In Sunday’s (11/8) Oklahoman (Oklahoma City), Rick Rogers writes, “The first thing you notice when you enter Johanna Cox’s studio at the University of Oklahoma is a table filled with cane, knives and twine, the tools of the trade for those who make their living playing the oboe. Reed making is a delicate and painstaking process that frustrates as often as it satisfies. And while a perfect reed may not exist, oboists will never stop trying to find it. ‘It’s pretty crucial to work on reeds throughout the week since only one out of three may be a good performance reed,’ Cox said recently. ‘You’re only as good an oboe player as you are a reed maker.’ ” Like many professional musicians, Cox divides her time between teaching and performing. In addition to being assistant professor of oboe at OU, Cox plays oboe and English horn with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.” Cox has dealt with the lack of solo repertoire for oboe “by commissioning new works for the oboe, most recently a trio for oboe, violin and piano by Canadian composer Jacques Hetu.” Cox, violinist Rebecca Ansel, and pianist Thomas Bandy will give the U.S. premiere of the work on Monday at a faculty recital.
Posted November 12, 2009
