Principal Applied Oboe (Sophomore Level)

Course Description

MVW2322 — Principal Applied Oboe is the sophomore-level applied music course in oboe for students whose principal instrument is oboe. The course consists of weekly private one-on-one lessons with an applied oboe faculty member, supported by daily individual practice, daily reed-making and reed-adjustment work, and concurrent participation in an allied ensemble (typically symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, or chamber music). Oboe is unusual among woodwinds in that most professional and serious collegiate players make their own reeds — reed-making is integrated into applied study from the freshman year, with sophomore-year students expected to be making reeds that meet basic playing standards. The course extends the freshman foundation in tone production, technique, and repertoire through more demanding etude literature (Ferling, Barret, Brod), broader solo literature spanning Baroque through 20th/21st-century works, and growing exposure to standard orchestral excerpts.

This course is offered at approximately 25 Florida public colleges and universities. Florida State University identifies MV_2321–2326 as the sophomore principal applied music sequence; oboe specifically corresponds to the "2" in the score-order final digit (after flute = 1).

The Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS) encodes information about applied music courses in the digits of the course number. Following the convention documented by Florida State University's College of Music, the first digit indicates academic level (1 = freshman, 2 = sophomore, 3 = junior, 4 = senior), the second digit indicates the applied music placement (2 = secondary, 3 = principal, 4 = performance), the third digit repeats the first, and the fourth digit indicates the specific instrument within the prefix family.

For MVW2322, the prefix MVW denotes Applied Music: Woodwinds; 2 indicates sophomore level; 3 indicates principal placement; 2 repeats the academic level; and the final 2 places oboe second in the woodwind score order.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of MVW2322, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate refined tone production across the full standard sophomore oboe range (low B-flat through high G or A above the staff), with consistent intonation and balanced tone color.
• Apply refined embouchure with controlled lip pressure, jaw position, and consistent reed-mouthpiece relationship.
• Demonstrate functional reed-making competence: gouge, shape, tie, and scrape reeds that play at a basic acceptable standard. Sophomore-year students typically make 4–8 reeds per week and play primarily on their own work.
• Perform all major and minor scales (harmonic and melodic) at increased tempo, full sophomore range, with refined articulation patterns.
• Perform arpeggios and chromatic scales across the full sophomore range.
• Apply varied articulation at sophomore standard: single-tongue at faster tempos, legato, marcato, staccato.
• Prepare and perform advanced etudes from standard sophomore literature: Ferling 48 Études Op. 31 (the foundational text); Barret Complete Oboe Method (intermediate selections); Brod 20 Études; Sellner Méthode (intermediate).
• Prepare and perform solo repertoire from at least three contrasting style periods: a Baroque concerto or sonata (Marcello Concerto in C minor; Albinoni Concerti Op. 9 Nos. 2 or 8; Handel Sonatas; Telemann Sonatas); a Classical or Romantic work (Mozart Concerto in C K. 314; Schumann Three Romances); and a 20th/21st-century work (Britten Six Metamorphoses after Ovid; Saint-Saëns Sonata Op. 166; Poulenc Sonata; contemporary American works).
• Demonstrate improving sight-reading at a level appropriate for chamber music and orchestral playing.
• Apply introductory orchestral excerpt study (Brahms Symphony No. 1, second movement; Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4, second movement; Rossini overtures; Strauss Don Juan).
• Perform a sophomore-level faculty jury demonstrating prepared scales, etudes, and solo repertoire from memory where required.
• Continue concurrent participation in allied ensembles (orchestra, wind ensemble, chamber music).

Optional Outcomes

• Develop English horn introductory technique (the alto member of the oboe family, used in major orchestral solo passages).
• Engage in woodwind quintet or other chamber music as part of the regular workload.
• Develop refined reed-making consistency, with reeds increasingly suitable for orchestral and chamber-music demands.
• Perform a 20-minute sophomore recital with repertoire from at least three contrasting periods.
• Audition for the International Double Reed Society (IDRS) conferences and competitions, or summer festivals (Brevard, Sewanee).

