Oboe Art & Method by Martin Schuring

• A concise and affordable guide to oboe technique, and the first new book of its kind in 50 years
• Presents proven techniques, and discusses these in a straightforward manner
• Includes large sections on practicing and on strategies for professional development.

240 pages, paperback

Description

In Oboe Art and Method, veteran oboe performer and instructor Martin Schuring describes in detail all of the basic techniques of oboe playing and reed making, with expert tips and step-by-step instructions for how best to perform each of these tasks with grace and technical efficiency. Schuring's straightforward and articulate explanations of breathing, embouchure, finger technique, articulation, phrasing, and more help demystify the earliest stages of oboe playing and beyond. In addition, Schuring provides excellent advice on the "extra-musical"; practicing, instrument care and adjustment, professional development, and career development-related issues. The oboe is a notoriously complicated instrument, and this book aims to remove as much of the complexity as possible, to present techniques that work, and to discuss these in a clear-cut manner. Students who start with this book will learn with confidence that these methods will steer them straight down an effective path. A concise and eminently useful guide, Oboe Art and Method is a must-have for all who perform, teach, or are learning to play the oboe, in both conservatories and private instruction.

Table of Contents

Contents
Part I: Fundamentals
1. Posture, Breathing, and Support
2. Embouchure and Other Matters of Tone Production
3. Finger Facility
4. Articulation
5. Expression
6. Practice
7. Extended Techniques
Part II: Reed Making
8. Reed Construction
9. Reed Evaluation and Adjustment
Part III: Equipment and its Care
10. Instrument Selection, Care, and Adjustment
11. Selection and Care of Tools and Equipment
Part IV: Professional and Performance Considerations
12. Professional Behavior and Deportment
13. Career Development
Appendix 1: Thoughts for the Complete Beginner
Appendix 2: Fingering Chart for Oboe and English Horn
Appendix 3: Trill Fingering Chart for Oboe and English Horn
Notes
Bibliography

About the Author

Martin Schuring held orchestral positions with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, The Florida Orchestra, and the Phoenix Symphony before joining the faculty of Arizona State University in 1992, where he is now Professor of Music. He has played in the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra since 1980.

Reviews

"Professor Schuring's book is an extremely comprehensive, thoughtful and articulate exploration into the many complexities of the art (and craft!) of oboe playing and reed-making. It provides pages of valuable information, presented in a clear, concise, and easy to understand manner. Congratulations to Martin Schuring for compiling his wealth of knowledge into this thorough and informative compendium for future generations of oboists!"-Nancy Ambrose King, Professor of Oboe, University of Michigan, President, International Double Reed Society

"This wonderful book is a natural continuation of Martin Schuring's effective work in the studio. It has very wise and thoughtful helpful hints, presented in a straight-from-the-shoulder style, which can't help but be useful to support the in-person advice most teachers will give their pupils. I have begun quoting from it to my students already! Oboe Art and Method will soon become absolutely indispensable to today's serious oboist - teacher and student alike."-Dan Stolper, Instructor of Oboe, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Visiting Faculty, Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University

"This is probably the most important book on the practical craft of oboe playing that has been written in the English language in the past 50 years." --Double Reed News