Too Cute!

27. December 2007 · Comments Off on Too Cute! · Categories: Ramble, Videos, Watch

So when oboists begin, they aren’t playing the popular Gabriel’s Oboe or Penderecki, and you might not wind up playing in a major symphony orchestra like Liang Wang for a while. But they can play some simpler tunes and I say, good start, Sarah!

No, she isn’t my student. I just found this on YouTube. The first thing I’d love to do is get her a reed. (I suspect she’s playing on a plastic reed … anyone else with me on this?) But really, this sweet girl is getting notes and a big sound and she’s as cute as can be, too.

Hoorah for young, new oboists! 🙂

Help? Anyone?

27. December 2007 · 6 comments · Categories: Links, Ramble

There are a lot of oboe works I am not familiar with. I’ll admit that up front.

So I just found a CD at iTunes with Jan Thuri on oboe, playing with the Thuri Chamber Orchestra. The CD is called F. X. Thuri Oboe Concertos. I assumed Thuri must be related to Jan, and probably conducting or playing continuo.

And I’d never heard these works before. They’re pretty. Very Baroque. Predictable, but lovely.

So I was going to admit how stupid I am and have my readers help me out.

But … well … wait!

The only thing I can find suggests that they are by the composer F. X. Thuri, who was born in 1936. Am I reading this page correctly?

Thoughts?

Shoes!

27. December 2007 · Comments Off on Shoes! · Categories: Links

First we had oboe shoes. And now we have auditions shoes.

Just so you know.

Oh Dear …

27. December 2007 · Comments Off on Oh Dear … · Categories: Other People's Words, You Gotta Be Kidding

The musical instruments that are considered woodwind instruments will be equipped with one or two reeds. The shaping of woodwind musical instruments is tubular, and certain woodwinds will have several curves in the tube, which will allow different sounds to be made simply by the shape of the instrument. The musician will place a reed in the mouthpiece to create sound and the amount of air in the tubing will determine what type of sound will be emitted.

Really? Whoa.

And I guess flutes are in a category of their own now, eh?

And later …

The remaining sections of the woodwind section will be comprised of musical instruments such as the oboe. This grouping will include the English horn based on the shaping of the tube, and this woodwind styled instrument does not use a reed to promote the sound.

Hmmm. No reed? Really?

Whew.

(I looked around at the site to see who wrote all the blog entries, but could find nothing. Plugging in the quote above I’m taken to another site. Is someone selling this “article”? Putting it out there for free? Is it for students who want to avoid doing work? If so, they would be turning in an awful paper! Or maybe it’s just someone who was writing nonsense for fun?)

Congratulations, Scott Bearden!

27. December 2007 · Comments Off on Congratulations, Scott Bearden! · Categories: Announcements

Scott Bearden won the Chester Ludgin Memorial International Verdi Baritone Competition in November. Read about it here.

Scott will be singing the lead in Opera San José’s Rigoletto in February. (Opera San José needs to update a lot of their “where are they now?” bios. I suppose it is pretty difficult to keep up with all these people!)

The last time we did Rigoletto Scott was a resident artist here. I look forward to hearing him in the role again.

Five Ways

27. December 2007 · 2 comments · Categories: Links, Ramble

This blogger gives you a list of 5 ways to thank your music teacher.

Now … what DO I want? REEDS. REEDS. REEDS.

Got it? 😉

Okay. Joking. Go to concerts. Practice. Show up to your lessons. Don’t cancel at the last minute. Laugh at my bad jokes.

What do I think of TGM’s suggestions? Just not all what I want, is all … I’m not saying these suggestions aren’t good for others. But some don’t work for me. So here goes …

1) No “booze” please. I like it. I don’t love it. I just don’t feel comfortable with a student giving me alcohol. Maybe that’s silly, but there you go. (Too many drunk musician stories … don’t want to go there!)

2) A practice diary? I like it! Especially when you are honest in the thing. (Don’t tell me you’ve practiced 45 minutes if most of that time is spent on meditation!) When a student tells me he/she has practiced all that I assigned but then can’t remember which pieces he/she practiced I’m … um … just a wee bit suspicious!

3) While inviting me out for ice cream is a nice gesture, I just don’t have time to go out after lessons. But go have some and think of me while you enjoy it, okay? (Gelato or frozen yogurt is even better. A chocolate and berry duo is highly recommended.)

4) I think concert tickets could be a very sweet idea, but considering my schedule I might have a conflict with whatever you choose. How ’bout YOU go to a concert and fill me in on it? I’d absolutely love it if my students would go to concerts now and then. Really!

5) Crafting a good practice routine is an excellent idea. Go for it!

The blog, The Good Musician is a fun read. Check it out! (I had commented on something from the site quite a long time ago. It came across as critical, which I didn’t intend. Please know this post is not meant to be critical either. K?)