The Confident Musicianing Podcast
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The Confident Musicianing Podcast
I Performed In Paris! Here's how it went
This was an amazing opportunity and I'm so happy to share it with you! I was invited by Buffet Crampon, the company that makes my oboe, to perform in Paris for their 200 year anniversary. Here's how it went.
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Hello and welcome to the Confident Musicianing Podcast. My name is Eleanor and I am a British American oboist studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland literally my dream school and it took me a long way to get there. I applied and auditioned for 12 schools in three different countries. It was a lot of hard work but, oh my gosh, so worth it. I want you to have the confidence to work hard in achieving your goals, so come with me as we go on this journey together. So sit down, pull up a chair, take a seat or, if you're on the go, welcome to the Confident Musicianing Podcast. Hello, hello, hello, and welcome back to another episode of the Confident Musicianing Podcast.
Speaker 1:Today we're going to talk about something really exciting, something that's happened in my life, I guess in the past few weeks, and that I really want to tell you about because it was so exciting. It was just, it was the best, and I want to share it with you. So I was asked by Buffet Crampon, which is a company that makes oboes and bassoons and like, basically, woodwind instruments, and who makes my oboe. They asked me to go to France and perform in their 200th anniversary concert and I was like yes, please, yes, please. It was so much fun, like I remember I got the email for it and I literally jumped up and down in excitement. I was like this is so exciting. And yeah, it was in Paris at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. I was performing with so many amazing oboists from around Europe and as well as some conservatoire students in Paris and, yeah, it was just a group of amazing, amazing people and we performed this kind of it was like a medley almost. It was like an arrangement of a bunch of different pieces. So there was a little bit of Rossini, then there was like Gabriel's oboe, then there was Abba. So it was a lot of different things. It was kind of a mishmash of everything and it was really fun, really fun, and it was. Yeah, it was the best.
Speaker 1:And I want to bring up a few things that really made it a special trip and also kind of some things I just want to bring up with you from a musician's perspective, especially because this trip, you know, obviously this wasn't a holiday. It was like a performance opportunity and it was so, so amazing. So, from a musician's perspective, I think there's a lot to unpack here as well. So when I first got the email, the first thing I thought was number one. I can't wait, I'm excited to perform, but also there's going to be so many amazing people there and there was, and I think, one thing that musicians you know we need to to get good at and and you can't get good at this in the practice room but that's networking, so going up to people and talking to them and making connections.
Speaker 1:Because the thing about this entire trip to France and this opportunity and the reason why I was able to do this and all of this stuff was because I approached a member of Buffet Buffet Crampon, a member of this company, buffet Buffet Crampon, a member of this company back in like six months ago, I was at an event. It was I was performing in this event in Scotland and I saw this guy and someone told me that he works for Buffet Crampon and I thought, okay, to make this connection, I need to go up and talk to him, um, and introduce myself, and I did, and it turned into this, like I mean, there were some steps in between. You know, um, but have making connections professionally and you know it, it can turn into amazing opportunities. I think that that is so important. Now, you know, every connection is different, obviously, um, you like, like, maybe you introduce yourself to someone and you know, maybe there isn't an opportunity or something, but it just so happened that, um, I introduced myself to this person and, um, they were looking for an oboist for something, not this performance, but something else. They were looking for an oboist and I agreed to do it and I was that oboist for them and then I was able to, you know, be one of the people that they asked to do this with or this performance, and that wouldn't have happened if I hadn't made that initial networking connection. And so, as musicians, it's so important, so important to make connections in networking. Yeah, and and I think you know it can be very easy to kind of overthink it, um, but the, the kind of benefits of, of networking and being able to introduce yourself to people is just so is so much bigger than than the, the fear, I suppose, so kind of going on this idea of making new connections. This trip was perfect for making new connections and I did. I met so many amazing people in the world of Oboe and, um, yeah, in the world of Oboe and and Woodwind and and in in Europe, and it was the best it really was.
