My last Elixir opera rehearsal was Thursday, because I skipped out on Friday’s final sitz. I had UCSC, and it’s just too darn difficult to reschedule five oboe students and a woodwind quintet. After Thursday’s afternoon rehearsal I raced back home to teach my 5:00 student (having had to cancel the other two). When I’m teaching I usually pull out my “I sure hope these start to behave soon” reeds and use them. (Yeah, I even embarrass myself — sometimes the reeds seriously misbehave in front of my students!) Friday, when I get to campus, I have about 15 minutes to warm up before student #1 shows up. So I got there this past Friday, and decided to do a bit of practicing on the “better” (hah!) reeds.
Forget about it.
My “good” reeds in my beautiful case weren’t there!
So where the heck are they? I’m praying they are resting happily on the tray attached to my stand in the opera pit. I emailed my colleague to ask if she saw them, but unfortunately she had to skip the rehearsal due to illness. I wrote to the sub, and haven’t heard back.
So I won’t know until I know. And you can quote me on that.
How can I forget my reeds, you wonder? Well, I keep my cute little reed case (see #EMOE) in a black felt sleeve I made, simply to keep the case looking nice. (Yeah, that’s the way I am. Pathetic, no?) When I pack up the reeds and put the case in the sleeve I’m hoping I set it back on the black tray. It’s possible I just didn’t see them, then, when I was putting everything in my handy dandy backpack.
Meanwhile, I have to have some rescue reeds in case I have actually lost the case. (I’d be very very sad if it’s gone.) Time will tell. And last night I did have a dream that was probably about all this; I had three reeds sitting in my little glass of water. I picked them up and slammed them into my chest. Somehow all three reeds not only cracked, but broke in half. I was just about to sit down and rehearse in a woodwind quintet. So I had to frantically make more reeds. It was similar to dreams where you are trying to run and can’t — I think everyone has had those — but in this case I couldn’t carve. Go figure.
UPDATE
My “good” (bad) reeds ARE on the tray. I’m especially relieved because I really like the reed case. 🙂
Haha – I know what you mean about your favorite reed case – I have one I love…
Thanks for your comments about the reflux. I am on 40mg Nexium daily and feel quite an improvement. I also feel a lump in my throat, but not always. At least I am hardly coughing now and my throat isn’t hurting any more. But I do feel mucus in my throat that is annoying…
I will try to adhere to the dietary constraints as much as I can, but when I teach until 8:30 pm or have a rehearsal until 10:00, it is challenging.
I wonder if the AR has anyting to do with the oboe being a high pressure instument that aggravates something internally… like pushes all that acid up the esophogus?
Have a good run of the Opera – happy reeds to you 🙂
You know, I was going to comment about oboe playing/acid reflux at your site: I wouldn’t be at all surprised if there was a connection. I’ve never asked my doctor.
I’m so glad to have my reed case back! Even with the not all that great reeds in it. (But I never have great reeds. I just have to deal with what I make. Go figure.) At least this opera isn’t a biggie.
The worst I’ve done is to run over my reeds as they sat in the case cover pocket on the oboe! Both items went under the back wheel of a pickup truck I was driving! I thought I felt something go bump!? The only harm was the reed case won’t close now. Lucky!
You ran OVER all of that and only the case was harmed? Not lucky … amazing!
I think they sort of popped out the side. I put them on the grass next to the driveway and then, changed directions while forgetting. When I got out, I wondered why my bag was lying on it’s side. Until I went to it and saw the tire marks over it. Ooopsie!