CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR A ONE SEMESTER OBOE CLASS
(16 weeks; 1-2 hours weekly)
Anne Miller
University of Missouri, Kansas City
Ed. -- music education students
M. -- oboe majors
Week
#
- 1. Beginning techniques
- Ed. Instrument assembly, posture, embouchure, reed crowing, tonguing, and hand position are demonstrated and tried. Students play b, a, and g and rote tunes using those three notes (Hot Cross Buns, May Had a Little Lamb). Cleaning and putting away the oboe to finish the session.
- M. Posture, embouchure, reed crowing, tonguing, hand position, and cleaning oboe are reviewed and checked.
- 2. Review fundamentals from week 1
- Ed. Add notes c and d and practice using half hole. Add rote tunes Go Tell Aunt Rhody and Jingle Bells. Begin in method book (I use The Oboe Student, Level I, by Blaine Edlefsen). In addition to the topics of discussion, classtime is spent working from the method book. We cover about two pages a week, plus seven major scales and a two octave chromatic scale.
- M. Begin work on duets, trios, and other ensembles to be performed in a studio class or on a recital later in the semester. Throughout the semester, classtime not needed for topic discussion is spent on ensembles.
- 3. Instruments
- Ed. Names and models of oboes, and various types of commercial reeds are listed and shown.
- M. Names and models of oboes and English horns, and pros and cons of wood and plastic instruments are discussed. Explain functions of all the keys (right hand g#, trill keys, etc.)
- 4. Oboe methods
- Ed. Show various oboe methods as well as the oboe book to selected beginning band methods.
- M. Show method books the students may be using during the course of study.
- 5. Pitch control
- Ed. & M. Discuss the embouchure and breath and how they can effect pitch. Where appropriate, reed adjustments can be mentioned.
- 6. Dynamics
- Ed. & M. Principles of dynamic control are discussed.
- M. Show your favorite (or least favorite!) long tone exercises.
- 7. Vibrato
- Ed. I tell them not to encourage their future student oboists to use vibrato unless the student is advanced (late high school) and studying with an oboist.
- M. Discuss own method of vibrato and work with or refine students' vibrato.
- 8. Tone and recordings
- During this session we listen to recordings of American and European oboists and talk about differing concepts of tone. The pieces we hear are discussed in the following session.
- 9. Literature
- Ed. I distribute a brief list of standard oboe literature with pieces for young players marked.
- M. Show and encourage purchase of: Index of Oboe Music, by Wayne Wilkins (The Music Register); Oboe, by Leon Goossens and Edwin Roxburgh (Schirmer Books); Oboe Technique, by Evelyn Rothwell (Oxford); Recommend membership in the IDRS!
- 10. Reed adjustments
- Ed. Keep it simple! For practice, adjust old or almost hopeless reeds.
- M. I distribute a list of basic adjustments, and encourage students to purchase The Art of Oboe Playing, by Sprenkle and Ledet (Summy-Birchard).
- 11. Reed making
- Ed. Demonstrate and let students try it on pieces of low quality cane.
- M. Demonstrate own method of reed making and discuss sources of cane, tubes, knives, etc.
- 12. English horn
- Ed. Explain principles of English horn playing and let students play.
- M. Go into more detail, especially with bocals and reeds.
- 13. Instrument adjustments and maintenance
- Ed. Keep it simple. Let them do general maintenance on the school oboes.
- M. Go through maintenance procedure and through a detailed explanation on how to adjust set screws.
- 14. Trill fingerings and high range
- Ed. Show sources of good fingering charts (Art of Oboe Playing is one).
- M. Show sources of charts and make sure students learn what will be required.
- 15. Review
- Ed. Discuss teaching tips and methods of maintaining young students' interest.
- M. This is a good catch up place for covering items not already mentioned or to go into more depth in areas such as gouging and shaping cane.
- 16. Last session
- Ed. Final exam. I require an "Oboe Notebook, " a playing test, and a teaching test. Each student brings a friend and gives a twenty minute beginning oboe lesson.
- M. Studio class or recital--performance of ensembles and solos prepared during the semester. Party following!