Woodwind Studies
BASSOON STUDIES
Led by faculty member, Marc Goldberg, bassoon students receive weekly individual lessons, studio classes, and reed-making classes.
CLARINET STUDIES
The clarinet studio is team-taught by faculty members, David Krakauer and Pascual Martínez-Forteza. Always in close communication with one another, all clarinet students study with both faculty members, allowing students to gain the unique perspective of each.
FLUTE STUDIES
All flute students study with Dr. Tara Helen O'Connor. Ms. O'Connor is deeply committed to the individual growth of her students through weekly on-campus lessons, chamber music coachings, and studio classes. She says, "my philosophy of teaching is to train students to be thinking, feeling, constantly searching musicians, and to learn to use their bodies and instruments as fully, freely, and economically as possible."
OBOE STUDIES
The oboe faculty at Bard has designed a comprehensive curriculum that addresses orchestral, solo and etude repertoire, as well as reed making, instrument repair, and training on the English horn. The instructors, Elaine Douvas, Alexandra Knoll, and Ryan Roberts function as a team and foster a supportive group atmosphere.
One of the three oboe instructors comes to Bard almost every week to give private lessons and a 2-hour class. Group sessions are efficient and valuable because the students benefit from hearing each other and observing the instruction of their fellow students on a weekly basis.
The orchestral literature class meets once a month, taught by Ryan Roberts, English hornist of the New York Philharmonic. Fifty complete works are covered in a 3 to 4-year rotation, following a well-outlined syllabus. Students are asked to study two or three major works per month, preparing independently, listening to three recorded examples, using a complete oboe part and a full score.
Etude class also meets once per month (8x per year) and is taught by Elaine Douvas, principal oboist of the Metropolitan Opera. The entire Barret method is covered in a two to four year cycle, following an organized syllabus. Ferling etudes are added for students in their 3rd, 4th and 5th years and are also taught in private lessons. The oboe faculty seeks to perpetuate the tradition of teaching universal musical principles through etudes, and to prepare students to be effective teachers themselves.
Training on the English horn is essential for all oboists, and English horn class is taught by Ryan Roberts.
Reed making class is held about 5 times per year, taught by Alexandra Knoll, Principal Oboist of the American Symphony and Acting Associate Principal of the NYC Ballet, although reed making instruction also takes place in individual lessons. Bard owns 2 gougers, an RDG and an Innoledy. Students working in small groups help each other and progress more quickly. Detailed written material is provided.
Repair skills are essential to be able to play the oboe fluently, to handle emergencies, and to become an expert teacher. Repair class, taught by Ryan Roberts, mainly covers adjustment screws, but additional subjects can be covered in one more class, if desired: crack gluing, pad changing, spring changing, octave vent and tone-hole cleaning, and tuning of tone holes.
In order to prepare students for professional orchestra auditions, two placement auditions are conducted each year at Bard. (The oboe studio uses the eight-semester rotation of audition repertoire used at Juilliard.)
From the faculty, "we hope this course of study sounds exciting for you; we believe you can master all of your repertoire and skills in this well-organized way. We teachers will try our very best to prepare you for a happy life in music!"
