Issue 83 – Oboe Reed Report

Published on 03 September 2009 by Maryn in Reed Report Back Issues

Comments

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*****The Reed Report: Issue 83*****
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Congratulations! As a subscriber, you are one of the
first to see this important information.

In this issue:

-A Note from Maryn
-Oboe Reeds are Coming Back!
-Featured Oboe Video
-Oboe Thought of the Week
-The Reed Tip
-Oboe Reed Trivia

Please add “info@mklreeds.com” to your whitelist or address
book in your e-mail program, so that you have no trouble
receiving future issues!

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A Note from Maryn
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Thursday, 12:35 P.M.
Cornville AZ

I’m pretty excited about today’s issue of the Reed Report.
Mainly because I have a LOT of new things to tell you about.

But first, I’d like to introduce you to a new member of the
family.

(No, not another baby… a dog.)

This is Macy.

I rescued her back in June from a Dog Fair up in Flagstaff,
AZ.

She’s only about a year old. But she’s already had quite a
life. Born in Memphis, TN, she was hit by a car AND had a
litter of 7 puppies all in the first 10 months of her
life… before we adopted her.

So NOW we have a full house. That’s 4 kids, 3 dogs, 7
chickens, 1 rooster and two goats on the way…

Life is good.

OK, let’s get going…

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Oboe Reeds are Coming Back!
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We’re just a few days away from offering oboe reeds again.
But things this time around will be quite a bit different…

Of course our reeds will still be guaranteed (unless you
wait 3 months to send them back :) …

But instead of waiting weeks to get them, you’ll have to
wait just a few days…

We’re REALLY excited to get back into the reed business,
simply because great reeds is a need that every oboist
shares… everywhere.

So be on the lookout for an announcement in the VERY near
future.

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Featured Oboe Video
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This week’s featured oboe video is something brand new.
It’s called: Everything Oboe.

Each episode will be filled with a variety of neat things,
but in general, the focus is on the oboe, on being a
musician… and having some fun!

So take a look at the first episode.

See Everything Oboe

And be sure to leave a comment below the video.

If you have something YOU’D like to share with the oboe
community and want to appear (in video or audio) on an
upcoming episode, just let me know.

We’ll be doing interviews with oboists of all types!

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Oboe Thought of the Week
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“…be yourself- not your idea of what you think somebody
else’s idea of yourself should be.”

-Henry David Thoreau

I can’t think of anywhere this is more important than in
music and in life.

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The Reed/Oboe Tip
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This issue’s tip comes from Nicholas Cohen in Rochester NY:

“Greetings from Rochester, NY.  I’ve been reading and
enjoying your newsletter for quite a while now.  I don’t use
a pipe cleaner on my “old” reeds.  Instead I hold the reed
in water in a glass (about half way down the cane), and move
a delicate-tipped feather from the end of the staple in and
out until no more “gunk” comes out into the water.  This
method was taught to me way back in the 1950s by my oboe
teacher in NYC, Lois Wann.  (She taught me lots of other
more important things, of course.)   

That’s a great tip Nicholas! Thank you!

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Oboe Reed Trivia
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Each week we feature a bit of oboe trivia to help keep your
oboe brains sharp. Sometimes the questions are easy,
sometimes they are not so easy.

All of the correct answers we receive from all of you are
put into a hat and one lucky winner is chosen to receive a
special prize.

This week’s question is a bit different. There’s no right
answer… just your answer. And we’d love to hear it!

Here’s this week’s question:

What’s your BEST memory of the oboe? A performance, a
teacher, a favorite piece? Tell us your story.

Post your answer as a comment below by Friday at
5:00PM CST to be included in the drawing.

Good luck!

Thanks for reading. Until next time…

Happy playing,

Maryn Leister
MKL Reeds
maryn@mklreeds.com
http://www.mklreeds.com

  • kerplonkz
    I was ten when my aunt (who was also my piano teacher) brought me to watch the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as a birthday present. They played Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf. It was the first time I was ever watching an orchestra, and guess what? I was strongly attracted to the tune and the timbre of the Duck, which was the Oboe! I requested to learn the oboe ever since, and persisted for about 8 years. I was finally allowed to learn it at eighteen, and under the tutelage of my teacher Carolyn, I got a diploma within 3 years (:

    -Natalie Ng,
    B(A) Hons, University of Wales
  • tylerchen
    I remember one time when I was in high school when I went to a weeklong summer music camp at Central Washington University where I got to play with other high school music students in a symphony-type environment. Up until that week, the only instruments I had access to were my school's plastic beginner-level Selmers that were constantly out of adjustment and just did me no favors at all. Thanks to Brent Hages, the wonderful oboe instructor at CWU, I was graced with the privilege of playing on a wooden Lorée that belonged to the university for that entire week. I can still remember it really well: it had a full conservatory system without the third octave key, and it was made in the '80s. Despite its age and my inexperience at the time, I could tell it had been well cared for, and it just sounded like gold. The vast difference between the Lorée and the Selmer I had worked with all along was enough to bring me to tears when it came time for me to return the Lorée to the university. It was a real defining moment in my life, and it motivated me to continue studying the oboe. If I hadn't gotten that chance, I may not be where I am in my life right now.

    -Tyler Chen
    University of Idaho, Moscow, ID
  • kaitlinjohnsen
    My favorite oboe memory was in middle school. I was the only oboe player in my school's history, according to my music teacher. In the beginning of 8th grade, I was itching to learn to play a new instrument while still maintaining my flute skills. My music teacher at the time said to try trumpet or saxophone, but I wanted more of a challenge. I researched instruments on the Internet and ended up picking the oboe. A month later, I had an oboe in my hands. With no teacher who was able to teach me the oboe, I picked up the entire Rubank Method series for oboe and sat down and taught myself. To this day, people are still amazed that I sat down and took the time to teach myself the oboe with just me, the books, and a few different tuners.
  • jillforsythkoritala
    My favorite oboe story took place while I was in high school. I was the first oboe player and had a number of solos at our concert that evening which started at 7 PM. I had gone to the dentist and much to my chagrine, I had a cavity. I told the dentist that I needed to make sure that the novacane wore off prior to the concert and he indicated that it would be no problem. Hours later, I sat down ready for the performance of my life and realized, I couldn't blow a note. My check was still numb and I had no muscle control to even get the reed to squeek. At the time, I was horrified and now many years later, I chuckle every time I think about it!
  • robertberinson
    Many years ago, while I was still a high school student, I had the priviledge to study oboe with John Minsker - the legendary oboist and English Horn player with the Philadelphia Orchestra. During one of the lessons, as I started to play a multi-page Barret exercise I knew I was in trouble - rhythm/phrasing etc. Minsker stopped me and took my oboe to show me the correct way to play it. I expected him to play a few measures, but he got carried away and played the complete exercise. I was totally stunned and awed at what I had heard. When he finished there was a pause - I said "That was great. Take the next exercise for next week." He smiled and I explained that I had a momentary role-reversal moment.
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