Oboe

Unlike a saxophone or clarinet, which has one reed and vibrates against a mouthpiece,  oboes and bassoons play on two reeds vibrating against each other, called a double reed. When you first start playing the oboe, you will buy your reeds from a music store. You may begin making your own reeds in high school or college.

Why You Should Choose the Oboe

Musician 1st Class Joshua Arvizu explains why he loves the oboe!

We do not start beginners on the oboe, but we do ask 2 students to switch to the oboe as 6th graders in their 2nd year of band




Oboe and English Horn demo

You probably won't play English Horn until high school or college, but it's never too early to learn more about it! Here, take a listen as two members of the Rochester Philharmonic tell you about their instruments and then play a duet so you can hear the two of them play together.

Titus Underwood

Listen as Titus Underwood plays his oboe in a beautiful piece of new music.

Flight of the Bumblebee

WOW! Listen as this oboe player breaks the world record for most notes on the oboe! He plays 409 notes in 26 seconds!!

Jazz oboe!

Sometimes people like the sound of oboe in jazz music! What do you think about it?