Being an Oboe Player

Peter Jeon

Holding my oboe inside my jacket, I followed other band members into the
Chapel. I have never seen this place so full.
(Sound of a Crowd)
There were still many people who were trying to find any extra seats. Every student
was there. All teachers and faculty members were there. And also, families of
students were waiting for this event Never in my life, I had chance to perform music
in front of a large crowd.
In the past, I thought Music was absolutely not my area. I tried playing Piano
when I was ten, but after three weeks, I gave up feeling no enthusiasm in learning it. I
was not the smartest kid, but I never failed tests. But when I received 18 out of 100 in the
Music test, I determined that I am just not a person for music (I thought I wasnt).
I suddenly changed my mind about playing an instrument by watching a movie.
During one weekend, I was so bored that I decided to watch something. What came into
my view was a movie called Amadeus.
(Soundtrack from Amadeus)
The movie had great storyline, but what thrilled me were the soundtracks, all of them
written by Mozart. I never knew that classic music could be so interesting and could grab
my ear. Among these sounds, there was this one instrument that grabbed my mind, an
oboe. It was just a three seconds that I could hear the sound of this instrument. But that
sound of few seconds was the most pure and beautiful instrumental sound I have ever
heard. This was my beginning as an oboe player.
Lets get back to the day of the concert. The band members gathered in the
music room in order to warm up.
(Crowd Noise)
Everyone was excited, both for the concert and the fact that it is the last day before
we go home. Finally, Mr. Ahlstrom, the band director, came into the room and said
to the band, Playing an instrument is more fun than listening to it. After a pause,
he spoke again, Playing in a group is more fun than playing it alone Then a pause
again, And, playing in front of an audience is more fun than playing in a group.
And I want you to enjoy tonight. These words have soothed me from the anxiety
about the concert. Then I thought about how much I have practiced in order to
come this far from a beginner player.
The first time I went to the band class was full of nervous feelings and a fear of
making mistakes. Mr. Ahlstrom called students names and checked on what instruments
they were playing. Then, the band started the session with the scale run. As Mr. Ahlstrom
raised his baton, I also put my lips under the mouth and gently bite on a reed, made of
two very thin pieces of cane. Then, I blew air into this tiny gap of the reed, probably a
gap less wide than the end of a fingertip. Well, it is not that hard to produce a noise from
Oboe. But to play it well, it took so much effort.
(stick sound)
One, Two, Three Mr. Ahlstrom whispered, that I could only understand by
looking at his mouth. The woodwinds started with the first three notes. In that moment
when I was just about to blow into the reed, Clarinet and Flute players made only a very
small sound.
(Awkward Flute sound)
I suddenly stopped blowing air into the oboe in a fear that I might play out of a tune
and embarrass myself. Therefore, I carefully joined into the scale run later when
trumpets and French-horns were playing with their grand and loud sound.
(Trumpet sound)
This problem got better as I went to more sessions. Practice after practice. I would repeat
the lines where I found difficult to play. By the time of Christmas Concert, I was feeling
joy in playing the music.

I concentrated back to the present. Other members and I walked through the
cold and snowy yard, and went inside the chapel. We slowly walked through the
crowd of people, sat down on our chairs, and waited for the concert to begin.
Soon, Mr. Ahlstrom raised his baton, and whispered One, Two, Three.
(sound of stick)
Then the music began.
(Oboe music)
The music started silently. The beginning was simple: just a pulse from one or two
sections of instruments. The melodies were beautiful and peaceful. I then follow
them with mild sounds with a long vibrato. I would frown my face as if I am playing
Oboe with my face.
I was neither nervous nor worried unlike other times when I played in the
band. But rather, I was excited to play. I wanted to show these people in front of us
what we have practiced and accomplished.
From a pulse, the music gradually got bigger
(Orchestra Christmas Carol),
filling the chapel. More instruments joined the singing. Repeating the main
melodies again and again, but all differently, that made the melodies stuck in
peoples heads.
Sounds from our instruments made the volume down and up, tempos faster
and slower as one body just as the baton moved in Mr. Ahlstroms hand. And the
harmony. The harmony filled up the chapel. The cave-like interior of the chapel
caused our music to echo and make more magnificent sound than ever.
(Finale of a piece in Orchestra)
The finale was the best. While the percussion was beating the drums
forcefully, everyone blasted our instruments so hard that the roof of the chapel
might fly away. My notes already have been blended inside the sounds of other
instruments. Many different melodies were going on at a same time, but it made the
music more full. Then the piece ended with a long note, so long that my face would
turn red.
I understood what Mr. Ahlstrom has said to us before the concert. Playing
with other people and playing in front of audience are really fun. I no longer
thought that music is not my area. I was proud of myself. I was a musical fool, but
now successfully became part of a band. I learned that a person should never
neglect a choice away, because that person can actually find enthusiasm he or she
never expected.