A Musicians Life
The Introduction
A huge thank you to Creative Pinellas for the opportunity to purchase an Oboe d’amore (Oboe of Love) and further my oboe career. I have been a professional oboist in the Tampa Bay Area for over 35 years. I am the principle oboist with Opera Tampa as well as the Venice Symphony, on the music faculty at The University of South Florida, as well as a freelance musician, and small business owner.
Performing both nationally and internationally, I have had the opportunity to perform with such greats as Luciano Pavarotti, Andre Bocelli, Mannheim Steamroller, Diana Ross, Harry Conick Jr., and even Pope Benedict II at St. Peters Cathedral in Italy.
This grant presents me with a new and exciting venture – playing the Oboe d’amore. The Oboe d (as I like to call it) is in the oboe family voiced a minor third lower than oboe and in between the voicing of an oboe and english horn (a fifth lower than oboe), both of which I am well versed on. As is any instrument in the oboe family, the Oboe D takes a different reed, and while I own my own business making and selling reeds all over the world, I have never sold oboe d reeds but will add this product to my on-line menu once I feel I have perfected the product.
I am lucky to have an oboe d on loan until after this pandemic has passed and I look forward to physically picking up the oboe d that Creative Pinellas has helped me to obtain.
I am hoping this pandemic will pass soon and we will all be back to our daily routines. Or is this our new norm?
Stay safe, stay healthy, stay strong! We will all persevere!
