Okey, in orchestra there`s is obviously 1st oboe and 2nd oboe, i play 2nd and this other chick called Nina plays 1st. She`s been playing for like 4 years, and shes on grade 5 oboe, she doesnt go to her lessons, and she forgets some occasions when we haf to perform. I came into the orchestra start of this year, i`ve been playing for a half a year, and im on grade 7 oboe. I picked up easily, because i learn piano.

I dont get it why Nina gets to play 1st oboe, i know maybe she has more experience and all, but i haf a WAY better tone then her, it pi**es me off, just because she came into the orchestra before me, she gets to play first. Another thing that pi**es me off is that she doesnt go to rehearsals, and then i get to play all the solos, but on the night of the big school concerts, she suddenly shows up and she plays it, and she wrecks the whole thing becasue she hasnt been to rehearsals.

She has no commitment, no effort into the oboe, and she sounds so crap!! grrr!!

mayb i need to talk to someone about playing first??..

@~> Jaspie

Maybe you could ask your director/conductor or whoever`s in charge to actually do some tests to see who`s better, you or the nina person, and if you win, you would obviously get 1st chair.

Some orchestras place people on a 1st come 1st serve basis rather than how well they play. The teacher may have the mentality that lowering ones chair would not be worth the damage.
If another Oboist came along you should definately demand 1st, but otherwise I wouldn`t be suprised if nothing changed.

I remember the first flute seniors in my school who could not even play the full range of the flute, sat out for any sixteenth note pattern, and always had their fingering charts handy. Then I somehow started playing 1st Oboe parts on flute and eventually playing the actual Oboe, better than those flute players were able to play their flutes.

You can seek out an Adult comminity band which will probably play more challenging music and allow you to develop/show off more freely. Most comminity colleges have a non-audition and an audition band. Also some cities have comminuty bands.