Oboe Studio
Dr. Margaret Marco is the Professor of Oboe at the KU School of Music and teaches all undergraduate and graduate lessons, oboe reed classes, oboe pedagogy, graduate seminars, chamber music, and other classes. Students in the oboe studio at KU are inspired to raise their oboe playing to their fullest potential in a nurturing, supportive, yet challenging environment.
There are lots of good reasons to pursue a degree in oboe at the University of Kansas.
Dr. Marco's Teaching Philosophy
My teaching is firmly rooted in building and maintaining strong fundamentals of oboe playing. Through scales and etudes, she leads I lead students toward mastery of tone, technique, articulation, expression, and phrasing. Through careful selection of repertoire, she enables I guide students to correctly interpret music from the eighteenth century to the present. Her personal strength as a performer, infusing emotion into her playing, is something she shares with her students. Dr. Marco encourages her I encourage students to seek their own expressive voices and to reflect their personalities in their performances.
Learning outcomes of Oboe Study at KU include honing performance skills and basic musicianship through the study of fundamentals; developing complete fluency of scales and arpeggios in all major and minor keys; developing interpretation skills through the performance, analysis, listening and study of repertoire from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary style periods; engaging in the study and performance of pieces outside the canon, especially music by BIPOC, female, and nonbinary composers; developing performance competency of the major orchestral excerpts for oboe and English horn; and developing competence and independence in reed making. Most importantly, I guide students to acquire skills that allow for engagement in the art of performance, pedagogy and discourse in a way that contributes both to one’s own personal fulfillment and to a diverse, equitable and inclusive society including the refinement critical thinking tools.
Studio Class
Studio Class is a performance-based class where students have a chance to perform solo repertoire and excerpts for each other and receive constructive feedback. We cover a wide variety of topics including developing effective practice habits, overcoming performance anxiety, orchestral excerpts, the American oboe school, oboe ensemble music, and much more. Each semester concludes with an Oboe Studio Recital in a semi-formal, public setting where students perform their repertoire with a collaborative pianist to help them prepare for their juries.
Reed Class
Weekly reed classes help you hone your reed-making skills quickly so you can be an independent, self-reliant reed maker!
Guest Artists
Many leading oboists visit campus to present master classes and perform recitals including Erin Hannigan, Nancy Ambrose King, Toyin Spellman-Diaz, Linda Strommen, Jaren Atherholt, Lindsay Flowers, Courtney Miller, Peter Cooper, and many others.
International Opportunities
Oboe students have traveled to Milan, Italy; Eutin, Germany, and Quito, Ecuador to perform with our international musical partner institutions. At least one of our large ensembles performs abroad annually. Recent international performances include those in Osaka, Japan, and Milan, Italy.
Check out all KU has to offer
Receiving a music degree from KU means that you will come in contact study with world-renowned music professors and perform in top-rated award-winning ensembles that will prepare you for a career in music performance, education, or therapy.
Our Wind Ensemble has performed in Carnegie Hall and the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., recorded multiple CDs for Naxos and Klavier, and received glowing praise from the New York Times.
The Kansas University Symphony Orchestra combines a long tradition with rigorous musical training, offering students the opportunity to perform challenging orchestral literature while collaborating across the School of Music in productions, concerts, and community performances. Check out their upcoming season!
Why KU?
As a music major at KU, you can pursue a degree in music performance, music education, or music therapy in a highly motivating and inspiring environment. You can enhance your degree with a Music Enterprise Certificate. Considering a double major? The Bachelor of Arts in Music is a flexible degree that is designed to be paired with another degree outside of music.
Excellence at the Undergraduate and Graduate levels
The School of Music seeks to nurture the art of music through creation, performance, scholarly inquiry, and entrepreneurship at both the Undergraduate and Graduate levels. Students receive outstanding teaching and mentorship and can participate in high-level performance and research, including opportunities to perform internationally. We are a supportive community of students and faculty and a well-established presence nationally and internationally. Our faculty excel at preparing students for the real world while supporting them throughout their time at KU. The School is a major contributor to the arts community and enjoys excellent facilities in Murphy Hall and the Lied Center of Kansas.