Dear music friends, from all over the world, my name is Torrey, son of David and Tasha Stadtner , I play the oboe, flute,

           recorder, mandolin and  harmonica. I started when I was 19. I studied one year at the university of the Pacific

           with Bob Davis.

           and then with Mr. Ted Bonkowski for 13 years.  Every Saturday I spent the entire afternoon at his house. First he 

           tune up the oboe, and then my reeds. I played a lession and a piece,and then we played duets. And when my lip

           gave out, he would play through a giant book of orchestral studies for another hour.  He taught me how to make

           and play on French reeds, and use a jaw vibrato.

                        I just found out about the International Double Reed Society a few years ago. I am going to try to go to

           all of them. I have been to Ithica, Provo, and Birmingham. The next one is in Oaklahoma, then Arizona, and then

           Italy, Rome.  If you haven't been to a IDRS convention near you ...your'e missing out on alot of oboe/Bassoon fun

           for five days straight!

                  I play with a string quartet every week, with Cecil Rendon , Rita Wilcox, Darwin Sarnarnoff, Caren, Joann Bates, and the new joy of my life , Joy Hope.

              . And I play recorder, oboe, and boneaphone  at the Renaissance fairs.

             **  And my latest adventure is to help my friend, Opoku start a music and art school in Ghana, in  his town called

            Kibi, about 55 miles from the capital of Accra. It is a non-profit organization.

                 I was there last year for the first time. We connected with Dr. Kwabena Nketia and  the National Orchestra

          of Ghana. And wouldn't you know it, they did not have an oboe player. They had four oboes. Three were broken,

          and one took two hours to adjust. So I played the scale and a song or two. A young clarinetist who had been

          watching me the whole time looked me in the eyes and said, "just give me a finger schart". So I gave him a bunch

          of books and reeds and a quick lesson. It has been two years and he is still playing.  Since then, we have developed

          a wonderful relationship with the National Orchestra of Ghana.

               We have a place , teachers  instruments and more.   Meanwhile,we will use the high school until our building

          gets fixed. You can see it at Ghama.org 

                So, If you find yourself in the neihborhood of Ghana and you have some music or art or dance, ect...come to

          Kibi and teach at the Ghanean Academy of Music and Art in exchange for a place to live with lots of good food and

          drink and fun people to share it with. After your teaching is done for the day , you can do whatever you want.

          Which might just be to have a jam session with all the other locals. Some of the brass and piano players already

          read music, and there are many churches with pianos or organs.  But , other than that there is nothing, not even

          a ping pong table.  So please, if you have anything you want to donate, books, tapes, records, scores, instruments,

          advice, gold, or silver, or keleyWeley, please send me a letter.

                                            ***   We are going to send our instruments and music scores in a few monthes.!!!

                The other main music event is called Lark camp. It is an international folk classical music singing and dancing

          festival that lasts a week in Mendicino california. Look up Larkcamp.com     This takes place every August1-7..

          Limit 700.

               They have classes all day and concerts and dances all night. I was the only oboe one year. Next year there

          were two of us. We played the Brandenberg Concerto #2 and replaced the trumpet with an oboe .

          And also, a  get away to the High Sierra to a place called Silver Lake on Carson Pass, California. About 7556 feet high.

                 I love to play tennis every Saturday and Sunday mornings(Roger Rabbit school of tennis)

                 I also love to play Aikido Tue, Wed, Thur.  and more

                                                                           I love to travel.

              I have been to Japan, Thailand, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, France, England, Ireland,

           canada, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, Ghana, Kenya,  and Somalia. 

            And,  I am planning on Ghana soon. years. And Ghana depends on how our school and funds develope.

           I   also want to go Spain, Holland, Denmark, Norway, and of coarce back to mex,.fr. Itlay, and Ghana!!!

         And boy can I waste  alot of time on this  #^%&(*^  computer.

         Meanwhile, I have to make money to finance  these crazy adventures,  so I work as a home health nurse m-f.

                              We are waiting for a grant from Bill Gates or Oprah. Wish us luck!

                                                                         Well,,

                                             I hope you found this interesting, Torrey