Learning objectives - Oboe

The oboe often lags behind other wind instruments in terms of student numbers. Generally, students start learning the oboe between the ages of 9 to 12, although there are many cases of students starting earlier. If a teacher feels a student does not have the physical capacity to play the oboe, the gap can be bridged with another instrument temporarily.

More about oboe study

Level 1

Range: d’ – g”

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 80, scales played in quarter notes
Scales

(Choose two parts

out of four)

 G major, F major, D minor, chromatic

(type of minor scale is optional)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic e’ – c” (optional)

Works and exercises

Piece Can-can p. 55 in Óli óbó (Óli Oboe),

Serenade by Diabelli p. 22 in Learn as You Play,

(or a similar piece)
Practice

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody
  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement
  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 8 bars

Sight reading Play a song from music you've not seen before
Study material
  • Óli Oboe
  • Oboen och jag 1 (The Oboe and Me 3)
  • Learn as You Play Oboe
  • Hinke: Elementary method for oboe
  • Jag lar mig spela (I am learning to play)
  • 80 Graded Studies for Oboe Book 1

Level 2

Range: c’ – a”

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 96, scales played in quarter notes
Scales G major, F major, C major, A minor, D minor, chromatic

(type of minor scale is optional)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic g’ – g”

Works and exercises

Piece Cardamom Song p. 73 from Óli óbó (Óli Oboe,

Chorus from Paris and Helen p. 23 in Learn as You Play Oboe,

(or a similar piece)
Practice Exercise no. 10 from 80 Graded Studies

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 12 bar blues, 1x melody line (e.g., original), 1x solo

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Length should be about 12 – 16 bars, range wider than a fifth

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 12 – 16 bars, range wider than a fifth

Sight reading Play a song from music you've not seen before
Study material
  • Óli Oboe
  • Oboen och jag 1 and 2 ( (The Oboe and Me 1 and 2)
  • Learn as You Play Oboe
  • Hinke: Elementary method for oboe
  • 80 Graded Studies for Oboe Book 1

Level 3

Range: c’ – c”’

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 60, scales played in eighth notes
Scales G major, F major, C major, B-flat major, A minor, D minor, G minor, E minor, chromatic

(type of minor scale is optional)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic d’ – a”

Works and exercises

Piece Melody p. 60 in Learn as You Play,

Menuet p. 3 in Just for fun! Oboe,

(or a similar piece)
Practice Exercise no. 18 p. 12 in Hinke

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 16 bars

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Length should be about 16 bars, range over an octave.

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 16 bars, range about an octave

Sight reading Play a song from music you've not seen before
Study material
  • Just For Fun! Oboe
  • Oboen och jag 2 and 3 ( (The Oboe and Me 1 and 2)
  • Learn as You Play Oboe
  • Hinke: Elementary method for oboe
  • 80 Graded Studies for Oboe Book 1
  • Spielbuch 1 – Oboenschule

Level 4

Range: c’ – d”’

Basic level
All scales in one file

Scales

Range From root note up to the highest triad tone and back to root note
Tempo M.M = 96, scales played in eighth notes
Scales G major, F major, C major, B-flat major, D major, A minor, D minor, G minor, E minor, B minor, chromatic

(all minors are melodic)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic c’ – d”’

Works and exercises

Piece Farandole by Bizet, p. 12 from Classic Experience,

The Music of the Night p. 19 from Winner Scores All,

The Brave Soldier p. 8 from Time Pieces for Oboe

(or a similar piece)
Practice Exercise no. 23 from 80 Graded Studies, Book 1,

Exercise no. 1 p. 18 in Hinke: Elementary Method For Oboe,

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 16 bars

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Length should be about 16 bars, range over an octave.

  3. Play a piece of your choice, of similar difficulty to other exam pieces

    Length should be about 16 bars, range about an octave

Sight reading Play a song from music you've not seen before
Study material
  • Just For Fun! Oboe
  • Oboen och jag 3 (The Oboe and Me 3)
  • Winner Scores All by Peter Lawrence
  • Classic Experience Collection – Oboe
  • Hinke: Elementary method for oboe
  • Spielbuch 1 – Oboenschule
  • 80 Graded Studies for Oboe Book 1
  • Time Pieces for Oboe, Book 1