Pre-College Oboe & Bassoon
Designed for high school oboe and bassoon students, this program focuses on strengthening musicianship and fundamental techniques. Classes include technique and repertoire sessions, masterclasses, individual practice, large and small ensemble rehearsals, and daily seminars including topics such as orchestral excerpts, reed making, and college audition preparation. Students are exposed to a wide range of repertoire and gain perspective on all facets of Oboe & Bassoon practice and performance. Oboists and bassoonists will have the opportunity to perform in woodwind quintets, double reed ensembles, and woodwind chamber ensembles coached by ISYM faculty members as part of the ISYM Pre-College Academy.
Learning to make your own reeds is an important skill to develop as a double reed player. For those just starting out with reedmaking, ISYM has complete reedmaking kits available for rent during the week. The cost is $25 and includes tools and consumable supplies such as staples and cane. All students are encouraged to bring what tools and supplies they already have.
Eligibility
- For students completing grades 8-12.
Application Materials
- Application Form
- Submit a 5 minute recording of your playing. Please fill out this form. Audio or video (cell phone quality) is acceptable, and your recording should contain 2 contrasting selections of your choice. Recordings will be reviewed beginning May 21. (Please note that this is for placement only in a chamber ensemble.)
Tuition
- Resident - $750 (tuition, room and board)
- Commuter - $550 (tuition and lunch only)
Pre- College Scholarship
- Students who graduate 11th grade in 2020 and who participate in the below pre-college programs during Summer 2020, will be considered for the ISYM Pre-College Scholarship. This scholarship awards $2,000 to the selected students to attend a Music degree program at Illinois starting in the Fall 2020 term. To receive the award students must apply and be admitted to the University of Illinois with any Music degree as the “first choice” major. The Scholarship will be renewed for a total of four years provided the student stays in good academic standing and make progress to the music degree. Other conditions of the scholarship may be included on official scholarship notice sent after the offer of admission.
Auditions
On opening Sunday, Pre-College Oboe and Bassoon participants will have an audition to give faculty an idea of their current level and how they can help students improve over the week. Audition/Welcome Letter.
Typical Pre-College Double Reed Daily Schedule
- 8:15-9:15 am: Individual Practice
- 9:30-10:30 am: Reed Making Class
- 10:45-11:45: Pre-College Chamber Music hour (woodwind quintets and ensembles)
- Noon- 1:00: lunch
- 1:15- 2:15 pm: Ensemble Rehearsal/Workshops
- 2:30- 3:30 pm: Master Class
- 3:45-4:45 pm: Electives
- 5:15 pm: Dinner and evening activities
- 10:30 pm- lights out
Program Faculty Artists:
Oboe
John Dee, University of Illinois
John Dee is the Bill A. Nugent Endowed Professor of Music Performance and Professor of Oboe at the University of Illinois. He was principal oboe of the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra and Florida Grand Opera for over twenty years and also Oboe Professor at the University of Miami and the Harid Conservatory of Music. His teachers include; June Wollwage and Gladys Elliot of the Lyric Opera Orchestra, Daniel Stolper at Interlochen, Robert Mayer, Michael Henoch and Ray Still of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Northwestern University, and John Mack of the Cleveland Orchestra and Cleveland Institute of Music.
Click here for more information about John Dee.
Bassoon
Timothy McGovern, The University of Illinois
In addition to his appointment as Associate Professor of Bassoon at the University of Illinois, Timothy McGovern is currently Principal Bassoonist with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and Illinois Chamber Orchestra and a member of the Prairie Winds Woodwind Quintet. He was Associate Principal Bassoon of the Montrèal Symphony Orchestra and Principal Bassoon of the Montrèal Symphonette, McGill Chamber Orchestra and Ravinia Festival Orchestra. His bassoon teachers included L. Hugh Cooper, Sherman Walt, Willard Elliot, Wilbur Simpson and Ronald Noble. During the spring term of 2008, Professor McGovern was a Visiting Associate Professor of Bassoon at Indiana University. He has also been a faculty member at McGill University, the University of Delaware and St. Cloud State University. He attended Northwestern University and the University of Michigan and is the recipient of two Tanglewood Music Center Fellowships.
Read more about Professor McGovern here.