Being an oboist is my job. This includes both playing and teaching. I love my jobs, and I look forward to rehearsing, performing and working with students. Of course when I don’t have playing jobs with the various groups of which I’m a member, I make no income from them. Some months are very good. Others are not. Summers can be frighteningly empty.
And then there’s teaching. Students, please be considerate and don’t cancel lessons on a whim! Not practicing is not an excuse. Legitimate excuses include illness, emergency and leaving town. Recently a large number of you have canceled for less than great reasons, and I’m finding this a bit distressing. I’ve been rethinking my pay-by-the-week policy: if students continue to cancel I’m afraid I’ll have to charge monthly, with no refunds on canceled lessons. You all know I don’t like to do this because I sometimes have to cancel lessons due to orchestra rehearsals, and I don’t like to “owe” you a lesson since it’s difficult to reschedule them. So let’s do things right and not go there, okay? I’ve always been understanding when you have canceled lessons, but the numbers have been growing and it is making me uncomfortable and extremely frustrated.
Keep in mind, too, that sporadic lessons don’t accomplish nearly as much as the weekly lessons that are best for you! Can you imagine seeing your middle or high school teachers once every few weeks. (Okay, okay … you might dream that that could happen too!) But really … I’m here to help you improve, and encourage you in your “oboing” and if I don’t see you I can’t do those things! Who else is going to say “corners forward,” “don’t bite the reed,” and “head up!” … huh? 🙂
In Other News …
Symphony Silicon Valley begins rehearsals tomorrow. (Thus, the Beethoven quote below. Guess I’ll have to find one from Silbelius and Grieg as well.) I hear that both concerts are completely sold out. This is two sets in a row that have been sold out. How ’bout that?!
From there I have a week off, and then move on to Opera San Jose and Don Giovanni. It’s a good, looong opera!
University Students Take Note!
I hope you are all enjoying your Spring break. Do be safe now, y’hear? I’ll see you all next week: I’ll be at UCSC on Tuesday and SCU on Thursday.
—–
