 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: ptarmiganfeather
Date: 2014-03-04 21:14
Hello. I was curious how other oboists prepare for a performance.
Certainly no professional here but a dedicated amateur.
I don't practice the day of a concert. But the week up to I practice every day.
I hate to admit this but recently I have to eat right before a concert or I get dizzy. I carry a toothbrush in my case for that reason. I also drink tons of water cause it's so HOT on stage, our dress code is all black. I'd rather be too warm than not, so my fingers don't get too stiff.
What does everyone else do? Anything I'm missing that could make a concert easier?
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2014-03-04 22:03
I personally do not like to eat before a concert.
I like to arrive early and get comfortable.
My main orchestra always has a pre-concert rehearsal.
So the conductor always reviews major transitions etc.
I always have some water with me too ... stage lights are very hot!
If I am comfortable/confident/secure in the music ... every thing usual goes well.
Other things I have no control over:
"air conditioning" which most of the time leads to water in the octave keys etc.
the other oboist and/or members in the woodwind section.
A conductor with no "down beat".
Mark
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Author: oboi
Date: 2014-03-05 07:55
I usually do a lot of practicing the day before. I try to make sure my reeds are all ready days before. For recitals, I usually do not practice the day of because I always get worse as I play.... 1st time is usually the best. For orchestra/chamber, I sometimes practice day-of, although time often prevents me, and I don't particularly like taking my oboe outside just after I've played on it. Usually I do go over any tricky bits while everyone is setting up. I ideally want to show up at least 45 mins before the concert because I do take the LONGEST to set up. This allows me to warm up in relative quietude (before the brass decide to shatter some eardrums). After the whole orchestra is seated and warming up, there is pretty much no point testing candidate reeds or checking out my own intonation. I bring my reed vial filled to most places (lesson, rehearsal, concert), so I don't waste time looking for the nearest sink. I can pretty much correlate the amount of time I arrive at a concert to the quality of my playing. If I am late and panicky, I almost always do worse than if set-up/warm up like a sloth.
I'm not too picky about the eating, as long as I don't feel uber full. I do try to make a habit of drinking some water or plain tea to wash down any residue of it, though, if I've recently eaten. But I've been weak sometimes..... having a coffee without rinsing before I head off to the concert or sometimes, nibbling on the intermission goodies (can't let the strings have all the desserts!).
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Author: Oboe Craig
Date: 2014-03-05 20:37
Peanut butter on milti-grain bread with honey! And COFFEE!!! A banana for good measure = my favorite pre-concert food.
On the road to the place... about an hour away. Carries me for 5 - 6 hours w/o an energy sag.
Anyway, that plus a good warm-up pre-concert (early so no one else is in the room) to get a feel for the room, reed, etc.
Practice is limited to conserve energy, too., and mostly about last minute reed things to worry about.
For me, I usually need travel up a couple thousand feet or down 1500 ft from where I live to where I perform, and that make the reeds behave differently. I try to predict the differences, take several good reeds and no knifes, NO KNIFES, to rehs. and concerts
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Author: ptarmiganfeather
Date: 2014-03-05 18:33
Oh good responses. Thank you all.
Mjfoboe - We also have a pre concert rehearsal, breaking 30 mins before the start of the concert.
Oboi - I am fortunate to not have to sit in front of the trumpets this time. My least favorite is sitting in front of the trumpets and right next to piccolo. I do use ear plugs for most songs. It is so easy to get overexposed to noise. I was given a pair of etymotic ear plugs - they seem to interfere less with the overall sound.
Haha Craig, I could see the no knife rule. Very easy to mangle a promising reed.
I will definitely try the peanut butter on multi grain.
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Author: JRC
Date: 2014-03-06 07:56
It is like playing golf. You do not want to waste all the good swings on the range just before the game. Save some for the real game.
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Author: oboi
Date: 2014-03-06 09:34
How common it is for orchestras to use a "blast shield" (um, I'm pretty sure that's not the right terminology, lol) in front of the trumpets? Our pro orchestra here has those clear music stand-like shields that they put in front of the trumpets (and maybe trombone?). I've been fortunate to be just in front the the bassoons usually. The flutes, however, always seem to be sitting in front of the trumpets at concert. Poor them! I think those would be a good investment for amateur orchestras, who tend to be cramped in some weird hall for performances.
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Author: jhoyla
Date: 2014-03-06 10:45
I love Craig's food advice! I also have a sweet sandwich and a coffee pre-concert, and a banana in my bag for the interval.
I have my touch-up kit with me always. Herder knife + fine India stone, plaques and a billet, all in a convenient package. My concession to Craig is that I never touch my best reed - I'll only ever adjust my second-best reed.
I only EVER adjust for function, NEVER for tone - intonation, or to make the low notes speak at a whisper, or to improve attack. I always sound my best when I am playing freely without reed worries, irrespective of tone.
BTW, if my touch-up is so successful that my second-best reed becomes my best - well, the same rule applies ...
J.
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Author: cjwright
Date: 2014-03-06 12:02
Friday.
4:00 go to hall and test reeds/warm up.
4:30-6:00 Orchestra Sound check (usually done by 5:30)
6:00 go next door and eat something light. Usually a club or tuna sandwich.
6:30 get changed into tails.
6:50 ready backstage.
7:00 show time.
We have a weird policy where we can't play on stage 30 mins prior to the concert so I can't get onstage sooner. Otherwise this might be a little different.
Blog, An Oboe In Paradise
Solo Oboe, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra
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Author: mjfoboe
Date: 2014-03-06 16:40
I would add I also make sure I have multiple reeds for a concert. I also will not fiddle with my best reed. I very rarely adjust reeds at a concert ... and when I do it is because the reed needs to be a bit freer and requires a slight dusting of the heart.
At rare times - at the concert hall a reed will begin to play slightly flat .... this more of a problem - I would rather not clip and re-scrape a reed at a concert.
Mark
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Author: darryoboe
Date: 2014-03-06 15:56
I've made an effort to not require a detailed routine as I generally have to drive at least an hour (usually 2) before a concert.
I do a couple of things to make this easier:
I make a point to eat a couple of hours before the concert. This way I'm not overly full but still have enough energy to play. I try to drink lots of water too. If you do this it's also helpful to know the location of the rest room nearest to the stage.
I arrange the reeds in my reed case from hardest/most resistant to softest/least resistant, so if the one I pick initially isn't quite right, the one next to it usually is, and I don't have to try out 6 different reeds. I make a point to NEVER adjust reeds after I get there.
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Author: Oboe Craig
Date: 2014-03-07 02:33
With you on the salient points, for sure.
And as it turns out ( and my wife can attest) the world is my urinal....
Solves for at least 1/2 the problems in travel.
Seriously, with a little practice you can do it in front of a police station and not get written up.
As with oboe, the practice evolves to an art form.
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