A Q&A with Oboe Performance Major Fiona Slaughter

Fiona Slaughter 
Oboe Performance Major in the Department of Music

In this conversation, Slaughter shares her love of music from Gregorian chant to the Beatles, how eye-opening and relevant studying history can be, how she works in a knitting store with a poodle named OohLala, and how to find out about upcoming campus performances.

Q: Tell us a little about your academic passions, research and/or what you’re studying within the college. What excites you about this?

I am an oboe performance major, which means I spend most of my time practicing, making oboe reeds, and studying music.

In addition to taking oboe lessons with Professor Delaplain, I play in ensembles at the university, study music history, theory and ear training, and take general education classes.

I love studying classical music because for me, it is a special angle of exploring culture and the human experience. I also find learning the technical aspects of music to be satisfying.

Though it is difficult at times, music is what I crave, and what I dream about.

Q: How long have you been at Fulbright College? What have you enjoyed most about your time here?

I have been in the Fulbright College since the fall of 2015, when I started at the university. I love having friends in the college with diverse interests and talents.

Also, I enjoyed taking the Honors Humanities Project (H2P) course for one year. It is a challenging but fascinating course. The texts and historical times we studied in depth seemed narrow and specific to me when I was taking the course (also, unfortunately I have a one-track mind sometimes — Bach wasn’t born yet, so I had a hard time staying constantly engaged), but the themes were so universal and interesting that I continue to think about them from time to time.

Anyone who studies history, no matter how ancient, will find that it is still relevant to the present.

Q: What has your favorite class been so far and why?

My favorite classes so far have been Music History I and II. They are survey classes covering the history of western art music from Gregorian chant to the Beatles.

I loved learning about all the composers, music’s evolution over time, and how it corresponds to changes in society.

I also enjoyed taking Russian for a year with Professor Berkovich. The language, the script and the culture are challenging and interesting.

Q: What advice would you give to new students about to join the college?

My best study tip is to be interested in what you are learning, and focus on learning it completely, not getting a certain grade. Also, try new things and explore your interests.

Q: What do you like to do during your time outside of the university?

I enjoy seeing my friends occasionally and “working” at a knitting store, Handheld Knitting Gallery, where I knit samples and play with the shop’s black poodle, OohLala.

Also, I enjoy reading poetry and literature, and watching movies and TV shows that are obscure, European or atmospheric (saying this ironically, but it is also the truth).

Q: When do you anticipate graduating, and what’s up next on the horizon for you?

I plan to graduate in spring 2019, and after that I hope to earn a master’s degree in oboe performance. I would love to become a professor or professional oboist.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add or let readers know?

I hope everyone has an inspiring fall semester. If you’re ever bored, there are usually concerts in town or on campus you can come to, and they accommodate a variety of musical tastes.

Here is a link where you can sign up for email updates from the music department about future concerts.

I also finished publishing a couple of blog posts about my recent musical institute and academy experiences, and they can be found at fionaslaughter.wordpress.com.