My name is Katie Garringer Martins, and I play the oboe. I have a masters degree in Oboe Performance from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. I have performed with members of Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, was previously a freelance oboist in NYC before I moved upstate to teach oboe at Hamilton College and freelance.
I can craft interesting, appealing oboe lines for any song, of any genre (pop/folk/hip hop/etc.) I am classically trained and feel equally comfortable reading music and composing/improvising new lines to accompany your melody or chord structure.
I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.
Credits
2 Reviews
Endorse Katie Garringer Martins
check_circleVerifiedKatie is phenomenal and is so great to work with. She's detailed, specific, and honest. A great musician and friendly business person who handled all details with grace and professionalism. Please hire her for your next project, I highly recommend it!
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I hired Katie to play 22-bar oboe part I'd written for a song. Working with someone remotely is always a challenge. But she made it easy because she's a great communicator. We swapped multiple texts prior to recording. She delivered the final track faster than I expected, and her performance was wonderful, exactly what I wanted. The recording quality also sounded top-notched. She delivered the .wav file in 16-bit and 32-bit. I'd hire Katie again in a New York minute.
Interview with Katie Garringer Martins
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: When creating a melody, my style is whimsical, complementary, and supportive. I try to balance musicality and flexibility with precision and excellence.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I would love to work with Alison Krauss, because I think her voice is so much like the tone of the oboe. I feel like we would sound so good together.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Folk music, but I am a classically trained oboist, so I have some soundtrack work under my belt, as well.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring a lush tone and a metronomic (yet musical!) precision to every part I play. I try to play with a singing quality and always try to match the other musicians' musical ideas and tone.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: If I'm playing an already written part, I usually listen to the song several times before I play along. I will then rehearse my part while playing along with the track, and finally, will record my part in usually a few takes in studio. The bulk of the work happens before I even step foot in front of the microphone. If I'm coming up with my own part, I will listen to the track while improvising on my instrument, taking note of melodic licks that I think fit particularly well. I then record the part with the amalgamation of melodic ideas I've picked that I feel fit best with the artist/producer's vision.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strongest skill is creating oboe lines that complement the main melodic line, both harmonically and texturally. I also listen well, and am able to successfully execute an already written part musically and accurately.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I am often asked to create oboe obligato lines for singer-songwriters/folk musicians.
I was the oboist in this production
- OboeAverage price - $100 per song
Turn around time will typically be 5 days
- I play a Loree Royale oboe
- known for it's strong and lush tone and evenness between registers.
