Oboe with Nicole M.

I've been teaching private oboe lessons for over 20 years and strive to help students enjoy playing a challenging instrument, whether you're just starting in school or picking it up much later in life. Lessons are about making progress rather than achieving perfection, and I firmly believe that learning music is as much about your enjoyment as it is about your technique. We will work heavily on proper embouchure (formation of your mouth), posture, and breathing from the beginning to help you develop a good sound and good habits right away. I use Gekeler Method Book 1 and my own original lesson materials for beginners, and later we work from Rubank and other books. To help you progress, I always integrate practical practice techniques in lessons so you can assess yourself at home and make better progress. Also, I highly encourage learning to play music you enjoy listening to for fun, whether that be pop, country, broadway, or anything else. Lessons will be geared toward classical music, but I'm happy to work with you on ensemble music since that poses additional unique challenges. Because performing can be nerve-wracking for some, I can also work with you regarding performance anxiety. Over the years, my more motivated students have gone on to participate in Interlochen's summer music camp, All-State ensembles, and received superior ratings at State Solo & Ensemble festivals. I've also had students become music majors in college and receive talent-based scholarships.