Richard Craig

Resources for Junior Oboe and Tenoroon players

Richard Craig — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 01:45:13 +0000

Here’s a number of books that teachers have recommended to us- specifically aimed at younger double reed learners.

“Accelerando” An Introduction to the Oboe for Primary School Children by Birgit Heller-Meisenburg. German/English, a fun book, ideal for younger Australian learners (conservatoire method)
Available through Howarth of London:

AnselmaMusic.com has many resources for Junior bassoonists from bassoonist Anselma Veit. ‘The Little Bassoon Adventure’ is her method for beginning younger bassoonists. She also has scales and arpeggios, Fun Duets and Fun Studies for Bassoon Minis.
Visit her website for music samples and links to purchase:

Adam Schwalje, former contrabassoonist in Macau Symphony Orchestra has a new method out for bassoon and tenoroon available here

As more are recommended to us, we will continue to post them here! Have fun!

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Tenoroons: the Mini/Junior Debate.

Richard Craig — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 03:32:30 +0000

“The main benefit to the tenoroon and mini bassoon is that people who want to play the bassoon can start younger,” says Catherine Millar, Head of Woodwind for Berkshire Maestros. “This means we don’t lose players to the other instruments quite so readily. If an 8 year old sees an instrument and gets told he has to wait 3 years to play it, he is likely to go elsewhere.” Catherine started 3 eager 8 year olds on bassoon and tenoroon. Fast forward 6 years and Madeline Millar (13), Harry Davidson (14) and Charlotte Wyatt (14) all achieved Distinction at Grade 8, with Madeline and Harry going on to do Diplomas. That’s an impressive achievement for musicians barely into their teens and while talent, hard work and good teaching must be the key, starting early has definitely helped.
This is the viewpoint from two of the UK’s leading double reed educators. Paul Harris, Senior Manager, Havering Music School, and Catherine Millar, Head of Woodwind, Berkshire Maestros, have many years of successful mini bassoon teaching between them.
“Madeline and Harry were both beyond Grade 5 when they joined the Under 11 national Children’s Orchestra. This is very rare on the bassoon. Fiona, Madeline, Harry and Charlotte became the complete bassoon section of the National Children’s Orchestra. “I’m not sure if a whole section has come from one teacher before in a national orchestra, but I know I was very proud of them. Ten years ago Under 11 NCO struggled to find one or two Grade 4 bassoonists now they have four and a waiting list and several are Grade 8+…” says Catherine.
“Younger students need a quick win, easily achieved with a junior instrument,” says Paul, “Easy sound production on first lesson meets a need for instant gratification in today’s climate. We need to be aware of the potential risks of giving a smaller or younger student an oversize instrument, the physical body problems that can result from doing this. Children ‘GET’ size appropriate instruments… (It has happened in the string world forever!)
In teaching mini bassoon for over 15 years there have been NO damaged instruments. The young students have an innate sense of the quality and value of the instrument and treat it with respect and care. When younger students question a point of technique, I often say it’s something they will need to do when they get their full size instrument and they accept this. Younger students do learn at a slower pace but that’s fine. The gain is starting years ahead and developing excellent foundations for the future.
I have very successfully used an older student to mentor a group of 8 new beginners, aged 6. When one of them got to the age of 11, he asked if they could help start off a new beginner group. It had become an expectation on their part to replicate their experience for the next cohort.
The transition from junior oboe and mini bassoon to bassoon or oboe is a complete no brainer- the students have no fear and fully understand the new instrument is just the same but larger. No problems.
I normally do the transfer at the end of term so that the pupils can get used to the new instrument in their own time. Leaving them with both instruments over this period makes the transfer even less traumatic, as they ‘wean’ themselves away from the smaller instrument as they feel more confident. Teenagers who start the full size instrument often wish wish they’d had the opportunity of starting earlier. Many of them learnt something else first and, whilst they understand they had a good grounding in music, they realise they could be further ahead if they’d had a mini instrument.
Independent schools, in my experience, will fund reduce fees for minority instruments to fill gaps in their music departments- several of my pupils have gained heavily reduced fees at secondary level.”
Paul Harris, FTCL, Senior Manager, Havering Music School, UK.

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‘The Littlest Oboe’

Richard Craig — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 02:42:35 +0000

“You may think teaching a whole class of KS2 children to play
the oboe is verging on madness, but that’s exactly what Suzie
Shrubb from West Sussex Music Service is doing.

