Theo Todman's Web Page - Notes Pages
Status Reports
Status: Music (2026 - March)
(Text as at 13/04/2026 19:33:36)
Rationale for this Project
- This is now more than adequately covered by my Music Page1. However, I see that some of what should be in that page keeps creeping into this page. An occasional update is required!
- It’s worth taking a glance at the above page from time to time to contextualise what follows below.
Summary of Progress during January - March 2026
- I spent 108.75 hours in 26Q1 on this Project, or related work (210.25 hours YTD, where for "YTD" - Year to Date - I mean the (academic) year that commenced in October 2025). That's 104.3% of the planned effort (100.8% YTD). Overall, 14.3% of my Project effort in the Quarter was directed towards this project (making 13.4% YTD) - as against 12.3% planned (12.6% YTD).
- I scheduled 8 hours / week on this project in 26Q1 and marginally exceeded the full allocation. However, about 70% of this time was spent on ‘useful’ admin: mostly organising the Enigma Ensemble and using MuseScore. Most of the rest was spent playing the oboe but I made some minimal progress on the Tenor Recorder (most time incorrectly booked to ‘music admin’), but no Piano, Aural or Theory.
- I’m becoming quite expert on MuseScore, which is needed both for the Enigma Ensemble and to help out with the more difficult practice pieces for Oboe Grades VII & VIII, both so I can hear what they are supposed to sound like at the required speed and to provide an accompaniment. I’ve already prepared the new pieces required for the Enigma Ensemble’s 2025 Winter Term, some of which are still to be fully mastered. I have several others on the list awaiting arrangement for our ensemble.
- Now that I’m preparing more complex pieces for the Enigma Ensemble I’m spending a lot more time practicing Ensemble pieces than I used to when they were much simpler.
- While I’ve been focusing on Grade VII oboe, I have also looked at Grade VIII. However, of late I’ve not focused on this.
- Except in the rare occasions when I have a cold, I now practice almost every day. While this is sometime for only 15 minutes, which just about keeps things ticking over, it has been increasingly for 30 minutes which is building up stamina and making playing more enjoyable. I need to keep in shape as an oboist, though I’m probably more in shape than most other members of the Ensemble.
- However, yet again, somewhat less than a third of the time recorded against this project was spent actually playing the oboe. This is not good enough. I really need to be practising for 30 minutes every day and occasionally longer.
- That said, time organising the Enigma Ensemble is time well spent. We’re much better organised and time is much better spent than under our previous Director. My efforts seem to be appreciated.
|.|The Enigma Ensemble gave a ‘concert’ in February 2026 at a deluxe Billericay Old Folks Home (Anisha Grange). We seemed to be warmly received – with some genuine applause – by both staff and residents. That said, we were playing to the ‘dementia floor’, but music is good therapy so it was a ‘good work’.
- This Quarter I didn’t spend any time using the rather irritating Earmaster Pro – which I’ve added to my ‘Daily Tasks’ list in the hope of using it regularly. But I just don’t find the time to take it seriously.
- I came across "Sutton (Christopher) - Musicality: How you too can learn music like a gifted prodigy, unlock your musical instinct, and unleash your inner natural", which looks useful and exciting. I have it on my Kindle and have read the long motivational introduction – basically claiming that anyone can learn musicality with a bit of education and practice. However, when it moved on to the real stuff, I found this needed some practical application, so I’ve stopped reading further2 until I can get my Earmaster Pro back in shape.
- I was persuaded to buy a Tenor Recorder with the intention of joining a recorder quartet with other members of the Enigma Ensemble. I was enthusiastic for a couple of weeks and can play some simple stuff. However, the Tenor recorder is quite a large instrument (about the size of an oboe, but fatter) and it’s difficult to stretch your fingers to cover the holes exactly as there are no keys and the lower notes squeak when spit collects! It didn’t get much of a look in during the last quarter.
- Sadly, the piano just can’t get a look in. I’ve retained it on my ‘Daily Tasks’ list, but now with only 5 minutes planned / day! I intend to give it another go.
- I record and report time spent practicing individual pieces on my oboe: here3.
- Further details follow:-
Music (Total Hours = 108.75)
- Music - Administration (Total Hours = 76.75)
- Music - Oboe (Total Hours = 30.5)
- Oboe - Enigma Ensemble (10.25 hours)
- Oboe - Enigma Ensemble - Practice (18.5 hours)
- Oboe - Enigma Ensemble - Practice - Bach Organ Sonata No. 4.II (Andante) (0.75 hours)
- OBT Weekend - Oboe / Violin Duets - Practice (1 hour)
→ See "Practice - Oboe - Enigma Ensemble - Playing & Practice" (30.5 hours)
- Music - Recorder (Total Hours = 1.5)
Plans for the Near Future
- Despite the pressure from other projects, and the realities of what I do, I’ve decided to maintain the planned hours / week at 8 hours / week. It really needs to be more, but there’s no time.
