Unusual Christmas oboist treasures

This is an oboe angel. Yep. Special, huh? I found her here.

Apparently this angel orchestra is a German tradition, and they handcraft these little cuties with all of the instruments-- there is even an English horn.

My parents got me one of these at the Christkindlmarket in Chicago, fashioned to look like me when I was a lot younger-- it has since been misplaced, and is surely somewhere in the depths of their basement. It is kind of my mission to find it this Christmas... We'll see if I am lucky!

Home for the Holidays and more ebay goodies...

I am home today! I taught my last students, sold my last reeds yesterday and then headed home for "White Christmas" on TV and a Pawl family Christmas celebration with my husband before we head off to Michigan to see our families.

I am getting our doggies ready to head to the vet for their own little "vacation", trying to pack (mostly procrastinating) and have ended up here on the computer browsing some blogs, sending a last few email correspondences and of course-- sifting through a little oboe ebay.

Today I came across THIS! Isn't it great? I never recommend buying instruments on ebay, for soooo many good reasons-- but a little window shopping and daydreaming never hurt, right?

The only other horn that I have seen like this one belongs to Marilyn Coyne of the San Francisco opera who plays a rosewood, Loree EH with gold plated keys--- it is beyond gorgeous.

I love these beautiful instruments (rosewood, kingwood) with the extra bells and whistles (gold plated keys, or rose gold plated keys), however, I am too scared to own one because I have always thought that with them comes a certain sort of expectation...

I mean you have to be 1st chair in the Chicago Symphony to justify playing an oboe that outwardly awesome right??!!

I am pretty sure that I am just severely insecure, but ehhh maybe one day I will get around to owning a truly remarkable instrument like THIS...

One of the most interesting instruments like this, (to me personally) is the Yamaha 841 Kingwood oboe with the lined topjoint. I have several friends who use this horn and really love it. I have played them quite a bit, my former teacher Pamela Smith, of the San Francisco Symphony had two a regular 841 "ninja oboe" as she called it, and a "chocolate ninja" made of Kingwood.

Still thinking on this....... the price is right that is for sure! :)

Oboes for Christmas

THIS is a great little book of tunes that I got for this holiday season to do at the end of lessons the past couple of weeks. The arrangements are appropriate for Middle Schoolers, though I did break them out for my high school kids too just for a little holiday cheer (good sight reading time!).

Who knew that I would have all this time to blog-- I guess that is one positive of having car problems! Can't go anywhere, might as well be informative! :)

IDRS

To all of the IDRS members out there-- don't forget, it is time to renew membership for the new year!

Adjunct Oboe Instructor

Oh! And I almost forgot!

Beginning in August 2011-- I am the new Adjunct Oboe Instructor at Dixie State College in St. George, UT. It is only about a 20-30 minute drive from our house which may sound like a small jaunt but seems like child's play compared to my 80 minute (one way!!!) drives to Las Vegas between 3 and 5 times a week.

I am beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to do some teaching on the collegiate level. Up until this point, this is not something that I have had the chance to do-- it is difficult to gain college teaching experience because most colleges either want someone with at least one year of college teaching experience, or someone with a DMA.

Dixie has just gotten their charter to begin giving a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education as well as Bachelor's Degree in General Music, so it seems like the perfect place for a young teacher to start out. I will have the opportunity to build my own studio, recruit and retain students and hopefully get a nice little studio going!

Whereas I was kind of daydreaming about going to IDRS 2011 this year, now it is a definite MUST with all of the planning and preparation that I will have to do for the fall. It will be a great time to get lots of inspiration, hopefully some new insights, and just immerse myself in the oboe world for a little while! It isn't as easy to do all of that out here in the desert.

If anyone reading this blog is or was at any point a collegiate level oboe instructor, and you have tips for me-- please send them my way- I would really appreciate it!

SO EXCITED :)

Ebay O' the Day

Many kids, both my private students and the like- are often asking me "Can you teach me how to make reeds??!!", to which I say "Yes, if you are a private student of mine and WHEN you get the necessary equipment".

Obviously age plays a factor too, I try to hold off until mid high school (don't want to scare them off too early ;)

But it is tough to accumulate all of those necessary (and some weird and difficult to find!) reed making odds and ends. If you have read this blog, you know that I am a big fan of Ebay and that I like to do quit a bit of oboe shopping on there. Mostly for reedmaking supplies, and the occasional music (NEVER for instruments) I recently found a Landwell knife that retails for approx. $90 for $50- brand new! wooo hoo!

Here is a bunch of reedmaking supplies that looks to be pretty nice.

Merry Merry!

Well that was quite the gap between posts!

Things have been BUSY-- which for me-- is good. No matter how much I actually whine about being tired or stressed, the truth is that I would rather be busy and working than NOT.

I can't believe that Christmas has crept up so quickly this year, but in just one short week- I'll be traveling back home to Michigan to celebrate the holidays in my hometown with my family. I am really excited as I rarely get to see them these days! I am too busy, everyone is growing up and spreading out all over the place, and traveling these days has become pretty $$$.

One thing that I always love at Christmastime is of course... the MUSIC. I know that many players get bored of pops concerts, carols, and of Messiah-- but I love it. I think that music really "makes" the holidays for most people and definitely for the Kramer-Pawl household! I love breaking out the christmas carol oboe duets with my young students (sorry high schoolers-- it is Ferling or BUST until honor band auditions tomorrow!) And I really, really LOVE getting to play Christmas tunes with pro groups. (This year I even tried to have a stash of Red, Green, and Silver reeds!!?!)

So I am always listening away, and growing up as a nerdly little oboe player was always listening to everything waiting to hear an oboe! I can't get enough of the oboe playing in all of the old Christmas movies, and of definitely can't get enough of any holiday favorites performed on oboe and english horn.

My first Christmas playing the oboe, my mom purchased a CD she had heard playing in one of her favorite shopping haunts. She bought it because she had heard some beautiful oboe playing. This playing turned out to be a great version of the Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto. She played the CD, and was so excited- saying "someday that will be you!". You can imagine my face as an 11 year old beginning oboist my reaction was basically something like "you have got to be kidding". Although I was captivated by the amazing music coming out of our living room CD set up, I was doubtful.

I performed the complete Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto for my Mom on two separate recital occasions to thank her for always believing in me. I think that is what is so magical about Christmas-- BELIEVING.