Any lesson on any subject must be planned. This is just as important for lessons on musical instruments. So what are the main components of a good oboe lesson? What messages do we need to get across to students?
In one sense an oboe lesson is an overseen oboe practice session. The format of the oboe lesson in itself should teach the student how to practise at home between lessons. I don't recommend a rigid structure to be followed in absolute detail every week, but there are certain things which should always be covered.
As a generalisation, we could say that a lesson should contain work on two particular areas; - these are technical and musical. I reiterate that this is a generalisation as all playing will involve facets of both. When working on scales or studies, which is primarily technical work, musical issues will inevitably arise. Just as when we are working on pieces for performance or examinations, which we would tend to look on as primarily musical work, technical issues will be encountered. The two facets can never be totally separated.
In both lessons and practice, I would always recommend beginning with technical work which can be used also as a warm-up. Scales and finger exercises are great for this. If a student has encountered a particular technical issue I like to invent a little exercise to tackle it which can be used as a warm-up at the beginning of each practice session. This makes the necessary few minutes of getting the reed and oboe working properly a constructive time.
The most demanding work being practised should always be done early in the lesson when the student is both mentally and physically fresh. (However, this work should never been done as a warm-up) There is no point in tackling such work at the end of a lesson when the student's concentration is waning and the lips are getting tired. This particular aspect of the lesson might be a new scale, a difficult section in a study or an awkward passage in a piece.
Other aspects of an oboe lesson might include such activities as sight-reading, improvisation or aural work of one kind or another. It is never going to be possible to cram a bit of everything into a lesson so planning ahead is crucial to cover issues which need to be covered over a specific period of time.
Work on pieces being studied will tend to take up the majority of time in most lessons. I also like to work in some duet playing with a student (possibly oboe trios or quartets if you are in a group teaching situation). It is always good for students to hear the teacher playing so that they can try to copy the tone.
Demonstration is one of the most important factors of any instrumental lesson and should underpin all good oboe teaching. This can be used to help a student to sort out a tricky rhythm or an awkward fingering, but always helps to give the pupil an aural sense of what they are trying to achieve. I have found that many students pick up vibrato by simply copying my playing, almost without realising it. If their technique is sound they will end up doing it correctly too without actually being taught how to do it.
So, in conclusion, an oboe lesson should include an effective warm-up, technical work early in the lesson when the student is still fresh and work on pieces (solo and/or ensemble playing). The whole lesson should be bound together with demonstration and explanation by the teacher. At the end of a lesson a student should always feel that they have moved forward in some way; - nothing motivates a student more than a feeling of progress.
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