- [Announcer] On this episode of "Onstage at Curtis."

- I think society sees it as like a very stuffy kind of, only a certain class of people can enjoy it, but that's not my goal as a musician.

I think music should be accessible and available to everyone.

- [Promoter] In partnership with the Curtis Institute of Music, WHYY presents the following program.

(cheery woodwind music begins) My name is Izaiah Cheeran.

I'm a third year oboe student at the Curtis Institute of Music.

(cheery woodwind music continues) Thankfully I didn't have parents who were like, super strict about practicing.

They really wanted me to just play for fun and learn a new skill.

Because I fell so much in love with it I would practice all the time, and it wouldn't just be like classical things or things for my lessons, it would be pop music, or, I was in theater as a kid so I would play like "Into the Woods" or something along those lines.

This is Izaiah.

Do you remember me?

I am playing a song you probably know.

If you don't know, I'll tell you at the end.

Here you go.

And then I also explored other instruments, too.

So it made it fun for me.

(upbeat piano music begins) Growing up I was very competitive and I always wanted to do something that was challenging and I always wanted to do something that was unique and nobody else did, and that's why I picked the oboe.

My brother ended up playing the saxophone, and I also wanted to play something that was sort of similar to what he did, but also different.

And I had this competitive side, but then I sort of grew to love the instrument and it sort of became what I did.

Hi aputcha.

I had my first OBO lesson.

The song is called "'Nough Said."

(oboe playing begins) The nice thing about having parents who are not musicians is that every moment, even now, they find every moment to like humble me.

And I was getting a lot of opportunities when I was younger to play, and go on tours, and play in different orchestras and things.

I would always get like a look from my mom or my dad being like, did you do your math homework?

(whimsical oboe playing begins) They definitely like knew that I was really interested and really loved it, but they always wanted to keep me grounded and also venture out into other things too, and keep my options open.

(whimsical oboe playing continues) My mom is the office manager for Great Clips corporate office in Minnesota.

And then my dad is a scientist.

He used to teach, so he used to teach infectious diseases and microbiology specifically in the veterinary school.

So the relationship between animals and humans.

But now he's taken more of an administrative role.

So he's the dean of faculty affairs for the veterinary school.

(whimsical oboe playing fades) Actually, I wanted to become a doctor, specifically a pediatrician.

I wanted to be a doctor by day, musician by night kind of thing.

And there are people who do that.

But I think I was thinking more along the lines of doing both professionally, which is not really possible, which I know now.

And I remember I went to like a double reed camp and somebody had asked that question on my behalf and said is it possible to do both careers at the same time professionally, like be a doctor and an oboist?

And they were like, no, you kind of have to go all in.

And that's sort of when I realized like, okay, if I really want to do this oboe thing, like I have to go all in.

And then it turned into conversations with my teachers and they met with my parents, and this was new to my parents as well.

So it's been a long journey.

(heartfelt classical music swells) The first piece that I picked was really special to me because I'm of Indian descent and growing up I never really had Indian classical musicians who play in Western style to look up to.

(audience applauds) Good evening, and thank you all so much for being here.

My name is Izaiah Cheeran and I'm a second year oboist here at the Curtis Institute of Music.

And I just wanna speak briefly about the next piece you're going to hear, "Nadiya" by Reena Esmail.

Reena Esmail is a composer whom I've been inspired by for many years.

She works to bridge the gap between Hindustani and Western classical music.

And she does this by taking traditional rogs and music that she grew up hearing and putting that together with her training in Western classical music.

This particular piece, "Nadiya," is based off of two rogs.

(Izaiah speaking Hindi) And "Nadiya" means rivers in Hindi.

And basically the piece sort of is written very freely and each performance is different from one another, and like a river sort of flows in and out of each other.

So thank you again for being here and supporting all of my colleagues here in the oboe department.

And I hope you enjoy the rest of the program.

(audience applauds) (heartfelt viola playing begins) (soaring oboe joins) (warm classical music swells) (warm classical music continues) (warm classical music continues) (warm classical music continues) (warm classical music intensifies) (tense classical music continues) (warm classical music continues) (warm classical music continues) (warm classical music continues) (warm classical music continues) (warm classical music builds) (warm classical music continues) (warm classical music continues) (warm classical music fades) (audience applauds) - [Camera Operator] Here, oh wait, that kind of ate.

(suspenseful music swells) (group laughs) - [Izaiah] I auditioned for Curtis early, so I was like really set on going to Curtis, and it was because both my teachers sort of played in the Philadelphia School of Oboe Playing, which started at Curtis.

And my first teacher, Dr. Carrie Vecchione, she studied a little bit with John de Lancie, who was the second oboe teacher at Curtis, and also was president of the school for a period of time.

And then I also studied with Cassie Pilgrim, and she's a recent alum of the school and studied with Richard Woodhams.

So I was always hearing about the school, and was encouraged to apply, and there's very limited openings.

So I knew there was an opening my sophomore year of high school.

