About MOS

Located on the west side of Madison, Medisky Oboe Studio is open to students of all levels. While developing the foundations of oboe playing, students learn skills for consistent, committed practice and ongoing musical growth.

Medisky Oboe Studio fosters independence, confidence, and critical thinking to guide students to explore their individual musicianship through practice strategies and performance skills. All new students are required to complete an audition to join the studio.

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Student
Qualities

Medisky Oboe Studio students…

  • have beautiful, controlled sounds

  • have reliable pitch & dynamic control

  • ​score high ratings at Solo & Ensemble

  • earn top chairs in WYSO & WSMA Honors ensembles

  • receive music scholarships for college


In addition to school band programs, MOS students are active in WYSO, WSMA Middle Level and High School Level Honors Projects, WSMA Solo & Ensemble, concerto competitions, as well as various Double Reed Days and summer music camps.

Beyond oboe
technique

As MOS students develop and refine the foundations of oboe playing, they also learn…

  • all major & minor scales and arpeggios

  • deliberate practice strategies

  • peak performance skills

  • self-evaluation techniques

  • human anatomy relevant to oboe playing


These skills and strategies are built into weekly lessons as ongoing courses and activities, enabling students to develop musical and artistic abilities beyond basic notes and fingerings. 

Studio
Activities

  • ​Medisky Oboe Studio presents a studio recital at the end of each school year, and all students are invited to perform solos and play in the oboe choir. Performing is a rewarding part of being a musician, and this is a great opportunity for students to share what they have learned and to play with other oboists!

  • ​Oboe Dojo is a fun spin on the martial arts model of earning belts as students progress and achieve specific technical requirements. Instead of belts, students earn ribbons that they can collect and attach to their oboe cases.

  • Each Fall term kicks off with a studio-wide technique challenge or activity that spotlights various aspects of oboe playing. Topics range from technical skills like scales, arpeggios, and thirds, to practice skills featured in the metronome challenge and etude challenge.

  • Reed classes may be offered during the summer term and all current students are welcome to attend, regardless of reed-making experience.

  • All students and family members receive the Medisky Oboe Studio e-newsletter on the first day of each month, featuring MOS announcements, student news, events, and more!

  • From time to time special topic classes will be offered, and are included in studio membership tuition. Past topics include:

    • Oboe adjustments

    • Oboe cleaning

    • Stage Presence/Performance Energy

    • Alexander Technique

    • Guest Masterclasses

Lesson Policies

  • Membership into Medisky Oboe Studio is by audition, and there is a one-time $15 membership fee to join. Students are expected to participate in their school band program (or comparable music program) concurrently with private lessons. 

    Studio membership includes:

    • Your assigned weekly lesson time

    • Access to the members-only section of this website

    • Three-ring binder with lesson handouts and exercises

    • Participation in studio recitals, reed classes, and other activities

    • Assistance in purchasing new instruments

    • Access to hand-made oboe reeds​

  • The following lesson lengths are available:

    • 30-minutes: appropriate for beginners through middle school

    • 45-minutes: appropriate for middle school students, and a minimum length for serious high school students

    • 1-hour: for serious students, and for students who make reeds

    Lesson Frequency
    Weekly lessons are best for optimal progress and for keeping students motivated. Bi-weekly lessons may be considered for students traveling from outside of the Madison area.

    Summer Lessons
    Summer lessons are required to secure your place in the studio for Fall. I offer lesson packages to provide flexibility and accommodate summer schedules. Students that do not take summer lessons will lose their place in the studio and will be required to re-audition in the Fall if there is space in the studio.

  • Scheduling and invoicing are based on three terms during the year: 

    • Fall: September - December

    • Spring: January - May

    • Summer: June - August


    For Fall and Spring the number of lessons and total tuition is calculated based on averaging three lessons per month. This allows for holidays, scheduling conflicts, rehearsal weeks for me, etc. Ex) There are 15 weeks in the Fall term, but you will only be invoiced for and expected to complete 12 lessons.

    Payment Plans

    1. One total payment (due the first month of the term)

    2. Monthly payments (due on the 5th of each month)

    Lessons must be completed during the term they are invoiced for. Unused lessons will not be refunded.

  • Private lessons are meant to complement and enhance your work in school band class. We will address oboe related issues, and you will be assigned weekly materials including an etude from your book and additional technical exercises. All students will work on at least one solo piece each year for Solo & Ensemble, auditions (such as WYSO), and/or the annual studio recital.

    The goal of private lessons is to build and refine the foundations of oboe playing:

    • Tone quality

    • Finger technique

    • Embouchure

    • Breathing/air support

    • Articulation

    • Vibrato


    Students will learn practice techniques to refine their oboe foundations, so that we can focus on developing musicianship:

    • Musicality and phrasing

    • All major & minor scales and arpeggios

    • Solo repertoire

    • Deliberate practice strategies

    • Peak performance skills

    • Self-evaluation skills

  • Students should practice 4-6 days per week. This is a time to work on specific things we talk about in lessons, and students will learn practice techniques during lessons to help guide them. Practice time is when the most improvement takes place, and I encourage all students to be their own teacher when working at home!

    Recommended daily practice times

    • Beginners: 15-20 minutes 

    • Intermediate: 30-45 minutes

    • Advanced: 45-60 minutes and beyond!


    What to practice each day

    • Oboe Dojo: Slow scale warm-up, long tone, scales, arpeggios, etc.

    • Etudes: Gekeler, Rubank, Barret, etc.

    • Solo Repertoire: Solo & Ensemble or student recital

    • Ensemble music

    • Reed-making, if applicable

  • Students must own the following:

    • Assigned music: etude books and solo repertoire

    • Metronome (phone app is OK)

    • Chromatic tuner (phone app is OK)


    Students must bring the following to each lessons:

    • Your oboe (students without an instrument will be sent home and will forfeit the lesson)

    • One working reed to play on, plus one back-up reed

    • Reed water cup to soak your reed

    • MOS binder

    • Assigned etude book and/or solo piece

  • A good, working reed is essential for consistent, beautiful playing. Store-bought reeds are inadequate beyond the beginner level, and will hinder a student’s progress. I have a subscription with a professional reed-maker to provide MOS students with hand-made reeds. I personally finish each reed according to each student’s playing ability and their oboe. 

    Note: Reeds are only available to students that are currently members of Medisky Oboe Studio who are actively taking lessons. No exceptions.

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More info

New Students

Audition Requirements

Student Teacher Program