- This is partly needed to keep the 2 hours a week to be spent on Music Aural and Music Theory. I’ve taken out an annual subscription to "Earmaster - Ear Training & Sight-singing", so want to make use of it. Unfortunately, I don’t use it as often as I should.
- The Enigma Ensemble has another ‘concert’ scheduled – for May 2026 – at a sheltered accommodation home (Archer House).
- Also in May 2026 Julie and I are scheduled to give a brief oboe + violin recital at the OBT away weekend.
- As noted above, I’ve been persuaded to add yet another sub-project – that of learning to play the Tenor Recorder – so as to join a subset of the Enigma Ensemble in a recorder quartet. Completely mad, of course, but how hard can it be? Well, harder than I’d thought, but I’m making slow progress.
- I doubt this will leave me any time for the piano, though I’d like to spend some time on "Faber (Nancey) & Faber (Randall) - Faber Piano Adventures: Adult Piano Adventures All-in-One Lesson Book 1: Spiral Bound". Also, to try to play by ear by tinkling the ivories.
- A plan for some upcoming quarter – sadly unfulfilled in previous quarters – is to record – or upgrade the recordings of – myself playing the graded pieces on my oboe: See here4.
- These are the items I intend to pursue:-
- Administration
- Organise the Enigma Ensemble: dates, music & finances.
- MuseScore:-
- Use MuseScore to tidy up scans for:-
→ Orchestral Exercises
→ Bach Difficult Passages
→ Mike Mower pieces
→ Grade VI, VII & VIII piano-accompanied pieces: also extract piano accompaniments
- Review MuseScore Editing documentation.
- Investigate MuseScore Scores database: Use to provide more music for the Enigma Ensemble.
→ Handel - O Ruddier than the cherry
→ Jenkins - Palladio
→ Mozart - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (1st Movement)
→ Purcell - Chacony in g minor
→ Purcell - Dido’s Lament
- Oboe:-
- Practice the oboe for one 30-minute session each and every day5 – focussing on the items below and …
- Occasionally add an extra half-hour session to help build up stamina further.
- Read "Gebrian (Molly) - Learn Faster, Perform Better: A Musician's Guide to the Neuroscience".
- Enigma Ensemble: attend the fortnightly sessions and practice any difficult pieces.
- Continue to try to get a grip on the oboe's high notes, especially above high D. Use:-
→ YouTube: Oboe Files - How to play high notes; 2nd/3rd octave with Fingerings!, and
→ Oboe Files - How to: high notes on the oboe (Fingerings and tips for the 2nd/3rd octave with video tutorial)
- Work through, and perfect, scales & arpeggios6 for Grades I-VIII, using
→ "Trinity Guildhall - Trinity Guildhall Scales & Arpeggios for Oboe (Grades 1–8)",
→ "ABRSM - Scales and Arpeggios for Oboe, Grades 1-8 (ABRSM Scales & Arpeggios)", and ... more entertaining ...
→ "Hinke (Gustav Adolf) - Elementary Method For Oboe".
- Improve sight-reading by playing through
→ "Trinity Guildhall - Sound at Sight Oboe Grades 1-8", and
→ "Davies (John) & Harris (Paul) - 80 Graded Studies for Oboe: Book 1".
- Occasionally review Grade VI pieces, in particular
→ "Boni (Giovanni) - Sonata in G" (Prelude, but also 2nd, 3rd & 4th movements for interest),
→ "Davies (John) & Harris (Paul) - 80 Graded Studies for Oboe: Book 2" (Blatt - Study No. 52),
→ "Morricone (Ennio) - Gabriel's Oboe (Piano Solo Or Oboe/Piano)"
→ "Miller (Vojislav) & Liebermann (Winfried), Eds. - Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions (Orchester Probespiel) - Oboe" (Eroica, Aida, Der Freischutz),
→ "Nielsen (Carl) - Two Fantasy Pieces, Op. 2" (Romanze only)
- Prepare Grade VII pieces, in particular7
→ "Albinoni (Tomaso) - Concerto in D Minor Op. 9/2 for Oboe & Piano", 1st movement (but also 2nd & 3rd for interest)
→ "Bach (J.S.) - 105 Difficult Passages from the Works of J. S. Bach. For oboe", Items 49 & 70
→ "Cimarosa (Domenico) - Oboe Concerto in C minor", All, but particularly 1st & 4th movements
→ "Davies (John) & Harris (Paul) - 80 Graded Studies for Oboe: Book 2" (Ferling - Study No. 62)
→ "Fiocco (J.H.) - Arioso - Oboe + Piano",
→ "Head (Michael) - Presto for Oboe & Piano",
→ "Hinke (Gustav Adolf) - Elementary Method For Oboe", Items 14 & 18
→ "Miller (Vojislav) & Liebermann (Winfried), Eds. - Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions (Orchester Probespiel) - Oboe" (Mozart Jupiter, Tchaikovsky Pathetique, Stravinsky Pucinella),
→ "Mower (Mike) - The Good Tempered Oboe" (Nos. 28 & 35: 'Jauntless Jig' & 'May The Fourth Be With You'; also No. 30: 'Answer the Question'),
→ "Nielsen (Carl) - Two Fantasy Pieces, Op. 2" (Humoresque),
→ "Saint-Saens (Camille) - Sonata Op.166 in D Major for Oboe & Piano" (1st Movement),
→ "Schumann (Robert) - 3 Romances, Op. 94 for Oboe and Piano" (1st & 3rd Movements; 2nd for interest).