Speaker 1:And it's interesting because beforehand I was nervous, when I was, when I was thinking, you know, about this trip, ahead of the trip, I was like, okay, I need to make a good first impression. I need to make a good first impression, and I was putting so much emphasis on that. And when I actually got there and I started talking to people, I was like why did I put so much emphasis on that? Because I mean, you should put emphasis. But, like I, I think I was overthinking it too much. And then I was like, okay, you know, I can, I can do this. I don't have to overthink things to do them. Well, do you know what? I mean? It's good to think about things, but maybe not overthink. And I definitely was overthinking that. But the but it's so important to network and I think as well, it's like it's fine to do things nervous as well. I think as musicians, we definitely know that because we perform nervous Um, but with networking as well, it's it's important to to to be able to do things nervous and we can definitely um, we had a rehearsal, so so I got there.
Speaker 1:Um, I left the UK at like I got there. I left the UK at like. I got on the plane at like half seven, but that meant that I had to wake up at 4 am, and so I did wake up at 4 am and I got on the plane and then, you know, I ended up in Paris. That sounds like it was on accident. It was on purpose. I was in Paris and then I had to find the theater and whatnot and by the time I was in the rehearsal it was 4 pm. So it was an entire 12 hours of like traveling and getting stuff organized and getting there and getting ready and blah, blah, blah. And by the time I got to rehearsal I was like OK, I was so tired, tired, but also so excited and energized that I just kind of forgot that I was tired. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:And then after there was a party, like an evening gathering, um at one of the Oboists apartments, and that was perfect for um, it was perfect for networking and I was able to meet so many amazing people and and do that. And I think it's so valuable as a musician because now I have more connections with kind of the French oboe scene and a little bit in Germany as well, you know, and that's just like it's perfect. It's really good. So this trip was so good for making connections and it's so funny how it's. The reason why I was asked to be a part of this performance was because I went up and introduced myself to someone you know what I mean. Like if I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have been asked to do this opportunity and I wouldn't have been able to introduce myself to more people and meet more people. So it's kind of a domino effect, which is very exciting also. So that that's about making connections. The next thing that I think is really interesting was it was definitely a learning experience oboe wise. And yeah, it was definitely a learning experience, oboe wise.
Speaker 1:So context I am a conservatoire student. I study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, I'm a second year, I'm going into my second year. It's currently autumn. I'm starting my second year actually tomorrow at the time of recording. So very exciting. But I in that I mean that's good to note I was around a lot of professionals. There were so many professionals. There were also conservatoire students from France and there were professionals. So there was a lot of different kind of abilities and levels and I think you know the whole concert was such an amazing kind of mishmash, of amazing musicians, and there were so many amazing performers there and I, for me, I was like so kind of excited about performing with these amazing, amazing people. And I think it's interesting because you can kind of look at this opportunity in two ways Because I was so excited, I was so excited, but then there was also a voice in the back of my head that was like you must make a good first impression.
Speaker 1:They, like I really wanted them to like me.
Speaker 1:Do you know what I mean as an Oval Wizard? I was like, oh, let's be good, I want to play, well, obviously. And then I got there and I, you know, I played to the best of my ability and I had a good time and, like I think that was good. But I was also surrounded by so many people who, like, are actual professionals, who have been doing this, you know, for way longer than I have, and so obviously they are way better than I am at it. And and for me it was kind of two options I found myself at the beginning feeling a little bit like nervous about that.
Speaker 1:You know. I mean like I was like, oh my gosh, you know, like I feel a little bit stressed about, am I gonna make a good first impression. But then there's another kind of flip side to that and that is being inspired by other people. And so because I was around so many amazing, amazing musicians who were, you know, professionals, I had the opportunity to, number one, be inspired by them but also kind of learn from them. Inspired by them but also kind of learn from them. You know, just playing around like performing around other musicians who who are professionals, when you are a second year conservatory student, it just rubs off on you like their, their, the, the, the kind of skill level and their tone and things like that. It just kind of rubs off on you, which is, which is an amazing thing, but rubs off on you which is an amazing thing. But it also kind of helped me to be inspired in that way.
Speaker 1:And now, moving into second year at the conservatoire, I am so excited to like work hard at my instrument. I was before, but it's kind of ignited a new excitement. Do you know what I mean? It's filled me with a new kind of sense of joy and excitement towards this thing that I had so much fun doing in this concert, which is playing the oboe right, and so there's kind of that, the excitement and the joy of it, and I'm so grateful for that.
