Author: Oboe Craig
Date: 2011-08-23 21:13
I am really liking these 'find your own voice' themes. It has always been there in the world of jazz sax players (a very big passion of mine for many years...), and with our little oboes, its been; sound French, or German or American like Philly, or New Your or that nice man in Cleveland or Chicago...
Hints were there, for sure, but still, if you go into an American Orchestra audition, somehow the adjudicators have formed an opinion about the 'right' sound. If your are going for principal its one thing, if 2nd and english horn, then it gets really complex with attitudes about blend, etc.
Pretty arbitrary, in other words. I guess the winner's first year or 2 on probation helps get past that, in order to prove the real needs, so I have to wonder how so many think they can judge a blend potential w/o actually hearing the blend?
Its more oboe tone theory in a vacuum IMHO.
Anyway, fun to read this thread and contribute. Despite all its frailty, the concern for oboe tone (expression, et. al) is a reality we all must face.
I think I like being off the grid so much (not doing orchestral stuff much) because I can do the 'find my own voice' thing w/o all the inhibitions of having to also sound like someone else to get a job.
play on!
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