Senior Jordan Pyle is used to being in the limelight. An oboe player with eight years of experience under her belt, Pyle has performed in the Colorado All-State Band, Colorado All-State Orchestra, Northern Colorado Honor Band, Colorado State University Honor Band, University of Colorado Honor Band, and Fossil Ridge High School’s nationally recognized Wind Symphony. And now, she can Honor Band of America to her list.
According to Music For All, who runs the Music For All National Festival where the honor band performs, the Honor Band of America is “one of the nation’s finest student concert honor bands… [it] is a ‘must’ for the finest young musicians.”
Pyle did not become one of these fine young musicians by herself though. She credits most of her talent to the teachings of her mentors and conductors. Pyle studied with Peter Cooper, principal oboe of the Colorado Symphony and oboe professor at CU. “He is the smartest person that I know!” said Pyle. “I think he truly captures the intellect and mindset that it takes to really be an artist.” Cooper taught her to question all of her pieces to find the right way to think about the music.
FRHS band directors Dan Berard and Aaron Vogel also have made her the talented musician she is today. “Mr. Berard is incredible at using his infectious passion for great music to inspire his performers to make great art.”
After sending in her audition, Pyle was not very confident that she would be accepted. Pyle is very humble about her talent. “Everyone thinks I’m good at the oboe, but really I’m just a dude like everyone else and I’m working hard like everyone else.” She jokes about showing the band a video of her playing oboe in fourth grade. “I crack up every time I watch it because I am little, my voice is really high, and I sound so bad!” She didn’t even choose the oboe as an instrument; instead, Pyle wanted to play clarinet. She was sad when she found out she would be playing oboe. However, she loves playing it now and loves where music has taken her.
Pyle’s passion for music has led to her desire to hold an orchestral position or to teach at a university. She is going to college as an oboe performance major.
Pyle said, “This is not so much about me as it is about our program at Fossil and how important the arts are in public schools.” To her, it’s not about the honors; it’s about learning. She is not very competitive and makes a point to show that she is like everyone else. Pyle encourages other musicians to “be a sponge. Recognize that every opportunity you get is an opportunity to learn and then soak up as much information as you can.”
