In the past month, I’ve had 2 colleagues brave the bass oboe part in Holst’s Planets, one here in Chicago and one in Nashville. It’s a very cool part and doubles on oboe, and there are some juicy low B solo tidbits that are pretty scary. I’ve tried a Heckelphone before, but the few notes my friend let me honk out this past month was the only time I’ve tried…

When this time of year rolls around, I always get nostalgic for all of those good school memories I have of being at Eastman, in Rochester NY. By now, it is REALLY fall in Rochester and I associate that with getting back into the swing of things, oboe-wise. The school year always started with an oboe studio meeting (and sometimes a party) that allowed all the new and old oboists…

I’ve been playing more English horn lately and it’s got me thinking about the importance of a good bocal. Bocals can vary completely in sound, pitch, and stability, but finding the right combination for your horn and playing style can make a world of difference. Currently I’m playing a Laubin 3 and Hiniker 2 B11. I really like how the Laubin sounds—covered and smooth, but sometimes it can feel small,…

You know when you’re kind of in a slump? Not a reed slump or an oboe slump necessarily, but just feeling blah? I’ve felt this way the last few days or so… nothing “wrong” per se, the weather’s been good and everything is really fine. Maybe it’s a momentary lack of motivation or just too much time in the car enduring the unsurpassable Chicago traffic. I don’t really know, but…

If you make a living playing music, you are probably aware of the following points: you are in business (as the sole owner of You, Inc.) marketing can be a major key to your success Music is both art and business, and if you depend on it to keep your lights on and food on your table, you will need to pay attention to both parts. In business, one of…

I woke up one Saturday in February to find a huge article in the New York Times about the abundance of available oboe positions among the nation’s top symphonies. As a member of the “next generation” of oboists that was mentioned in the article, I took issue with some of the stuff that was said. In particular, that there is any shortage of qualified players to fill the aforementioned positions.…