I am currently accepting oboe students (6-12) in the Buford/Dacula/Auburn area in Northern Gwinnett County. Oboe lessons are $25 per 30-minute lesson. I expect oboists to practice at home on a daily basis, and lessons will be focused on improving tone/intonation and preparing for musical events (Honorband, All-State, playing tests, etc.).
If you think oboe lessons are for your child, please read and sign the Music Studio Policies. To schedule a lesson time, contact me at (770) 995-3290 or at rachel.landers@gmail.com. Scroll down for directions to my home studio.
Why Play Oboe?
Oboe is a unique instrument that often is the center of attention in band/orchestra music. There are usually very few oboists in school bands due to instrument expense and difficulty. Oboists have good odds for earning first chair and playing solos. There are also good odds for oboists being selected for All-State/special groups and receiving college scholarships.
Oboists are generally above-average students who like to play solos and have a sense of humor. Students who already play piano or have good aural skills are prime candidates for learning to play the oboe. However, before choosing to play the oboe, consider the expenses of an instrument, reeds, and private lessons.
Oboe Care/Repair
Saxophone Lessons
Oboe Resources
Directions to My Studio 
Oboe Care/Repair
To take good care of your oboe, never place it in extreme temperatures (the car trunk, next to the air vent, etc.).
This can cause cracking and warping of the wood and keys. Swab your oboe after playing to soak up the condensation inside.
When laying your oboe down, lean it toward the low C key (leaning the other direction will bend the low B and B-flat keys).
Reeds
The most important factor in
creating a good oboe sound is the reed. Although they are more expensive,
handmade reeds have a much better sound than machine-made reeds from the local music store. Here is a sheet with information about buying oboe reeds.
Brands to avoid: Rico, LaVoz, Selmer, plastic/fibercane reeds, non-American reeds, and reeds with wire
Need help? What's wrong with your reed?
Buying or Renting an Oboe
Because oboes are so expensive ($2000-$5000), many schools are unable to provide quality instruments for beginning oboists. When buying or renting, always choose an oboe that has a "full conservatory system," meaning that it has all of the keys (this is also referred to as a "professional model"). Oboists who play on "student models" do not have all fingerings available to them, and often have adjustment and tone problems. If you choose to buy a used oboe, it can be less expensive, but be careful to purchase from a trustworthy seller (such as the McFarland Double Reed Shop or Covey Oboes).
If purchasing for a student in 6th-9th grade, plastic/resin oboes are the best kind to get. A great oboe is the Fox 450 model, which has a plastic upper joint and a wooden lower section. It has a beautiful tone and will not crack. Completely wooden oboes are ideal for serious music students in late high school/college or other students who would be extremely careful.
All State
All-State Band is a yearly event in Savannah, GA, where the top middle-school and high-school musicians in the state perform together. There are two auditions in the All-State process. The first round audition involves major scales/arpeggios (30 pts), a chromatic scale (10 pts), a lyrical etude (30 pts) and one sight-reading (30 pts). This audition also determines whether a student is selected for District Honorband. The second-round audition requires students to play both the lyrical and technical etudes as well as two sight-reading exercises.
MS District 13 Honorband - Feb. 8-9, 2008
HS Distruct 13 Honorband - Feb. 14-16, 2008
All-State Band - Feb. 28 - Mar. 1, 2008 in Savannah, GA
2007 MS scales and etudes
2007 9-10 scales and etudes
2007 11-12 scales and etudes
Saxophone Lessons
Oboe Resources
Yes, I teach alto saxophone lessons too. Marching Band may be one of the most fun musical activities there is, and it provides an opportunity to make intelligent friends before high school begins. Because the oboe is not included in the Marching Band, oboists need to switch to saxophone or be in the pit (which is good for pianists). Saxophone is very easy for oboists to pick up in only a few lessons, so the summer before 9th grade is a good time to learn. I recommend renting an instrument from a local music store, since having a school instrument is not certain. Sax reeds should be a hardness of "2" or "2.5" for beginners (but they're much cheaper than oboe reeds).
Oboe Reeds
www.foxproducts.com
www.uga.edu/music/summercamp
www.encoremusiccamps.com
www.sheetmusicplus.com
jason88k@yahoo.com
www.lessonportal.com
and Ballade by Koetsier on English Horn.
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