate. I wouldn't want someone hawking my job, but on the other hand thats really not what I'm trying to do- I'm just looking for some opportunities, subbing, networking really. On the top of my "want" list right now is just to meet some other professional, dedicated, classical musicians to collaborate with.
My great friend, Ben Opie, acting principal oboe of his hometown orchestra in Adelaide, AU advised me a few days ago to "have hella goals" for this year, and I think he is really right. I think it is time for me to say- This is what I want to do- and do it. It includes taking my first (yikes) pro audition, perhaps starting a reedmaking business, and auditioning for New World. All challenges, but all worth it.
I had really been holding out for a job with the school district as their oboe paraprofessional- basically a traveling oboe instructor for all 100+ middle and high schools in the area. They approved my application, but are somehow hung up in making the formal job offer- it is really hard being in limbo there. This week I've finally hit my limit and am going to forget about it and pursue other things.
There is a community about half an hour away in St. George, UT that has a lively artistic outlet that I'd love to break into. It is much closer than Vegas (which is about 80 minutes away) and it has several smaller orchestras, as well as an arts magnet school. I think I'm going to have to get creative here, it probably won't mean that I get to play in an orchestra in these parts but it does mean that I can learn about programming, marketing myself, planning, and maybe learning some wedding and event rep.
In other news, my innoledy oboe gouger is apparently ready- I've been waiting since May so that is great news for me and my oboe reeeds. If anyone has any set-up tips for care and keeping of a brand new machine- I'd love to hear!
This past week I experimented with a new reed set-up using the Mark Chudnow CA staple (47mm) with KGE cane (10-10.5) and my Jeanee-X shaper tip, the result: great response, easy blowing, dark sound, the stability that I love and the three reeds that I finished over a couple of days were very consistent. I am sold!
Well, time for a break- more to come!
I knew that living here would be hard, especially right after living in San Francisco- basically OZ for anything to do with the arts. Well... to do with anything- I really loved living there... it is an amazing city.
I had somehow convinced myself though that it would be a good challenge and that it would even in some way be fun to see what I could do in a new place. Rather than being any type of fun challenge- it has just been difficult.
We live outside the city, so I'm isolated from any type of musical community and there is only one professional orchestra in Las Vegas- it also isn't a full time gig. Because there are few oboe gigs, the people that have them are pretty protective of them which I can appreciate. I wouldn't want someone hawking my job, but on the other hand thats really not what I'm trying to do- I'm just looking for some opportunities, subbing, networking really. On the top of my "want" list right now is just to meet some other professional, dedicated, classical musicians to collaborate with.
My great friend, Ben Opie, acting principal oboe of his hometown orchestra in Adelaide, AU advised me a few days ago to "have hella goals" for this year, and I think he is really right. I think it is time for me to say- This is what I want to do- and do it. It includes taking my first (yikes) pro audition, perhaps starting a reedmaking business, and auditioning for New World. All challenges, but all worth it.
I had really been holding out for a job with the school district as their oboe paraprofessional- basically a traveling oboe instructor for all 100+ middle and high schools in the area. They approved my application, but are somehow hung up in making the formal job offer- it is really hard being in limbo there. This week I've finally hit my limit and am going to forget about it and pursue other things.
There is a community about half an hour away in St. George, UT that has a lively artistic outlet that I'd love to break into. It is much closer than Vegas (which is about 80 minutes away) and it has several smaller orchestras, as well as an arts magnet school. I think I'm going to have to get creative here, it probably won't mean that I get to play in an orchestra in these parts but it does mean that I can learn about programming, marketing myself, planning, and maybe learning some wedding and event rep.
In other news, my innoledy oboe gouger is apparently ready- I've been waiting since May so that is great news for me and my oboe reeeds. If anyone has any set-up tips for care and keeping of a brand new machine- I'd love to hear!
This past week I experimented with a new reed set-up using the Mark Chudnow CA staple (47mm) with KGE cane (10-10.5) and my Jeanee-X shaper tip, the result: great response, easy blowing, dark sound, the stability that I love and the three reeds that I finished over a couple of days were very consistent. I am sold!
Well, time for a break- more to come!
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