University Students … Anyone Else?!

12. September 2007 · Comments Off on University Students … Anyone Else?! · Categories: Announcements

I begin SCU next week, and UCSC the week after. I’ve heard from some new students as well as those of you who studied with me last year, but if there are any more of you out there, please contact me! I need to schedule teaching days, and I have to work around student schedules. I’m on each campus once a week.

I’m posting this here because I’ve been getting visits from the university links to this site. It makes me wonder if there are more of you out there.

Email for UCSC: pmitchel [at] ucsc [dot] edu
Email for SCU: pattyoboe [at] me [dot] com

Thanks!

The Winner Is (Are) …

12. September 2007 · Comments Off on The Winner Is (Are) … · Categories: Ramble

Okay … here goes … one thing leads to another …

The winner of the San Francisco Opera principal oboe audition is now playing at the opera, so I can safely tell you, even though I still don’t see his name, that the new oboist is Shea Scruggs. I’m really looking forward to hearing him!

He’s a young one, to be sure. If you go here you’ll read about his senior recital. In 2005. He then served a one-year appointment in Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, prior to their audition. That principal oboe audition was won by Dwight Parry. Parry had been the principal oboist in San Diego Symphony. That position, which was, of course, auditioned, is now held by Christopher Gaudi, which you will see on their nicely updated roster.

Dominoes! As is often the case.

Anyone in Peoria?

12. September 2007 · Comments Off on Anyone in Peoria? · Categories: Announcements

The Bradley University Music Department will host internationally acclaimed British oboist Gordon Hunt in recital on Wednesday, October 10, at 7:30 p.m. in Dingeldine Music Center, located at 1417 W. Barker Avenue. The program will be an all British program including works by Benjamin Britten, Michael Head, Alan Richardson and Edmund Rubbra. Hunt will be assisted in the program by pianist Marcelina Turcanu. The concert is free and open to the public.

RTWT

Me? I’ll be at San Francisco Opera, for the world premiere of the Philip Glass opera Appomattox. Still, I’d love to hear Mr. Hunt. I wonder if he’s headed out this way at any point.

Names? Anyone?

12. September 2007 · Comments Off on Names? Anyone? · Categories: Ramble, Videos

The following links are to the oboe/EH trio written by John Marvin. If anyone can provide players’ names I’d love to know! I’m wondering if this was done at the latest IDRS convention. Just an idea … maybe a poor guess. (SEE UPDATE BELOW!)

Gee, I’d love to do this work sometime! Any takers? (But I do hate playing standing up; I’d opt for the seated version of the work.)

For those of you who aren’t aware of water in keys … the English hornist has to blow into one of her keys in the first video. This is to blow any water out. These days I’ve been getting tons of water in my oboe’s top octave key. That’s what happens when cold air blows on the instrument—and me—and I’m blowing warm air through a very small bore. Sigh.

THE ANSWER (Thanks to the person who posted the videos, I believe.):
Here are the names of the fine players from the video: 1st oboe is Lara Wickes, 2nd oboe is Kate Green and English horn is played by Lindsay Edwards. Kudos to all of you … and drop me a line sometime! 🙂

I still don’t know, though, when this all took place. Or if there is more. (I want more!)

Review #3

12. September 2007 · Comments Off on Review #3 · Categories: Ramble

I’m guessing this might be the final review. It’s yet another very positive review, and another fine mention for our principal flutist, Isabelle Chapuis. This time, too, Karen Thielen, our harpist, gets a nice mention.

Very often the instrumentalists only get mentioned if we are doing something wrong. I’m so happy to see my friends get these kudos!

MQOD

12. September 2007 · Comments Off on MQOD · Categories: Quotes

I am in two. I am in four. I am in everything at once. This is opera!

-a conductor for a Pavarotti extravaganza in LA (read here)

I love it!

Nice Place

12. September 2007 · Comments Off on Nice Place · Categories: Ramble, Videos, Watch

I want to live here. That’s not too much to ask, is it? It just seems conducive to fine music making. (But I probably would rarely—if ever—listen to The Moldau. Not my cuppa.)

I’ll bet even my reeds would come along quicker and happier. 🙂

I Want One!

12. September 2007 · 2 comments · Categories: Ramble

Musician Trading Cards. This isn’t a new idea, and when I heard from someone who did this years ago he said it didn’t work at all for their organization. But maybe people are ready for them now; they sound like they are a hit in Houston.

I like the idea! As long as I wouldn’t have to don a baseball uniform. I think that would show off my far too heavy body. And maybe I could have a makeup artist fix the face too. And take years off my life. And, and, and …

Still … I think this would be great fun. I notice they don’t have percentages on the cards, though. Hmmm. If we batted even .500 we’d be outa the game!

#2 Review

12. September 2007 · 2 comments · Categories: Ramble, Reviews

(And no, I doubt I’ll put every review for every gig of mine up here … but this is, after all, OSJ’s opening!)

Joshua Kosman has a review of opening night. San Francisco Chronicle coming all the way to little old San Jose to review the opera? Wow!