In his first year of eligibility in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association system, sophomore oboe player Ethan Lam placed first in the Region Band Festival in early March. By placing first, Lam secured his spot in the All-State Wind Ensemble, which took place April 9-12. Competing among the state’s finest young musicians for this spot, Lam earned the unique opportunity to showcase his talent and passion for playing the oboe.
Ethan was fortunate to have realized his interest in music early on. He initially played for the band at the intermediate school before continuing his music career at the middle and high school levels.
“I picked [the oboe] up in fifth grade, and I heard it offered a lot of opportunities,” Lam said, as he recalled his music teacher’s influence. “It was given to me by Mrs. [Vera] Marston to try out, and I’ve been playing it ever since.”
Lam is grateful that he branched out and decided to learn an instrument. However, he never anticipated the achievements ahead of him. His commitment to excellence has not only helped to gain state-wide recognition not only for himself, but also the Southern Lehigh music program.
“Not many people got in and it was nice to represent our school and our district,” said Lam. “This was everything that I worked for.”
Ethan attributes much of his success to the support he has received from his family and teachers. However, hard work, a rigorous mindset, and talent are the backbones to Lam’s achievements.
On top of managing school work and making time for his friends and family, Lam is deeply committed to practicing his oboe skills. Each week, he carves out time for his music, striving to improve himself each day.
“I practice around 10 hours per week,” he said, “however [having qualified] I am getting some rest.”
With all of the practice Lam puts into his music, he has become a very versatile player, and is willing to play any instrument his band director requests from him. In addition to the oboe, Lam also plays the English horn, the clarinet, and several different types of saxophones.
During football games, you will find Ethan playing the clarinet, as there is no oboe section in the marching band, but the oboe is still his favorite instrument.
After high school, Lam is considering pursuing music to some degree. If he decides to go to college for music, he would be interested in classical styles, as they are the genres which most feature the oboe. He is also considering studying business and continuing to play the oboe as a hobby.
