2026-27 TMEA All-State Oboe/English Horn Etude #1

Oboe and English Horn Selection 1 Etude Title: No. 8, page(s) 4 Tempo: Quarter note 104–116 Play from: Beginning to End Performance Guide: The marking for this etude is allegro moderato con fuoco, or “with fire.” Do not forget the moderato part of this marking! Practice this etude slowly, bringing extra attention to the accents. I would use air support to bring out the accents, instead of tonguing harder. One other way to emphasize those notes is to slightly back off on the surrounding notes, thus making the accents stand out. I recommend tonguing very smooth or legato when you are under tempo, allowing the tempo to take care of the staccatos as you gradually increase the speed. Resist the urge to make the tongued notes too “pecky.” Most of the rhythmic issues in this etude come from incorrect counting on the ties. I think of the tied note having a slight lift so that you are not late to the following beat. Practicing the ties subdivided will also solidify those rhythms. While very few dynamics are printed in this etude, that does not mean that you should remain forte most of the time! What will make your performance stand out is to add dynamics and phrasing throughout. This etude is technical, but that does not mean this etude should not sound beautiful. While doing slow practice, check in with a tuner or play with a drone to make sure the tuning is good on the big interval leaps. This etude will go by fast, but the tuning will still be obvious to those listening to your performance. If you are someone who likes to play high A-C with both the first and second octave keys, I encourage you to try playing beats 3 and 4 of measure 11 with just the second (side) octave key for the A and C. That way, you have one less finger to move during those big interval leaps. Be sure to count the fermata rest near the end of the selection. You will definitely want at least 4 beats to catch your breath! The “X” in measure 26 is a double sharp, meaning that