HEY THERE,
PHOENIX OBOISTS!
Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Queen Creek AZ
Oboe Lessons
Do you wish you could learn how to improve your playing?
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Have you ever heard an oboe solo on a movie soundtrack or other professional recording and thought, “Wow, I wish my playing sounded like that!”
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Are you tired of your band director telling you that you play too loud? Too soft? Too sharp or flat?
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Do you wonder if your reeds or instrument are keeping you from sounding your best?
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Do you want to learn how to make oboe reeds?
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Have you just been assigned to play English horn in your next concert--and do you need help getting ready for that?
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Do you love playing music and want to play MORE?
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Are you itching to get into All-State or play in a youth symphony or other ensemble outside of school?
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Want to play duets and trios with other oboists your age?
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And, I just have to ask...do you like the olympics? What about pancakes?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, you've come to the right place!
Whether you’re a beginner oboist trying to practice your way into a beautiful sound, or a more experienced player working your way toward some exciting goals, I’m here to help you! With years of experience in each of the areas above (minus the olympics, but including pancakes), I also have years of experience teaching oboe students with a variety of skill sets, goals, and learning styles. Together we explore the most effective and rewarding ways to learn in the world of oboe, always aiming to expand each student’s view of what they are capable of doing.
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Because EVERYONE is capable of growing beyond what they've ever imagined!
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(..and it's ok if you don't care for the olympics or for pancakes.)
As a member of the Ethington Oboe Studio, you will:
Fill your “musical toolbox” with the skills you need to succeed as a musician (the more tools, the better!)
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Have access to weekly help adjusting your reeds and instrument (that’s part of being an oboist!)--and learn how to make reeds, when you’re ready
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Learn effective practice strategies to keep you motivated (It doesn’t have to be boring, and I’ll show you how!)
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Have multiple performance opportunities each year (Music is meant to be shared, right?)
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Become part of a community of oboists who cheer each other on and create musical experiences together (Playing oboe can be a challenge, so we can all help each other learn.)
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Participate in the annual Summer Oboe-lympics and Practice Makes Pancakes challenge
Why should I take lessons with Charlotte?
I care about YOU as a person. I know what it’s like to be so anxious about going to band camp that I pretend to be sick so I can stay home. I know what it’s like to be so worried about an upcoming performance that it interferes with the quality of my preparation. I know what it’s like to struggle with the big life decisions that come along with the transition to adulthood.
Thankfully for me, I also know what it’s like to have teachers and mentors to help me every step of the way--and it makes ALL the difference. I can honestly say I wouldn’t be where I am without the encouragement of my private oboe teacher from my middle and high school years! Your path might be different from mine, but I am still 100% invested in helping you grow not only as an oboist and musician, but also as a person.
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I’m not the only teacher in our studio. I want you to both help and learn from every single studio member--including yourself. This is why I make it a priority to pair students together for duets and trios; to plan studio challenges and events; and to foster opportunities for you to interact with your studio mates. I also aim to help YOU become your own best teacher.
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Part of my mission is to remove technical barriers in order to make playing the oboe an enjoyable experience for all of my students. There are a lot of things that can go wrong when it comes to oboe playing--including both instrument and reed malfunctions--and these kinds of roadblocks can be incredibly frustrating when you are still gaining the experience to know how to fix these problems. Trust me, I’ve been there! But I have the skills and resources necessary to help you fix these problems--and I’ll make it a priority to help you learn how to identify the source of a given problem and assess the steps you should take from there. And when your reed and instrument are both working well...holy smokes, it’s hard to stop practicing! (link to adjustment video)
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PARENTS: I know just how frustrating it can be to fund the needs of an oboist! (Believe me, 17 years of oboe playing has opened my eyes to just how financially demanding this instrument can be!) With these years of experience, I can help you make informed decisions when it comes to things like instrument rentals, purchases, and repairs as well as buying reeds (and reed making materials, when your child is ready for that step). This way, all of the money you spend will be put to good use!
My Teaching Philosophy
TESTIMONIALS
I believe in the importance of a growth mindset.
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I believe that collaboration inspires creativity, and creativity brings joy.
In high school, even though I basically considered myself to be a good player, I remember thinking things like, “I’ll never be as good as so-and-so.” Exhibit A: When I made it into All-State band my freshman year, I was of course very excited but also felt a lingering fear and nervousness in spite of all of the encouragement I received from family, teachers, and friends. This nervousness translated into hours and hours of unhealthy practice. I tended to visualize my worst-case scenario, with all of the other students being way more prepared than me, and with me humiliating myself with my inability to play certain passages.
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Fast-forward almost 15 years--a lifetime away from my 14-year-old self!--and now I know what my 14-year-old self needed: a growth mindset, and an empowering point-of-view shift from seeing my peers as competition to seeing them as collaborators. How do I know this? Because every good thing that I’ve achieved both personally and professionally has been the result of the growth mindset I have worked to develop, and the result of collaborations with my peers (musicians and non-musicians alike)!
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My students know that they are not just learning how to play the oboe. They are learning how to learn to play the oboe. No musician is ever done learning to play their instrument! This means that there is always room for improvement, and always more to explore.
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I encourage my students to approach their studies in this way by helping them to identify what they want to convey in the music, and then craft effective practice strategies to make sure their musical ideas shine through in their playing. Practice journals are an important part of this process, helping students to identify both their struggles and their successes in their daily practice, and to recognize specific improvements over time. The more they approach their practice with the attitude of trying to learn than of demanding instant perfection of themselves, the more likely it is they will become lifelong learners and enjoy the process.
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I hope that each of my students will become their own best teachers!
TESTIMONIALS
ABBY I, STUDENT
Working with Charlotte over the past months has been very helpful and rewarding. I have learned a lot of different skills and techniques from working one on one with her. The feedback I get is unique to me and it helps me to improve when I play by myself and with a band.
PHILIP LEMAR,
DIRECTOR OF BANDS,
CONNOLLY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Charlotte has been an incredible asset to my band program over the last three years. She has started new oboists each year and continues to develop them into great musicians. Without her support, I would either not have oboists in my band program or they would be very unpleasant to listen to versus the warm sounds they produce under her supervision.