The Oboe BBoard

The Oboe BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Re: What type of group do you play in?

Author: Halcyon440
Date: 2015-04-21 05:53

I remembered my login after several years away! I started playing oboe at age 30 ten years ago and took 4 years off in there to have two kids. I've been back at it since May of 2012 when I joined an audition free community orchestra. It was my first orchestral experience ever and I was hooked since the big symphonic works are my first love. We grew from playing easiest pieces to entire symphonies (most recently Beethoven 5). They play year round, which is nice.

Last year I also joined a local college orchestra that is several steps above my first one. Am principal there and it's a lot more pressure because the players are much better and you can't hide. It's been a wonderful challenge for me and I've grown tremendously in the past year as a result. I've also enjoyed playing some great works such as Schubert 8, Mendelssohn 5, and Dvorak 8. Now that I played the 2.5 measure English Horn solo on the Dvorak the conductor may program more EH Going forward. Yay!!!

One of the first violinists there is the president of an even better orchestra in CT. THey are audition only and made up of music educators, serious amateurs, and some pros sprinkled in. She got me in to sub on second this past February. What a thrill!!! Was super scary, even on second, but a simply sublime experience. I couldn't believe the caliber of the players and that I was somehow in that mix. I had to work so hard 100% of the time to not stand out in a negative way. What a pleasure it was to play the Elgar Enigma variations. We also played the Dvorak Violin concerto. Scary, scary exposed low oboe 2 moment near the beginning. It was hit or miss at rehearsal with my low C giving out too soon or being flat, or both. But I managed to nail it when it counted! Phew. Would love to keep going up the ranks and playing with amazing groups like that. Am a huge orchestra junkie haha.

I also play in a very casual woodwind quintet. We sight read stuff every other week. I wish we would meet more regularly and play in public but it's not been a priority for the other members. Quintet music is a great endurance challenge for me.

My first orchestra is starting to break out into smaller groups for when we get invited to small venues so am looking to put myself out there to play beautiful longer pieces and not just symphony excerpts. We may do Ich Habe Genug in July.

Anyway I feel very fortunate for my orchestra experiences and look forward to many years of that. Glad to be back on here.

Hilda, adult amateur
"Nobody is ever patently right about music." - Vigil Thomson

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics