To the FBA Solo & Ensemble Committee,

We, respectfully request that the Oboe Sonata, Op. 166 by Camille Saint-Saëns be removed as a Grade 6 oboe solo from the Solo & Ensemble (S&E) List. While this piece is an important work in oboe repertoire, its lack of structural cohesion, unpredictable pulse, and extreme difficulty make it unsuitable for even the most advanced high school oboists in the S&E program.

Reasons for Removal:
1. The Piece Lacks Natural Flow and Pulse
Unlike other Grade 6 oboe solos that demand technical mastery but maintain rhythmic and tonal clarity (such as works by Britten and Poulenc), the Saint-Saëns lacks a clear pulse even when played by world-class musicians. Repeated experiences from oboists—including those with years of professional training—have shown that even with a metronome and a prepared pianist, the piece resists natural rhythmic anchoring.

2. Repeated Reports of Unusual Struggles from Experienced Oboists
Multiple oboists—students and professionals alike—have reported similar challenges:

Consistently making the same mistakes despite multiple corrections from different teachers
Lagging behind accompaniment even when using professional piano recordings for practice
Feeling disconnected from the piece, unlike with other similarly difficult solos
Pianists struggling with the accompaniment, leading to inconsistent and frustrating rehearsals

Myself, who was dedicated to this piece to increase my techinque ability for Solo and Ensemble this year, and after four different sources of professional feedback and three private lessons--- experienced  struggle not encountered with any other solo.

3. The Composer Himself Admitted to Writing in His "Last Reserves"
Saint-Saëns composed this sonata between May and June of 1921, just months before his death in December. In a letter dated April 15, 1921, he admitted:

"At the moment I am concentrating my last reserves on giving rarely considered instruments the chance to be heard."
His "last reserves" suggest that this piece was written during a time of physical and creative decline, which may explain its inconsistent structure and musical challenges that extend beyond normal difficulty expectations for Grade 6 solos.

4. The Psychological and Physical Toll on Students
Beyond technical frustration, students preparing this piece for S&E have reported unusual stress, mental exhaustion, and even physical symptoms such as headaches, coughing, and increased performance anxiety. The piece’s resistance to memorization and fluency leaves students feeling unprepared despite extensive practice.

The purpose of the FBA S&E list is to challenge and showcase the skills of young musicians, not set them up for failure with a piece that does not behave like a traditional Grade 6 solo. Given the overwhelming evidence—from oboists’ experiences, Saint-Saëns’ own words, and the struggles of professional musicians—we urge the FBA to remove the Saint-Saëns Oboe Sonata, Op. 166 from the Grade 6 list and replace it with a more structurally sound and pedagogically appropriate work.

We appreciate your time and consideration and look forward to seeing this change implemented for future S&E participants.

Sincerely,
Zachary Novek