ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses preliminary research and the research generated through some of the collaborations with composers. The work on the new oboe reflects, and is a direct consequence of, 35 years of professional performance activity, and the research questions stem directly from that performing experience. Collaborative work can be a powerful stimulus to creative research activities, generating significant practical results and new knowledge. The research into the new instrument and its potential has added significantly to the available knowledge of the standard oboe. The altissimo range research provided a framework, through the study of generic fingerings and their modification. The multiphonic research began by gathering together every available fingering, collating them into one catalogue and publishing the results on the web. The New Music for a New Instrument project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) an offshoot of the 21st Century Oboe project also funded by the AHRC involves me in collaborative activity with five composers.