So I was like, okay, I want to apply, and if I don't get in then maybe I can apply again another time.

(soulful oboe playing continues) - [Camera Operator] Now start running towards the water, start running, start running.

- [Izaiah] I think a classical musician should be flexible.

You should be able to play with everyone and be able to adjust to your surroundings.

I also think a great classical musician is creative, so their ideas are their own, and they are able to be creative within like, the confines of something that's tasteful.

And then also I think someone who is humble.

I mean that's every aspect of life I feel you need a humble person.

But especially in classical music, because especially the the ultra famous, they get so much attention all the time that it can, I've noticed that sometimes it can get to people's head, and I just think the best classical musicians are the ones who stay true to the music.

(upbeat piano and oboe music begins) So in a major orchestra, there's typically three to four seats for oboe.

(upbeat piano and oboe music continues) There's principal, then there's associate principal, second oboe, and then solo English horn.

(upbeat piano and oboe music continues) Of course spots are quite limited.

And right now there are a few auditions, but I'm not taking them.

I really want to like grow and keep practicing.

(upbeat piano and oboe music continues) Most auditions are behind a screen and you have to basically, they call out excerpts from orchestral repertoire and you just have to play it.

And then there's multiple rounds, and you go on trial, and then you have to get tenure.

So it's a whole process in a completely different world.

So I definitely, it's something that I have to start doing.

But I don't know if I can give you a specific number.

Since I'm only 18, like I don't really know what's next.

Definitely like orchestral auditions.

I would love, my dream is to be like principal in a major orchestra, like a big five orchestra.

And if you get a principal job, the nice thing is that you can also do other things on the side.

So I'm also really passionate about solo and chamber music and also I would love to record.

So right now that's the main trajectory, just so I can keep my options open and do other things.

I would love to teach at some point in my career, but hopefully in my next couple years of being at Curtis, it'll streamline a little bit more.

(audience applauds) The second performance was one of my favorite chamber performances that I did at Curtis.

It's Saint-Saëns "Themes on Danish and Russian Airs."

Before coming to Curtis, I didn't really have a lot of chamber music experience, so this was super fun for me to explore.

And being able to play in a more intimate setting with your colleagues is super important, especially like outside of orchestra, 'cause that's more large scale.

(upbeat classical music begins) (upbeat classical music mellows) (mellow classical music continues) (classical music builds) (upbeat classical music fades) I definitely would love to give a recital in Carnegie Hall at some point.

I mean, that's like a super big dream, but I think it would be really cool, especially since so many performers have played in there, and I've gotten to play there with orchestra before, but I would love to do it, like play a solo or something there.

I definitely want to play internationally, and travel the world and share music.

That's something that I'm very passionate about.

So honestly, like anywhere outside of the United States, I think would be very cool if I got the chance to perform.

- [Camera Operator] Was I in it?

Did I make the cut?

- [Izaiah] No, I missed that half.

Whoa, where'd you get all that candy from, you buy that?

- [Camera Operator] Comes with the fanny, idiot.

- I think the legacy that Curtis has had over these 100 years is so profound, and I'm just so grateful that I can be a part of that and sort of forge my own path through this.

And it just, yeah, it means the world that Curtis gave me this opportunity and that I can use their resources to create something of my own.

(upbeat classical music begins) I would love to play with like the wind players of the Berlin Philharmonic.

I mean, from the time I first started Oboe playing, like I've always looked up to them.

They have a very unique sort of wind sound and they play together so well.

And I would love to just sit in that section and like, just see how they do what they do.

I think that would be really cool.

- Wait, it's even weirder if I wasn't, I'll look at the camera.

- [Camera Operator] Jack, please stop.

You keep staring directly at the camera.

- I was looking at her.

- [Camera Operator] No you weren't, no you weren't.

- So what do we think of Ma so far?

- Yeah, she's like.

- It's so good.

- It's kinda mid, not gonna lie.

I would say to just keep going, take every opportunity that you can, even if it seems like a reach or you can't do it, you'll learn just from doing and going through that process.

So I would definitely just do everything that you can and just make it fun.

I think a lot of, especially young musicians in classical music sort of just see their path one way and they're like, "I wanna do this, this, this, play this piece, this piece, this piece."

But I think just sort of letting loose, and having fun with it, and like finding a way to connect with people through what you're doing and not just do it for yourself will make it even more beneficial, not only for yourself, but also for an audience and for the community.

(soulful oboe music swells) I think I would tell myself to just keep going, stay strong.

(heartfelt piano swells) (oboe rejoins) Anything in the arts is very, I wouldn't say cutthroat, but it's not easy.

(heartfelt classical music continues) And there's definitely very unique personalities, and there are people out there who are gonna try and mess with you.

(heartfelt classical music continues) Like I would tell my younger self, just keep doing what you're doing and take every opportunity that you can and just have fun.

(heartfelt oboe music continues) (heartfelt oboe music fades) (heartfelt oboe playing swells and fades) (heartfelt oboe playing swells) (heartfelt oboe playing continues)