This Summer... so far

This summer is going great so far, I have had time to really relax and enjoy teaching my students (all of whom are taking lessons throughout the summer). I have been teaching for an entire day on Tuesdays this summer to save on mileage and energy that the drive into Vegas consumes during the regular school year. Sure, it is tiring to teach from 10am to 6pm, but I really have been looking forward to it every week and it is always a day that ends with zero energy but a rewarding feeling of satisfaction with all of my kiddos.

I have been really working to streamline my lesson curriculum to help not only myself by staying more organized but by becoming more efficient for the kids as well. I don't like the idea of an oboe lesson "formula" because every kid is really different and I want them playing different music and focusing on their different strengths and weaknesses, especially the kids that attend LVA together. I want them to all feel like they have their own individual music and are on their own path (it gets competitive enough at a performing arts high school!).

Lately, it seems like I have taken a group of my upper middle schoolers into the highest range of the instrument, as it becomes necessary and I have noticed that I have been drawing WAY too many messy and perhaps unclear "drawings" of the oboe fingerings. Oboe fingering charts are crazy, I have been unable to find any two that are alike in my recent search, and there are many variances on the high E and F fingerings. I came to a great solution: This stamp from Midwest Musical Imports. Now I can just fill in the blanks without having to draw my sketchy gross version every single time (it takes awhile!).

I was recently asked how I feel when I am playing music, if it was "motivational"? It was an interesting question and got me thinking about how I feel when I am "working". I can only describe it very simply; my heart feels full when I play music on oboe and English horn. I don't know how many different jobs that can be said about, although come to think about it, isn't that how you would want to feel if you were spending so much of your time doing something? I love playing, it is that simple- it just fills me up to the brim with happiness. I consider myself very lucky to spend so much of my time doing something that I love so much.