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Refined Tone Production: Embouchure consistency across registers; voicing (tongue and oral-cavity adjustments); tonal balance from low to high registers; "cutting edge" definition characteristic of orchestral oboe playing.
• Reed-Making (Required): Cane selection; gouging machines and gouge specifications; shaping (using a shaper-tip); tying reeds onto staples; scraping the reed using a knife — tip work, "heart" definition, "back" thinning. Sophomore-year students typically make 4–8 reeds per week.
• Reed Adjustment: Diagnosing reed problems (too closed, too open, sharp, flat, hard, soft); adjusting reeds at sight using knife and plaque; reed life management (typically 2–4 weeks of professional-quality use per reed).
• Daily Technique Routine: Long tones across full range; scales (Pares, Klosé-derived) with varied articulation; finger-technique exercises (Sellner-derived).
• Scale Studies: Full-range major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales with varied articulation patterns; chromatic scale to high G or A.
• Articulation Studies: Single-tongue speed development, legato, staccato, slurred groupings; clean attack consistency on the double reed (a particular challenge for oboists).
• Foundational Etudes: Ferling 48 Études Op. 31 (the foundational text, often used across multiple years of study); Barret Complete Oboe Method; Brod 20 Études; Sellner Méthode; Lamotte Practical Studies.
• Baroque Repertoire: Marcello Concerto in C minor; Albinoni Concerti Op. 9 Nos. 2 or 8; Handel Sonatas Op. 1; Telemann Sonatas; Vivaldi Concertos; Bach Concerto in F major (transcribed from harpsichord).
• Classical Concerto Repertoire: Mozart Concerto in C K. 314 (the foundational Classical-period oboe work); Strauss Concerto in D (begun at sophomore level for upper-division performance).
• Romantic and 20th-Century Repertoire: Schumann Three Romances Op. 94; Saint-Saëns Sonata Op. 166; Poulenc Sonata; Britten Six Metamorphoses after Ovid (a foundational 20th-century unaccompanied work); Pasculli Opera fantasies (challenging virtuoso works for the upper-division).
• Equipment Awareness: Oboe selection (Lorée, Marigaux, Howarth, Yamaha professional models); reed-making tools (knife, plaque, mandrel, shaper, gouger); thread and staples.

Optional Topics

• English Horn: Introduction to the alto member of the oboe family; embouchure adjustments; major orchestral excerpts (Dvořák New World Symphony "Largo"; Wagner Tristan und Isolde; Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture).
• Orchestral Excerpts: Brahms Symphony No. 1 II; Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 II; Rossini overtures (La Scala di Seta, L'Italiana in Algeri); Strauss Don Juan; Mahler symphonies.
• Chamber Music: Woodwind quintet (Reicha, Hindemith, Nielsen, Barber); oboe and string quartet (Mozart Quartet K. 370); oboe and piano duo.
• Advanced Reed-Making: Refined scrape patterns; experimentation with different cane sources; American versus French scrape styles; building reed inventory for performance and competitions.
• Multiple Oboe Family Members: Awareness of oboe d'amore (Bach repertoire); English horn (orchestral); piccolo oboe (specialty).

Resources & Tools

• Studio Faculty Member: Continuing 60-minute weekly lessons; oboe specialists or, at smaller institutions, a double-reed faculty member who teaches both oboe and bassoon.
• Practice Facilities: Dedicated woodwind practice rooms with humidity control; reed-making bench access (most institutions provide a dedicated reed room with gouging machines, shapers, and reed-tying stations).
• Foundational Methods: Robert Sprenkle The Art of Oboe Playing (the foundational pedagogical text in English); Joseph Robinson Tales from the Locker Room of Classical Music; David Weber The Reed Maker's Manual.
• Etude Books: Ferling 48 Études Op. 31; Barret Complete Oboe Method; Brod 20 Études; Sellner Méthode; Lamotte Practical Studies; Bozza Etudes for Oboe.
• Solo Repertoire Editions: Standard editions for Mozart Concerto (Bärenreiter, Henle); Marcello (Casa Ricordi); Strauss Concerto (Boosey & Hawkes); Britten Six Metamorphoses (Boosey & Hawkes).
• Reed-Making Equipment: Personal investment of $400–$800 over freshman/sophomore years for knife, plaque, mandrel, shaper-tip, beeswax, thread, fish skin, staples, and cane (gouged-and-shaped or pre-gouged depending on institutional setup).
• Equipment: Quality intermediate or professional oboe (Lorée AK or Royal series, Marigaux 901, Howarth XL, Yamaha YOB-841 or comparable); some institutions provide loaner instruments for freshman/sophomore students.
• Studio Class: Weekly group meeting for performance practice, peer feedback, masterclass discussion, often including reed-making clinics.
• Jury Committee: Sophomore juries typically expect longer programs and a wider stylistic range than freshman juries.
• International Double Reed Society (IDRS): Professional organization providing the Double Reed journal, annual conferences, competitions, and pedagogical resources.

