This research project seeks to compare the craftsmanship and performance of commercially available handmade oboe reeds produced by ten professional oboe reed makers and share our observations via our OboeForEveryone.com website. By focusing on key parameters such as pitch, response,dynamic capabilities, and ease of playing, we aim to help adult amateur and student oboists make informed decisions regarding reed selection for purchase.
Can the clarinet learn to play with a singing quality by studying vocal repertoire and technique? This was the central research question addressed in our UWEC Student-Faculty Research that we considered through the study of repertoire and historical context of Bel Canto music written by French composer Pauline Viardot as well as a vocal approach to the selected pieces. Dr. Alyssa Powell guided my study of three pieces that demanded slightly different artistic approaches. These were, Fleur desséchée, Povera me, and L’innamorata, all by the remarkable and lesser-known composer, Pauline Viardot. For each piece, I learned the French and Italian diction with the help of Dr. Ken Pereira, considered agogic stress of the text with the music, determined the articulations needed to convey the many vowels and consonants present in the language via the clarinet, considered registration as a singer would, and combined the results of this work in a performance. I performed the three works alongside Shawn Muench, local pianist, in a recital. Examining the tone colors, breathing habits, and articulations from a vocalist’s perspective was especially helpful in stretching my musical interpretive skills.
