Practicing While the Oboe Teacher is Downstairs

May 29, 2013

Many people know that with the exception of the five months that I played the oboe in 2000 or 2001 while I was writing my dissertation, I took 19 years off from playing the oboe. Many people have been supportive of my return to the oboe, but no one has been more supportive than my husband, Neil, who is a professional oboist. You might think that it would be intimidating to have to practice while he is at home, but actually it is quite helpful and I ask him many questions. There have been times, too, when he has practiced my community band music with me, playing the first part, while I struggled along playing second. It was hugely reassuring for me, especially since I have never been very good about intonation. But, Neil assured me that I was playing well and I shouldn't worry about playing in public with others. I confessed to a young oboist in my community band that my husband is a professional oboist, to which he replied, "Wow. I guess that you can have a lesson any time you want then, right?"

Truer words were never said. In fact, there is a certain amount of humor involved in practicing while "the oboe teacher" is hanging out downstairs...writing on the computer, watching TV, reading, etc. My squawking is never far from his mind or ears. It's not unusual for me to be practicing and to hear from downstairs...

You have too much reed in your mouth!
You're going too fast, slow it down to 72 on the metronome!
Honey...? Is that supposed to be a B-flat or a B-natural?
Your vibrato sounds like a billy goat!
That reed needs to soak longer!
You're rushing the triplets!

In truth, I find these comments very helpful. As my readers know from my previous posts, Neil is hardly ever wrong -- (a sad truth for me), so his suggestions really do help to improve my playing. And, even better, as any current or former student of Neil Boyer knows, he has yet to call me a turkey.