Central Michigan University Oboe Studio Culture

Studio News

We are excited to be collaborating with Dr. Galit Kaunitz and the oboists at the University of Southern Mississippi on a project investigating diversity, equity, and inclusion in classical music during the Fall 2020 semester. It's been a great experience!

Congratulations to Shannon West, who was awarded the prestigious 2020-21 Norman C. Dietz Music Scholar Award!

Listen

A great annual event is the CMU Chamber Winds Concert, where School of Music students perform with faculty.  Enjoy this excerpt from 2016 featuring Dr. B  with Hannah Wetherholt (Second Oboe) in a performance of the Allegro from Mozart's Serenade in C Minor, K. 388.
Alumni News
Read about the oboists who go on to bigger and better things after their time in the CMU Oboe Studio by visiting our CMU Oboe Alumni Page.  

Visit Us!

We'd love to meet you!  Contact Dr. Binkley and set up a campus or virtual visit. She will give you a complimentary lesson and, schedule permitting, set up the opportunity for you to observe music classes, rehearsals, or join us for Oboe Studio Class.

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Facebook:   Central Michigan University Oboe Studio

Application & Audition Information

What's it like to study oboe at CMU?

  • We support and encourage each other through all performances, academic classes, good reeds, and bad reeds.
  • Dr. B. takes the time to get to know us and the way we learn best. 
  • Lessons are an opportunity to explore and experiment.
  • We make A LOT of reeds (and spend a lot of time in the CMU Reed Room).
  • We have Studio Class twice a week, which gives us lots of time to cover things we all need to work on like vibrato, articulation, preparing orchestral excerpts, and managing performance anxiety.
  • Dr. B.  is a creative professor (and we love it!).  Where else could you experience things like the Oboe Olympics, Non-Vibrato Week, or Name That Crow all in the service of making us better oboists and reed makers?
  • We genuinely enjoy each others company.  "Oboe Bonding" events take place regularly and include things like Dr. B.'s annual Pumpkin Carvin' Party, Burgers at Las, and Ice Cream Meet-Ups.
  • You will learn how to give a good "A" before you graduate.  (Do not underestimate how important this is or how important Dr. B. thinks it is!)
  • Trust the Checklists.  Dr. B. has a reed making approach that really works!
  • Sometimes we are fortunate to have special guest artists visit for master classes.  Check out who has been to CMU by visiting our Master Class Guest List.