Sconcerto

Written 10/28:

            My two days in Italy were nearly perfect.  The only not-so-enjoyable part of the trip was that I let myself down a little bit during the performances.  I think because I was so overwhelmed and distracted, I had trouble concentrating.  So I missed a few entrances, and didn’t play as cleanly as I normally do.  I’m not sure anyone in the audience would be able to tell that I wasn’t playing completely correctly, except for maybe the composer.  And I’m sure the piece was still effective, even though the orchestra didn’t play perfectly, because the actors did such a good job.  But it’s always unpleasant to be unsatisfied with your own contributions.

            On the plus side, my poor performance has motivated me to start working harder on the oboe.  I hope that I can give a good performance on our concert next Friday, playing Tchiakovsky’s Violin Concerto and Sixth Symphony.  Today I buckled down, adjusted my reeds, and slowly woodshed my way through my part.  I feel honored to have been given a principal oboe position in a professional orchestra this year, and I hope that I can provide the leadership expected of me by my colleagues, my music director, and myself.