- Prepare Grade VIII pieces, in particular8
→ "Bach (J.S.) - 105 Difficult Passages from the Works of J. S. Bach. For oboe", Items 62, 66 and 28
→ "Davies (John) & Harris (Paul) - 80 Graded Studies for Oboe: Book 2" (Harris - Study No. 74; Luft - Study No. 77)
→ "Miller (Vojislav) & Liebermann (Winfried), Eds. - Test Pieces for Orchestral Auditions (Orchester Probespiel) - Oboe" (try various),
→ "Mower (Mike) - The Good Tempered Oboe" (No. 44 - 'Dop Dop Doobah'; also No. 45: 'Enlightenment'),
→ "Saint-Saens (Camille) - Sonata Op.166 in D Major for Oboe & Piano" (2nd & 3rd Movements),
- Read and apply oboe practice techniques recommended by:-
→ Martin Schuring, and
→ "Benedetti (Nicola) - My five tips for learning an instrument".
- Read "Caplan (Stephen) - Oboe: The Breathing Book".
- Tenor Recorder: Learn to play the instrument!
- "Practice - Recorder - General Practice",
- "Nelson (Troy) & Currier (Scott) - Super Easy Recorder Sheet Music for Beginners: A Beginner Recorder Book for Adults and Kids", and
- "Oosthuizen (Amanda) & Oosthuizen (Jemima) - Learn Recorder through Famous Classics".
- Piano: Try to develop some minimal competence as an aid to theory, so:-
- Continue practicing "Rhodes (James) - How to Play the Piano" (Bach's Prelude #1),
- Work through "Faber (Nancey) & Faber (Randall) - Faber Piano Adventures: Adult Piano Adventures All-in-One Lesson Book 1: Spiral Bound",
- Work through "ABRSM - Selected Piano Exam Pieces 2009-2010: Grade 1", and
- Try to play by ear, using for inspiration:-
→ "Cannel (Ward) & Marx (Fred) - How to Play the Piano Despite Years of Lessons: What Music Is and How to Make It at Home".
- Theory: Prepare for Grade 5 Theory, so:-
- Study
→ "Taylor (Eric) - The AB Guide to Music Theory - Part 1", and
→ "Taylor (Eric) - The AB Guide to Music Theory - Part 2",
- Whiz through9 the exercises in
→ "Taylor (Eric) - Music Theory in Practice: Grade 1",
→ "Taylor (Eric) - Music Theory in Practice: Grade 2",
→ "Taylor (Eric) - Music Theory in Practice: Grade 3",
→ "Taylor (Eric) - Music Theory in Practice: Grade 4", and
→ "Taylor (Eric) - Music Theory in Practice: Grade 5",
- Aural:
- Run through:-
→ "Trinity Guildhall - Trinity College London Aural Tests Book 1 (Initial to Grade 5) 2017", and
→ "Trinity Guildhall - Trinity College London Aural Tests Book 2 (Grades 6 to 8) 2017".
- Get a grip on the process of ear-training by
→ Reading "Deutsch (Diana) - Absolute Pitch", and related material10, and
→ Seriously engaging with "Earmaster - Ear Training & Sight-singing".
- Read "Sutton (Christopher) - Musicality: How you too can learn music like a gifted prodigy, unlock your musical instinct, and unleash your inner natural" for inspiration and enlightenment.
- Also follow up items in:-
→ "Various - Music - Aural - Various On-line Training".
Progress to Date
The lists of items performed is cumulative, so I’ve hived off the history to a separate document11, which needs a minor update.
In-Page Footnotes:
Footnote 2:
- I think the book promises too much. I dare say most people can learn to play by ear with practice – but the amount of practice required depends hugely on natural aptitudes.
- It also seems to be a long advertisement for the courses linked to the book.
Footnote 5:
- Well, maybe with the occasional holiday, and excluding days on which I have the Enigma Ensemble.
Footnote 6:
- I don't intend to present these for the Trinity exams, as I can present Orchestral Audition pieces instead; but they are essential for technique.
Footnote 7:
- I've yet to decide which to present for the Exam, so this long list will get whittled down in due course.
Footnote 8:
- These are just the ones from the Trinity schedule that I happen to have. Some look rather fearsome.
- The only one I've had assigned is the Second Movement of the Saint-Saens.
Footnote 9:
- The earlier grades are very elementary, but I need practice writing musical notation.
Footnote 10: Ie. The following:-
Table of the Previous 12 Versions of this Note: (of 83)
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Text Colour Conventions
- Blue: Text by me; © Theo Todman, 2026