Oboist's Etiquette
Recommendations for being a consistent, dependable student oboist and future professional colleague.
Supporting or Competing with your Colleagues?
1. Use your colleagues strengths as incentive to improve, but focus on your own growth. There will always be players who are better and players who are worse than you. You will rarely come out 'on top', but will do your best when you focus on yourself and what is important to you. Being professional is learning how to work successfully with many different players. You will gain much more being their friend and colleague than you will trying to dismiss or eradicate them.
2. Support your peer's growth. Create a safe environment for everyone to learn. Mistakes are a part of the process of learning. Don't be afraid to make them yourself, and don't penalize your colleagues for making them. It is not your job to point out your colleagues mistakes from a place of being "better" than them.
Ensemble Etiquette
When you play second oboe, your job is to make the first oboe sound good. Tune to her/him (while also providing a focused stable sound for the first player to tune to), play more softly than her/him (especially in unison passages or notes), and do what she/he tells you with good grace (whether you like it or not!). You are not charged with leading the section, rather with being a supportive team player.
When you play first, you need to lead your section, make decisions, and be the one who speaks with the conductor. Treat your section players with dignity and respect. You are responsible for keeping them happy, and therefore the section sounding good. You are building a team.
Remember that the second oboe's pitch can be less flexible, particularly on the lower notes, for example, C#4. The first oboe player may need to do the adjusting, and play slightly louder when the second oboe is playing in this register.
When sections rotate parts, practice your changing roles.
When you play English horn, learn how to keep the reed just wet enough. Often there are long breaks between playing. If the reed is at all over-soaked it will likely be flat, but the ensemble will likely have risen in pitch, so it may be prudent to squish the reed slightly before playing after a long rest.
Generally the second oboe player will also double on English horn if there is not a third player.
When you will miss a rehearsal, leave your music, or copies, with someone who will be there. You may need to arrange a sub.
Bring your own reed water, tuner, swab, cigarette paper, etc!
What Concerts and Recitals to Attend
Attend all your peer's and your teacher's recitals. Always support each other.
Go to a wide variety of styles of recitals and concerts, even ones without oboes in them.
How Much Practicing to Do
Practice enough to prepare what you need to. Practice often and long enough to keep in shape. This is different for every person, but is usually 1-3 hours most days. Plan your practice time. Take a break when you lose your focus.
Learn how much practice you need in order to accomplish your goals. Learn how to practice efficiently and intelligently so to learn quickly. Break difficult passages into small pieces for more efficient learning rather than just running through them again and again.
Know what pieces you need to have learned by when. When you get a new piece, look at it long enough to figure out how long it will take to learn it. Plan accordingly.
Have enough playable newer reeds that so old reeds don't get in the way of practicing with a focused, free, in-tune tone. Practice reeds should work easily and play in tune, but may not have the best tone or largest dynamic range. Rotate reeds so that your embouchure gains flexibility.
How to Prepare for your Recital
Practice playing through your whole recital/jury periodically (once a week or more) starting a month before to get a sense of pacing and necessary endurance. Don't be afraid to change the order of your pieces if that helps with the endurance.
Practice technical passages until they become automatic, and you can rather focus on communicating the music to your audience.
Play recital pieces in public as much as possible before your actual recital. Play for your peers, your friends, your family, and in more informal public situations.
Generally, if playing both oboe and English horn, the English horn pieces should be last, or have a break after them.
For a recital and/or jury, take on stage at least 2-3+ working oboe reeds, and 2 working EH reeds. Do not leave your extra reeds in the water as they will get too hard. Wipe them off and put them into your reed case.
Always take a swab, cigarette paper and water for reeds and water to drink on to stage with you. Don't be afraid to clean out water from the keys between movements, or drink water as needed.
How many reeds to have at all times
Number of well-playing oboe reeds to have at all times: 3-4
Number of well-playing oboe reeds to have for a recital: 6-8
Number of well-playing English horn reeds to have (when you are playing the EH): 2-3
Number of reeds a week to make when you are playing a lot: 6+ (assume about 50% will be playable)
Number of times you to work on reeds a week: 3-4+. Have reeds in several different stages.
Number of reeds to make each week, starting two weeks before a recital: 8-10.
How much cane to have at all times
Number of pieces of oboe cane to have at all times: 25+ (this means you need to order when you get down to 40 pieces to have enough until the new cane comes in)
Number of pieces of EH cane to have at all times: 10 (increase when you play EH a lot)
Number of oboe tubes to have at all times: 25+
Number of EH tubes to have at all times: 5+
Don't take cane (or anything!) from your colleagues without asking. Bartering and exchanging cane can work well.
Gig Etiquette
1. Don't agree to do a gig unless you have checked all the dates and times and allowed time for travel and to get to the rehearsal 30 minutes in advance. And have access to a car if needed.
2. Learn the music in advance of the first rehearsal. Have several good working reeds. Bring the EH if it's asked for.
3. Get to the rehearsal at least half an hour in advance. Leave extra time for travel if you have never been to the venue before.
4. Be friendly and courteous in the rehearsal. Especially so when you do not know the other players.
5. Don't back out of a gig at the last minute unless you have an extreme emergency.
6. If you can't do a gig, recommend someone else good for the job. This will help build your gigging community. Being overly competitive is not helpful in the long run.