Ebay of the Day!

This is one that I actually own! It is framed and hangs in the music room with all of the other serious stuff like diplomas ;)

My Mom got it for me one Christmas long ago, and I think I was still in total denial of just how far gone with the oboe I really was. I finally pulled it out of hiding and put it up as a reminder that while there are a lot of serious aspects of being a professional musician, it doesn't have to be serious ALL the time!

Insomnioboe

I very, very rarely suffer from insomnia. Tonight is one of those nights -I just cannot fall asleep and of course, it is one of the nights this week that I need to sleep. Tomorrow is Teaching Tuesday and I am not only adding a new student, but I am moving my home studio student that lives in town to an earlier AM time! Yikes!

It would be like someone granting me a magical wish to be able to stay at home or any set location and teach my students (I really like the idea of being at home though!!!) My teaching is probably the job affected most by my commute. It is easy to come in and out of town for gigs; they have ONE set location and time-- very simple. My students however, really cover the map of the city and while I hate to sound like a wimp about it- it is very difficult to drive from place to place in Las Vegas traffic often times in a hurry.

I HAVE to find a place to settle down and teach in Las Vegas. I am getting annoyed that the major music store in town has not responded to the resume and request that I put in for a room and time slot... I guess I will just have to be a pain in their side ;)

I just have this dream vision of my nice little oboe room with all of my alphabetized music, my reed desk, my oboe sitting on it's peg, and me sipping some tea waiting for the next student to waltz in. Well... I suppose I will just have to keep dreaming until I can start some more kids on oboe this fall here in Mesquite. While I know that I will never have a studio here at home like the one I have in Vegas- I really hope to at least begin to create some turnover into the High School here which hasn't a single oboe kiddo.

(I know that I have talked a little bit about the town we live in before, but to put it in perspective- there are two elementary schools, one middle school (where my husband is the band director) and one high school. In Las Vegas there are about 50 middle schools and 30 high schools that I visit as the district oboe specialist.

Well now, writing all of this has made me a little bit sleepy. I had better try and go get some rest or I will not be a very fun oboe teacher tomorrow!

Better Homes and...oboes

Kind of want these for the music room. Cool idea, but I shouldn't get ahead of myself... we still haven't heard back about the house! Ahhh the waiting game continues...

Bach - Brandenburg Concertos No.2 - ii: Andante

Something familiar, but perhaps with a twist. Many of us are used to playing some of these arrangements with creative instrumentations, and usually on modern instruments.

I always love listening something I have performed or am going to perform, performed in its most original format. Oboe players have an interesting challenge of presenting our repertoire which is rooted deeply in the baroque and classical style periods. Though I do not play a period instrument (I have tried, and it was pretty hairy ;)) I think there is something extremely valuable in applying baroque performance practice to a modern performance on a modern oboe.

Plus... its just lovely to listen to a great baroque group like this. Everything suddenly seems so much less complex, and the "air" of the movement really comes through- that is to say, it gives the audience a strong feeling or impression. Just beautiful.

Fun Stuff!

This week I ordered some new reed thread- I have been on the lookout for some pretty new colors, having recently acquired navy blue, deep purple, and a pretty red.

My color choice this time was magenta! As seen in the photo in the top left corner, cannot wait to have some magenta reeds!

Tyler reminded me that technically I have more than enough thread now to last a lifetime... he just doesn't understand ;) As oboeworks said it best, "Honestly- colors are the ONLY fun part about making reeds".

Musical Desserts

I am not one of those teachers that is going to make my students play what I assign, and ONLY that material. Playing the oboe is hard enough as it is, and it really takes some patience and buckling down in the first years of learning how to play. The rate of progress for a young oboe player runs at it's own rate and it can seem slower than other instruments.

I really think that it is important to give young students some musical dessert from time to time. They need to stay excited about the oboe, and avoid getting stressed or discouraged... and summer is the perfect time to have something sweet :)

I have a few broadway books, movie themes, and and trying to collect some more fun musical selections. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated for beginning level through high school level!

World Equestrian Games Music - Karl Der Grosse

Ok, this is my last video post.... at least for tonight. I think I am really just looking for an opportunity to wear a costume and play the oboe... good thing I work in Las Vegas, I just might get my wish one of these days!