Female Composers

I feel like this year everywhere you turn you're hearing about women's rights and women all over the world standing up and say "Hey! I do exist! I do matter! And I will not be silenced!" This movement, while not the first, seems to finally be having an impact including famous actors and directors being fired and publicly shamed. It's starting the difficult conversations that must be had. Even in the Classical Music world we are seeing the same kind of movement with people making some very serious allegations against some very prominent conductors that are resulting in them rightfully losing work and respect.

While this is amazing and about time it is still only the tip of the iceberg. This is great for this and future generations but what about all of the generations that came before us and especially all of the Female Performers and Composers who were neglected, ignored or not taken seriously simply because of the sex they were born with? Where is the justice for them? How do we make this right? Well the simple answer is we never fully can. We can never go back in time and let Clara Schumann composer freely to her hearts content. Or let Fanny Mendelssohn publish works under her own name instead of her husbands. These women and countless others were stunted from ever reaching their full potential because of a society and world that wasn't ready for them.

And even if there are still some who aren't ready today, I am. So to balance the scales as much as I can I have decided to start the process of creating a Monthly concert series devoted solely to music written BY WOMEN from every generation and decade. No we will not be performing works dedicated to women, no we will not be performing works about women, but solely the music that these amazingly patient and talented women penned themselves. This is all about them and their accomplishments and getting inside their heads and letting their music be heard.

Countless times I ask people why they don't program Women and their first answer is almost always that they aren't familiar with many pieces by women and second that the pieces they do know about are just so hard to get a hold of. Well I don't want that to be a valid excuse anymore! So to combat that I have created a spreadsheet of ever piece I could possibly find by Women for the Oboe (and friends) and included as many links as to where to purchase this music. This spreadsheet will be continually updated and will never be fully complete but I encourage any and all of you to please send in anything that needs to be added! All I ask is that you try to provide all of the information listed on the catalog. 

It is deeply disturbing the amount of music I am finding that has probably never seen the concert stage or fallen on eager ears. That is about to change as long as I have something to say about it. 

More coming soon!! 

Southern Oboe Intensive 2016

What I learned about myself: I have something to say, I have a perspective, I have a voice, and it needs to be heard. 

Also learned stuff about the oboe but all of that was overshadowed by these realization and being told by one of the faculty members "You have something to say". Something so simple left such a lasting and intense impact its hard to even explain. Of course I knew that already but being told that but someone who only meet you days ago just proofs why we do this, we do this to leave an impression, or to just simply make someone feel something. Anything really. Sometimes they may not like what they feel whether it's sad or happy feelings but the act of someone responding and feeling something because of your music is just sublime. 

To me at least.

Salon Concert, June 2016

It's amazing how much joy you can bring people with your music.  

My woodwind quintet was hired to play a surprise salon concert for a life long music lovers birthday party up in Marin. We were very excited for this being told that we would have a very appreciative audience and a lot of freedom in producing the program. 

We weren't expecting to have SUCH an appreciative audience. I have never before been told so genuinely how much the music ment to them. It was a great feeling to bring so many memories and smiles to all of their faces. It felt really amazing to make their days.  

Before hand they kept insisting that we eat as many appetizers and drinks as we like. And then afterwords they wouldn't let us leave without eating as least one full plate of dinner and then kept insisting on giving us seconds.

They were so sweet to us because we brought then so much joy.  

It was truly a gig I won't easily forget. 

Sonoma Valley Chorale, May 2016

The gig:

Performing a brand new piece for Chamber Orchestra (Strings + Fl,Ob,Perc,Pno,Hrp) and Chorus

What I learned: 

1. If you are polite, nice, respectful, easy to get along with and come prepared, certain people will move mountains for you. Being a decent person these days goes so much farther then talent in the freelance world. In this competitive field there are a million of every instrumentalist, especially here in San Francisco. So if you can play AND are a good person then you will gain great connections and continue to work. 

2. Once you don't enjoy making reeds, don't....This information was such a shocker for me to hear. I know that I have heard of more seasoned oboist having younger players make the majority of their reeds for them but I wasn't expecting a flute player to give me this advice. This flute player said, "This will save years off your life". Reeds are easily the most stressful part of being an oboist, especially during the first 10 or so years of learning to make reeds.  

Hello!!

Hello all! 

Welcome to my first ever blog!

As part of the 'freeway phil' aka the freelancing scene in the San Francisco Bay Area, I have had the pleasure to meet some amazing and eclectic people. Though I may not have always agreed with them all I have always learned something from every one I've met. 

This blog is where I'm hoping to share some of the things that I've learned with all of you! 

I've never blogged before so here goes nothing!

Enjoy!