Speaker 1:I think as well, it gave me a lot of perspective in terms of seeing what I want to get better at, because I feel like, um, the, the people around me, they, you know, they, they were playing so well. The professionals, um were playing so well, and I could see how I was like, okay, um, I want to sound more like them like this. Okay, I want to sound more like them like this. Or I want to sound more like the professional oboists that I'm playing with. I want to move my articulation faster, because I heard someone do a really fast articulation and I was like, oh, I love that, I want to make mine better, things like that. And so now I feel like, subconsciously, it's kind of given me a bit of a game plan of things that I want to work on in my own playing, which is like so cool as well.
Speaker 1:I think this concert was so cool because it was a mash-up of professionals and also conservatoire students, and so it was kind of like the conservatoire students, we were able to kind of perform with the professionals, which was such an amazing experience. So, oboe wise, it was like brilliant. Honestly, I was like having so much fun and also learning so much, which was brilliant. Also, the rehearsals were in French. This, this is just a side thing. This has, I mean, I suppose it has to do with music as well, obviously but they were in French and so I don't I mean, I speak some French, like okay. So for me, I love learning languages. It's kind of a side thing, I love learning languages.
Speaker 1:And so when I found out that I was going to France, I was like, okay, I want to do some French, and so I kind of did that, so I was able to use some French, but, you know, not too much, and the rehearsal was in French. So that was a bit interesting. And also, like the professors professors like well, the, the professionals also were some. Some of them were professors. They also spoke French and not much English. So so there was some times where, um, you know, it was a bit tricky, um, in terms of language stuff, but honestly, that's fine too and I think, you know, as musicians, it's very helpful to know languages, because we travel sometimes and do gigs and, you know, end up in France for concerts. So you know that's helpful as well. So, um, yeah, and and that's so. So, overall, it was such a good trip. We had so much fun, um, I so enjoyed it. I, it was the best. I was able to perform and then celebrate with these amazing, amazing people and I was so happy to be there. Seriously, it was the best. So, and it's crazy to think that all of this because, well, all of this couldn't have happened if I hadn't gone up and introduced myself to someone at Buffet so, yeah, it's really the power of introducing oneself to someone is just so, so, so important.
Speaker 1:So, before we do a recap, let me tell you about a really fun tool that I've been using In my practice. For me, planning and reflecting in my practice is so important. It means the difference between me just playing the oboe, not really knowing what I'm performing or what I'm practicing, versus me knowing exactly what I'm working on. And for this trip to France, I really needed to plan my practice, because I got the music like five days before, five days before, and I had to learn it in like three days, and that was really stressful and a lot. So I needed to plan my practice, and the thing that I used for my practice planning was my notable practice journal. This journal is so, so incredibly helpful for me. I can not only plan, but also reflect on my sessions in this journal. It has really kind of just seriously changed my practicing for the better, like so much for the better.
Speaker 1:As soon as I realized that this was helping me, I knew I needed to tell you about it and I knew that I needed to give you a code. So use code LMR15 for 15% off your journal and, yeah, start like start having more effective sessions through your planning and reflecting of your practice. You know me, I do not recommend anything that I don't absolutely love, so this code is an affiliate code, which means that I do receive a commission with no extra cost to you. All right, so basically, I think the two really exciting things about this France trip was I made new connections, and making connections was a big part of it, and also I had a really great learning experience obo-wise. I'm so grateful to have performed in this and I think that it was just so much fun and I have to tell you about it. So I hope that you enjoyed this episode. That is about it for this episode. Thank you so much for listening the stuff that has to do with the episode will be in the show notes, in the description, including the code for the Notable Practice Journal.
Speaker 1:I don't think I spelled it out, I usually do so it's Eleanor15 for 15% off. So that's E-L-E-A-N-O-R-1-5 for 15% off. So that's e-l-e-a-n-o-r-1-5 for 15% off. Um your journal. And yeah, if you enjoyed this episode, please do like, subscribe, comment, share with all of your friends, um, and follow, or, you know, do all the, do all the things. It depends on the platforms. Different things are different things, um, but yeah. So if you enjoyed this episode, please do share it with your musician friends and I will see you in the next one. All right, take care. Bye.
