 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Sekhmet
Date: 2016-04-07 08:41
Hi,
I need help. My 12years old son has been playing piano since 6years old and also has been playing oboe about 18months. His piano is quite advanced intermediate level. His on level 7 on Certificate of Merit, MTAC. He is planning to go onto level8 next year. His oboe has been progressing well and sound getting matured and beautiful. He loves Oboe more than playing piano. He is on San jose Youth Symphony intermediate level orchestra. He loves oboe but still like to play piano and wants to go up to Certificate of Merit level 10. The problem is that He is in 6th grade now with more homework. It is getting harder to practice both piano and oboe everyday. I want him to practice more oboe as he has lots of music to practice for his orchestra and also for oboe recital but it is hard to stop piano after playing for 6years at level 7. Then, what good is to pass Certificate of Merit level 10 if he is going to continue play oboe eventually? I asked oboe teacher whether he should quit piano to focus more on oboe but she would not give me definite answer. I don't know what to do. Should he continue to go on with both piano and oboe? Or should he stop piano and focus on oboe for more practice time in order to progress faster?
Thank you for your answers.
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Author: oboi
Date: 2016-04-07 09:47
I'm both a pianist and oboist and in fact have a similar situation at the moment juggling a number of instruments at a time (I'm currently preparing major works on oboe, EH, harpsichord and baroque oboe). Oy! :-P I should be paid for all of this, ha.
Since I learned piano as a child and oboe as an adult, I can't say much on training at the same time (although I did manage both harpsichord and oboe lessons while in grad school), but I know that piano took up a lot of time for me while I was in school, especially in the high school years as I got up to the level before performer's level. I played flute in school band but never took lessons. I practiced piano far less than I should have, however, as academics was my focus. I never intended to become a musician at the time.
In hindsight, I wished I learned oboe earlier (or became very proficient on a band/orchestral instrument) because it's an opportunity that was lost being able to do youth orchestras and such. Almost all the musicians I play with now did some sort of advanced youth orchestra/band. It's a great opportunity to network with people your age and grow up playing music with others. As a pianist, we're often cooped up by ourselves in a room and really, there's not much chance to do chamber music (never even occurred to me). So, once you hit the upper levels of piano and things start to get really hard, that's when kids often lose their interest. With oboe you still get to "play" with other kids so it seems less of a chore.
That being said, your son is only at the beginning of his oboe education, so it's hard to suggest to drop piano for a relatively new instrument, and perhaps better to stay on course on piano. What are his eventual goals? It might be too early to know at this stage, though.
If your son is managing both, let him do both as long as he can manage and enjoys it. You might see him gravitate to one or the other eventually. It's really hard to pick up an instrument and become good once you hit adulthood. So if he stops now, it's likely it's going to stop permanently (or at least for a few decades - I know soooo many amateurs who quit as a kid and only start playing again after their kids are grown up).
Personally, I focus most of my time on oboe because I consider it my primary instrument now. I spend lots of time on baroque oboe and it is stressful trying to fit in enough practice time on both (plus all the time spent on reeds!). Piano I don't practice much at all except for pieces I work on to perform, but that's because I'm just maintaining my proficiency, as opposed to to the oboe where I am continuously (and ever so slowly) trying to get to a professional level.
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Author: WoodwindOz
Date: 2016-04-07 17:45
Is it an option to continue doing piano in a non-graded context? Could he take lessons and simply progress at the rate he can keep up with, rather than aiming for an exam? I think piano skills are quite important, especially if he does go on to music post high school, but this would enable him to focus on oboe without as much pressure on his piano without giving up the piano all together.
FWIW, I teach a lot of students who start on piano, and I think there are skills learnt on each which are transferrable between them. I'm yet to have a student unable to learn both concurrently, but at any one time, one does seem to take precedence over the other (oboe practice becomes less important as piano exam time looms, etc).
I don't know how the exams work that your son is doing, but my students do either AMEB or ABRSM and the timeframe for working towards each grade is flexible. Perhaps that is another option to seek, whether the timeframe for completing each level is flexible.
Rachel
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Author: fromsfca
Date: 2016-04-12 05:26
Music is a gift: growing up in a poor home, I regretted never having the ability to play piano. As a professional musician, that lack haunted me...my understanding of chords and progressions I felt always reduced my ability.
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I no longer play professionally, but have an active life playing Broadway shows, so having to double sax, clarinet, flute and oboe...it is richly rewarding to play those instruments (and get paid).
Playing with others is definitely a plus: and playing piano does not preclude your son from participating in that highly social aspect of music; my own 23 year old son plays keyboards in a local rock band.
The bigger and more important question is what does your son want? If he says "both", encourage and support him. If he says "oboe"...encourage and support him. If he says "both"...encourage and support him.
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Author: EaubeauHorn
Date: 2016-05-12 08:27
Have you asked him what he wants in terms of whether he continues with both or concentrates on just one? Yes he's a kid still but when I think back to all the kids I taught who really wanted to be doing something else, I felt their parents should have considered their wishes more. When I was a kid you couldn't keep me away from instruments, and that never changed. Which one can't you keep him away from, or is it both? On the other hand, as the parent, you do need to make sure he doesn't over-commit himself, because kids also need unstructured play time for their development.
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