The Red Oboe
When working with middle school students at a recent GMEA all-state prep clinic, I asked the students if they had any questions as we were wrapping up our morning. Fully expecting a question about the etudes or oboe fundamentals, one student asked, “why is your oboe red?”. I sometimes forget my Maple Fox Sayen is unusual to some, especially young players and non-musicians. A similar question was asked after my trio, Off Broadway, performed back in September. I had played 2 pieces on my Sayen and 1 piece on English horn (grenadilla). A neighbor asked, “why did you play one piece on the red oboe and then come out with the black oboe?”. I explained that they were actually two entirely different instruments and how oboe to English horn is akin to piccolo to flute, etc.
I played on grenadilla oboes my entire life (maybe with the exception of the very first, rental plastic oboe). I’ve tried other woods over the years, but was happy, for the most part, with the grenadillas I was playing. As I’ve gotten older and feel like I have more ‘street cred’ and don’t feel like I have to fit a certain mold anymore, I started trying different brands of oboes. My friend and fellow oboist, Aaron Hill, was a Fox Artist, playing on a grenadilla Sayen so I was curious about his experience with his oboe. I gave him a call and we had a great chat and this inspired me to reach out to the amazing people at Fox Products Inc. to talk to them about their oboes.
I first reach out to Sarah Thelen, who I had become friendly with when I hosted the IDRS 2016 conference here at Columbus State University. Initially, I was sent 3 instruments, 2 grenadillas and 1 maple. After trying the 3 instruments, I was surprised at how much I liked that maple, but I hadn’t even considered going in that direction. Fox was low on stock at the time and told me they would have more instruments for me to try in a couple of months so I sent the first batch back. Sarah told me they would hold on to the maple, if they could, to send back with the next batch.
The next batch arrived in early spring of 2020. I really liked all 3 instruments (again, 2 grenadillas, but different ones, and the same maple). They were all beautiful instruments. What I actually liked best was the maple with one of the gren bells. I was concerned the full maple wouldn’t have the guts to project well enough in orchestra and felt like the gren bell gave it a little extra oomph. On March 13, 2020, my studio and I gathered in our beautiful Legacy Hall here at Columbus State University for a blind testing of these oboes + mine. I played the 2 grens, my oboe, the maple and the maple with a gren bell. After the first round, I asked which they would eliminate. They overwhelmingly said #2!!!! Which was my own oboe!!!! They all felt really bad about that but I told them that it was really good feedback!
We proceeded to play rounds 2 & 3 and they unanimously chose the full maple, no gren bell. I was shocked! It was not at all what I expected. We then headed into our spring break and unfortunately, we didn’t come back in person due to Covid.
I continued to play the maple and actually had 4 more sent to me since that original was the only one I had ever played. Out of the new 4, I really liked one, but since the maple Sayen is lined in both the top and middle joints, I had to think a bit differently as this instrument wasn’t going to break in quite the same way as I what I was used to. Ultimately, I chose the original maple, but I was also a bit terrified since I couldn’t play it with anyone nor could I ask anyone else to hear me on the instruments. Stephanie Patterson from Fox was kind enough to listen over the phone, for what it was worth, but it made me feel a little better having some additional feedback from.
I started playing the maple Sayen in March of 2020. In the summer of 2021, I was contracted for the International Trombone Festival’s orchestra that was held at the Schwob School of Music. This was the first time I would play this instrument with others, and I was pretty nervous. It went really well, and I got some positive feedback from the 2nd oboist. I then gave a faculty recital, and a fellow oboist and friend told me how much she loved it and that I had 100% made the right decision. That felt pretty incredible and very validating!
I am still very happy with my maple Sayen. Honestly, I’m not sure what’s next for me. I may not buy another oboe in my career, but if I do, I will certainly shop for more Foxes (there was a grenadilla Sayen at the Boulder conference that I absolutely loved!) and maybe other brands to find an oboe I really feel good about without worrying about fitting into a certain mold. Fox Products has been very supportive of me and being a Fox Performing Artist has been really wonderful. I love their willingness to support their artists, our creativity and our mission to help other educators and oboists!