Jonathan Small - Oboe

Jonathan Small plays Principal Oboe with the RLPO and joined the Orchestra in 1984.

Q. How long have you been with the RLPO?
A. 22 years (since 1984)

Q. What was your earliest musical experience?
A. Hearing my mother playing the piano and LPs

Q. Do you play any other instruments?
A. Oboe d’Amoré, and piano a bit

Q. If you could play a different instrument, which one would it be?
A. Double Bass - it would be a change to hear everything from a different perspective

Q. What would you most like to do if you weren’t a musician?
A. Something to do with either paleo-geography and planetary science, or perhaps wilderness conservation

Q. If you could take a recording of one piece of music to a desert island, what would it be?
A. The RLPO's CD recording of Suk's Ripening and Praga with Libor Pesek - one of the best we ever made , and it's great music

Q. Which piece of music do you most enjoy playing?
A. Anything by Richard Strauss!  And see the answer above!

Q. Which personality (historical, musical or otherwise – living or dead!) would you most like to share a bottle of wine with?
A. Gustav Mahler

Q. Where’s your favourite place to eat/drink in Liverpool?
A. At home - we're out such a lot with the Orchestra

Q. What do you do to relax in your free time?
A. Climb hills in the Lake District and Scottish Highlands and love to work on my model railroad

Q. Where’s your favourite holiday destination?
A. See the question above - it's Scotland every time