Suzie Shrubb has the largest Key Stage 2 oboe group in the UK. Some people
would think the idea of teaching a whole class of children to play the oboe
at the same time was verging on madness, but that’s exactly what Suzie is doing
at Bosham Primary School in West Sussex. She tells us how she does it.
What did the children think when you introduced them to the oboe?
For the Wider Opportunities class we could only offer the instrument to 15 children and we had no problem
signing up recruits! In my experience, children are always interested in the oboe, even if they don’t know
much about it and love the sound and all the paraphernalia – reeds, cleaning rods – that goes with it.
Why don’t more children learn the oboe then?
There seems to be some degree of ignorance as to what an oboe is – we have all heard the “is that a clarinet?”
question – and then there is the cost. It is more expensive than other instruments, which makes it prohibitive
for a beginner. Although music services do their best to address this there is still the issue of buying reeds,
which is a constant expensive drain on funds. It also carries the incorrect perception of being a hard instrument
to play.
What has been the reaction from the teachers at Bosham Primary?
The teachers love it and the school is really enthusiastic. The teachers always say how lucky children are these
days and lament that they did not have the opportunity to learn an instrument in this way. The school has an
excellent music co-ordinator, Sue Creber, who learns alongside us.
And from the children?
Most of the children enjoy playing their instruments although some find it harder than others. They are full of
questions, like what is the highest note you can play, and they love making multiphonics, which some of them
first did by accident (as most beginners do). When we did our last concert the children who came to watch
seemed to really enjoy it, but the best thing about the concert was that the children kept on playing after the
concert was over and did not want to put their instruments away.
Is it a bit of a liability giving children valuable instruments and delicate reeds?
We are using junior oboes and they are conscientious about looking after their instruments and so far we have
not had a breakage or any bent keys. They’re good with their reeds and know how to look after them. One
child still has her original reed from September and it still works! They were also enthusiastic about learning
to clean the oboes out and make sure they do this every time at the end of a lesson without me having to pester
them.
What’s tricky about group teaching?
Lots of things. I am really intent on making sure my oboists have a good embouchure and posture and know
all the fingerings really well – so I can be a bit obsessive over these things and have to remember this may not
be so exciting for the children. There is also the challenge by this time of the year that there is a marked difference
in standard amongst some children. For me, this is the trickiest thing.
We know some people have had more success with Wider Opps than others – how do you make it work?
I think that good planning and preparation is key and a good knowledge of the children and their musical abilities.
I also think that the children have to want to do it, so as a teacher you have to help create that desire and
then maintain it. In my experience the fact that they are given an instrument in the first place creates the desire,
as they immediately want to investigate and problem solve, which after all are necessary ingredients for
instrument learning. Incidentally, I have noticed that these Wider Opps children are much more inquisitive
than those who learn through more traditional routes. There seems to be something about Wider Opps that allows
more explorative freedom.
How are the students coming along?
Some of the children have really taken to the oboe, they have discovered new fingerings and taught themselves
to play tunes they like. There is a group of girls who are constantly sharing pieces together and with the
rest of us. Generally those who are doing well are the ones who practise and those who struggle are the ones
who do not take the instrument out of the case week on week. They are all playing with a good loud sound and
excellent tuning. Their musicianship is also good and they are completely unafraid to try out new things. We
have sung the songs that we learn and played some musical games and we also do free improvisation on the
oboe.
What would you say to people who are still reticent about teaching orchestral instruments in whole
class settings?
The Wider Opps system of teaching has shown nationally that people can and do teach orchestral instruments
to classes, with all the challenges that entails, and really relish it.”

Music Manifesto, 22/5/09

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Playing the Junior Oboe

Richard Craig — Sat, 09 Nov 2013 04:31:14 +0000

First blow on a Junior oboe- no oboe lesson yet, just recorder! Pick up and play!
(with permission)..
Junior Oboe

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The Howarth Junior Oboe

Richard Craig — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 03:09:37 +0000

Celia Craig demonstrates the new Howarth Junior Oboe. This instrument is a revolutionary new design available exclusively in Australia through Richard Craig. It features good sound quality, stability and tuning while allowing kids to get a head start and play earlier- from age 6.

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