Midleton Concert Band

What a day! 🎶

The Junior Band played at the METNS Summer Fair today! They sounded brilliant, looked so confident, and made us all super proud! Huge well done to every single one of them — all the practice is clearly paying off.

A big thank you to our amazing conductor Alice for all her hard work and dedication, and to Emily who came along to play with the Junior Band. Also a huge thank you to Ella, who was such an amazing help today!

Next up: grading for some of the children next week, then the Clonakilty concert in just a few weeks… and after that, roll on summer ☀️🎺🎷

Our Junior Band is playing at this TODAY, 2.30pm!! 😎🎉

Looking forward to seeing you all at this year's METNS Summer fair tomorrow

Saturday, 6th June 2pm-5pm 📅

We are absolutely thrilled to extend a warm and melodious welcome to our newest band member, an oboe!
The Midleton Concert Band is growing, and we can’t wait for you all to hear the unique, beautiful tone this double-reed instrument will bring to our sound.🎵

Here are three fun facts to help you get to know the oboe better:

1. A Star of the Orchestra! 🌟 - because why not? 😍
Did you know that the entire orchestra tunes to the oboe? Because of its stable pitch and distinct, penetrating tone, the oboist traditionally plays the concert ‘A’ (440Hz) for the rest of the band to match.

2. A Very Particular and Unique Voice - because it just is. 😊
The oboe has a unique "double-reed" system, meaning the musician creates the sound by vibrating two small pieces of cane together. This is different from single-reed instruments like the clarinet or saxophone, and it's what gives the oboe its signature haunting, lyrical voice. It’s been called "the closest instrument to the human voice."

3. Long Breath, Fast Keys - because why easy when it can be though 😮‍💨
While many woodwind instruments consume a lot of air, the oboe requires very little air flow, but a massive amount of air pressure. Oboists have to learn intricate breath control, as they have more than enough air to hold incredibly long notes, often managing to take small, fast sniffs of air through the corners of their mouth while continuing to play!

At the end of the day, every instrument has a personality! If the oboe were a character in a story or a movie, which one would it be? Let us know in the comments!