Lise Beauchamp is principal oboist of Orchestre Métropolitain and Orchestre Symphonique de Laval. She loves her jobs, and CBC Classical takes you behind the scenes with Beauchamp to find out why. Read on and view our photo gallery above to learn all about a day in the life of a principal oboist.
Choosing to devote your life to orchestral performance is no fleeting matter. You must perform flawlessly night after night, and if you're a musical section principal, your flawless performances will frequently include solos. If you're the principal of the oboe section, you are also tasked with tuning the orchestra before every rehearsal and concert. Now consider doing all those things on an instrument that uses reeds you must spend hours a day making yourself; reeds that could break at a moment's notice.
This is the reality for a principal oboist. It seems like a puzzling career choice. Who would want this? Enter Beauchamp, who graciously answered several questions by email.
What do you do in a typical day with Orchestre Métropolitain?
A typical day consists of two rehearsals (the first from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the second from 2 to 4:30 p.m.). On a concert day we usually have a dress rehearsal in the morning, and then the concert at night. I always arrive early, in order to warm up properly. We have 10-minute breaks each hour to let the muscles cool down. If we didn't have these breaks, we could develop problems like tendinitis.
What do you enjoy the most about being an oboist?
The physical act of blowing with so much pressure is very demanding, but I love the feeling of it. The sound of the oboe can be amazingly beautiful and very expressive. Performing the music of the great composers, playing challenging contemporary music, working with my fellow musicians, with inspiring conductors; all of these are incredibly rich and rewarding experiences.
What things do you find the most challenging about being an oboist?
Playing the oboe requires a lot of discipline. Not only do we need to practise every day, but we need to continually make new reeds to play on. The reeds are made of cane and are very fragile; they can last a few days or only a few hours! The good part of these challenges is that they eliminate the competition; few have the patience and dedication to take up the oboe.
What are some things that people might not know about being an oboist?
Even orchestra colleagues don’t know that we have to make our own reeds. I once toured with an ensemble and shared the hotel room with a violinist. She was amazed when she saw me making reeds, asking, “Do the horn players have to do that too?”
What do you like about being an orchestral musician?
Playing in an orchestra puts you in the middle of so much energy and beauty. Playing for the audience, for people listening with attention, who consider music as important as water and food, feels as though something very special is being shared.
What are some things that people might not know about playing in an orchestra?
A lot of people don’t know about the long hours of personal practice [in addition to rehearsals] it takes to perform a single orchestra program. We have to condition ourselves like athletes, but working with very small muscle groups. An orchestra is also like a big family; it's sometimes a challenge to be physically so close all the time. In order to play well together we have to get along.
Describe your path to becoming a professional oboist.
I began playing the oboe at age 11, and was eventually accepted to the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal. From there I went to the Juilliard School for graduate study. In 1988 I got my first principal oboe job in a professional orchestra in Mexico. Five years later, I became principal oboist with both l'Orchestre Métropolitain and l'Orchestre Symphonique de Laval.
Has this been your career goal for a long time? If not, what was your goal?
Orchestras fascinated me from the start. My mother frequently brought me to free orchestra concerts. The sound produced by an orchestra had a great effect on me — it was pure magic. Before I started music I thought I would become a journalist or a writer. I was a “rat de bibliothèque,” reading non-stop, even when I was walking to school.
Are you engaged in any musical activity outside orchestral playing?
I freelance with various orchestras, perform chamber music, solo recitals and do recording sessions in classical, pop and film music. But my main activity outside the orchestra is teaching. Teaching is a big part of my life; I love working with young musicians. I find it gratifying to pass along my passion for music. For me, teaching is the best complement to playing; I couldn't do one without the other.
The day we visited Beauchamp and the OM, they were rehearsing for a performance of Verdi’s Requiem. You can listen to the March 24 performance at Montreal’s Maison Symphonique on CBC Music.
Related: