Author: hautbois francais
Date: 2011-03-22 00:37
Joined the school military band at 13 and already had Grade 8 in piano, violin and theory. Band teacher asked me what I wanted to play. I said the bagpipes(marching band) and oboe(concert band). It was in the 70s, few at that age even heard what an oboe is, so there is virtually no competition then competiting for the school's nice new instruments, like the oboe. The bagpipe complement was a natural, because it was also a double reed.
My next goal was to get in the local youth orchestras. Although, I had a Grade 8 in violin, but hundreds also had the same. Thousands, had grade 8 piano, so what? Hence, I needed to have a skill on a special instrument. Getting into a youth orchestra playing the violin was intense competition for very limited space. I walked right in playing 2nd oboe, without even so much as an audition. The older kid got the first chair, and he wasnt even that good.
I took the graded exams and skipped to Grade 5 and later Grade 8 in 2 years. At 15, I was accepted 2nd oboe in a local symphony Orchestra and paid a salary. That was the most gratifying experience of my life. It was then I learned to make reeds from a Japanese who was principal oboe who only showed up for concerts. Whenever, he was in town, he'd stay with my family and spend many hours showing me how to make my own reeds. He saw me as his kid protege. I made shitty reeds for years, playable, but sounded really quacky and bright. I was 2nd oboe, I figured it wont matter, even if my reeds werent that great. The others would drown me out. By 16, I took the LSRM in oboe performance.
At 16, I needed to take the big academic exams to determine my future. I had to leave the orchestra and had to think seriously about a career and a future. Like Robin, I chose to be an Engineer. However, I continued my trainng on the oboe every now, attending conservatory master classes and then but that took 2nd or even 3rd place in my life, till it petered out to be last place in my life and close to nothing for many years.
After 25 years in my career as an engineer, I retired from that and now dedicating some time back on the oboe. As Robin and I have been active in some comms, I want to try to change my sound by changing the way I made my reeds. I was trained in the American style. I was thinking, perhaps, perhaps some kind of hybrid can help me find the sound I am looking for.
Why oboe ? It must be an undying love and passion for playing such a beautiful instrument !
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The Oboe BBoard
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