Career Pathways

• Music Educator (K–12, post-completion of BME and Florida teacher certification through FTCE Music K–12).
• Performing Musician in regional orchestras, opera and ballet pit orchestras, theatre productions, jazz ensembles, and chamber groups. Florida hosts the Florida Orchestra (Tampa Bay), Naples Philharmonic, Jacksonville Symphony, Orlando Philharmonic, Sarasota Orchestra, Palm Beach Symphony, Florida Grand Opera, and the Sarasota Opera.
• Theme Park & Entertainment Performer at Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Disney Cruise Line.
• Cruise Ship Musician for vessels homeporting at Florida's major embarkation ports (PortMiami, Port Canaveral, Port Everglades, Port Tampa Bay, Jacksonville).
• Worship and Liturgical Musician for churches across Florida's metro and rural communities.
• Private Studio Teacher, often credentialed through the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) or instrument-specific Florida professional associations.
• Military Musician with U.S. Armed Forces premier bands or regional service bands (audition required; competitive).
• Studio Recording & Session Work, particularly in the Miami, Orlando, and Tampa recording markets.

Students intending to pursue performance professionally should plan on completing a Bachelor of Music (BM) in Performance at a Florida university — typically Florida State University, University of Florida, University of Miami (Frost), University of Central Florida, University of South Florida, University of West Florida, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, Florida Gulf Coast University, or Florida A&M University — and continuing to graduate study or competitive auditions.

Oboe graduates have additional career destinations specific to the instrument: regional orchestral positions (Florida Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, Sarasota Orchestra, Naples Philharmonic, Orlando Philharmonic each have one principal oboe and one or two assistant/second oboe positions; positions are extremely competitive nationally); chamber music ensembles (woodwind quintets and chamber orchestras); theme-park ensembles at Walt Disney World; cruise-line orchestras; private studio teaching; military service bands (where oboe positions are present); and professional reed-making as a niche side income (custom reeds for area students and professionals can supplement performance income).

Special Information

SCNS Transferability

Applied music courses with prefixes MVB, MVH, MVJ, MVK, MVO, MVP, MVS, MVV, and MVW are not automatically transferable under the Florida Statewide Course Numbering System. Per FSCJ's published policy on the SCNS, these courses require evidence of skill achievement (audition, jury performance, or portfolio) and must be evaluated individually by the receiving institution. Students transferring to a four-year music program should plan to audition with the receiving institution's applied faculty regardless of credits earned. The Florida Common Prerequisites Manual (available at floridashines.org) lists state-wide prerequisite expectations for music majors transferring to State University System institutions; faculty in the receiving program place students into the appropriate applied level based on audition.

Continued Audition Standing

Continuation in MVW2322 typically requires successful completion of MVW1312 (or equivalent freshman applied oboe sequence) with a passing jury and demonstrated reed-making competency.

Reed-Making Daily Practice

Reed-making is not optional for the principal-level oboist. Sophomore-year students typically dedicate 30–60 minutes per day to reed-making and adjustment, in addition to instrumental practice. The combined time commitment for serious oboe study is among the highest of any musical instrument and should be honestly understood by prospective majors.

Equipment Investment

Oboe is among the most expensive woodwind instruments to play professionally. A professional-grade instrument typically costs $7,000–$15,000+; reed-making equipment adds $400–$800 over the first year; cane, staples, and consumables add ongoing costs of $30–$80 per month. Most freshman/sophomore students play on intermediate instruments ($3,000–$6,000) or institutional loaners.

Continuation Sequence

MVW2322 is followed by a continuing sophomore semester (often a repeat of MVW2322) and then by MVW3332 at the junior principal level. Successful completion through MVW3332 (by jury) is a degree requirement at most Florida four-year music programs.

Sophomore Recital

Some institutions require a sophomore-year recital at the conclusion of the MVW2322 sequence. The 20-minute recital format is standard, typically including one Baroque concerto movement, one Classical or Romantic work, and one 20th-century work.